The Truth About Subway's Veggie Delite Sandwich

When you think of the most popular sandwiches sold at Subway, meat typically comes to mind. In a recent poll conducted by Mashed, the sweet onion chicken teriyaki was voted most delicious, followed by the Subway club, steak and cheese, meatball marinara, and tuna. What about the vegetarians who seek sandwich-based deliciousness? Well, there's the Veggie Delite, which is described on Subway's website as "crispy, crunchy, vegetarian perfection."

In a Mashed ranking of Subway sandwiches from worst to best, the Veggie Delite scores far from perfect, described as "dull," "boring," and "unless you're a vegetarian who is trapped inside of a Subway ... don't order the Veggie Delite." In fact, it ranks second-to-last, with only Subway's allegedly questionable tuna beating the sandwich for the title of "worst."

The website Grub Grade calls the Veggie Delite a "straight up lackluster salad sandwich," and Business Insider deems it "brain-numbingly bland." Adam Rothbarth at Vice takes a slightly more generous approach, noting that "as a vegetarian sandwich, the Veggie Delite absolutely fails," but when thought of as a house salad contained within a loaf of bread, it becomes more appealing.

It's heavy on the veggies, less on the delight

Per Subway's website, the Veggie Delite by default comes on 9-grain wheat bread and contains cucumbers, green peppers, lettuce, red onions, spinach, tomatoes, and optional cheese. Without cheese, Subway's website notes a six-inch Veggie Delite has 190 calories, nine grams of protein, 240 grams of sodium, and two grams of fat. Spoon University calls it "the healthiest Subway sandwich of them all."

Yes, the Veggie Delite is a sandwich of only bread and vegetables, but it doesn't have to be. Subway is full of customization options, after all. On the subreddit r/vegan, users describe jazzing up the sandwich with additions like sweet onion sauce, avocado, vinegar, or the veggie patty (which is vegetarian, not vegan). But even plant-based Redditors admitted to finding the sandwich a bit lackluster — some liked it, but others described it as something they'd get if they didn't have many other options.

If you're seeking another plant-based option to order at Subway, you may have to wait a bit longer. Unless you come in time for breakfast, and order the egg and cheese.