Subway Vs. Panera Vs. Quiznos: America's Best Sandwich Chains

Throughout modern history, it's never been particularly difficult to find a sandwich to eat. Just about every place that sells food will be able to make you one in some form or another, and if worse comes to worst it's also pretty easy to find bread and something to put inside it. But recently it seems as if a golden age of sandwiches has begun. From "artisan" breads to lavish, gourmet fillings, it's easier than ever to find a groan-inducingly good sandwich (and hardly anyone would argue against a perfectly composed sandwich being akin to a work of art). Thankfully, many chain sandwich shops are stepping up their game and offering some world-class sandwiches. They deserve to be recognized, so we're saluting the top ones.

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In order to assemble our list, we reached out to the folks who would know best: you. We started with about 65 chains, defining a chain as any shop that has 10 or more locations. Some were national, some were regional. Next we assembled a survey and put it to a vote, asking you to select your favorites. With 1,287 responses collected from all over the country, the results were nothing short of definitive, and surprising.

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So what did we learn? For one, quality is key. If you want to attract customers and keep them happy, you not only need to serve a product you can be proud of, but you also need to keep up with the times, make sure your bread and fillings are fresh, and give your customers an experience they'll enjoy. Next, even the small guys can compete with the mega-chains, because at the end of the day they're both on the same playing field.

From the little guys who made our list like Atlanta Bread Company and Steak Escape to the behemoths like Subway, and from the entrepreneurs with a grand vision to the old guard trying to cement their legacy, we salute them all. Why? Because the sandwich is quite possibly the greatest food ever invented, and they're working day in and day out to make sure nobody forgets that.

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5) Schlotzsky's

To go from a small shop in Austin to an international franchise with locations in 35 states and five countries in 40 years takes commitment and a little luck, and for Schlotzsky's that lucky break came in the form of an invention that blew away those who tried it in the early days: smoked ham, Genoa and cotto salamis, melted Cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses, black olives, red onion, lettuce, tomato, mustard, and dressing on a toasted sourdough bun, also known as The Original. More than 25 additional varieties of sandwiches have joined it on the menu since then, including Angus beef and provolone, chicken and pesto, and a turkey bacon club, along with pizzas, salads, and soups, but it's still that Original that's one of the finest sandwiches you're bound to find anywhere.

4) Quiznos Subs

Quiznos was the first major chain to really play up the "toasted" factor, and even though it might seem like a no-brainer these days, that's only because everyone else has jumped on the bandwagon. The second-largest sub chain in America behind Subway, with more than 4,000 U.S. locations and hundreds more around the world, it started with a single shop in Denver and a pizza oven from a local Tombstone. Today, they offer sandwiches with steak, chicken, turkey, and deli meats, in varieties like Pesto Caesar, Baja, Mesquite, Carbonara (with Alfredo sauce), and The Traditional, with turkey, ham, roast beef, Cheddar, olives, lettuce, tomato, onions, and ranch. Breads include white, wheat, rosemary Parmesan, jalapeño Cheddar, or flatbread, and they'll also not toast it for you if you ask nicely.

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3) Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches

With about 200 units opening every year for the past few years, Jimmy John's, founded in an Illinois garage in 1983 by Jimmy John Liautaud, is on a path to world domination, and that's fine by us. Bread is baked in-house daily and served fresh, and ingredients are as high-quality as possible: "The turkey is real turkey, the roast beef is real roast beef - no additives, no vegetable-based fillers, no fake stuff," the website claims. Sandwiches are composed with an eye toward balance, but if you want to go big, go for the J.J. Gargantuan: Genoa salami, ham, capicola, roast beef, turkey, provolone, onions, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and homemade Italian dressing on a French bun. Now that's a sandwich.

2) Subway

Subway may very well be the reigning king of fast-food style sandwich chains, with 40,445 locations in 103 countries as of October 2013, but that wasn't enough to make it to number on our list. Most people smell Subway before they see it, a result of the bread baking, and its backlit sign and fluorescent lighting is instantly recognizable the world over. Founded by two friends in Bridgeport, Conn., in 1965, the chain exploded out of the gate and today has more locations than even McDonald's. They change with the times (rolling out flatbreads, breakfast, chopped salads, and even personal pizzas), but at its core it's all about the subs, made with expert precision. Like all fast-food brands, there's something almost comforting about the familiar sight of a Subway: you know exactly what you're going to get, and it'll taste just like it always has.

1) Panera Bread

With 46 percent of respondents voting for Panera Bread as one of their favorites, the fast-casual chain was the runaway winner, with more than 150 more votes than number two on our list. Panera actually launched as a spin-off of Au Bon Pain, but was such a success that Au Bon Pain sold itself out and renamed itself Panera. There are more than 1,700 "Bakery-Cafes" in 44 states, and 20 facilities delivering fresh dough to each location daily so it can be baked on-premises. The first chain to voluntarily post calorie counts on its menus and one of the nation's largest providers of free Wi-Fi, Panera has consistently been ahead of the curve when it comes to dining trends. They offer comfortable seating, a wide menu that's constantly being updated with seasonal specials, and breakfast items, salads, pasta, soups, and pastries as well as expertly prepared sandwiches that can be customized to order. Not only does Panera have legions of fans, many are nothing short of obsessed with it. So congratulations on being America's best chain sandwich shop, Panera, and keep up the good work!

Click Here to see 20 More Chain Sandwich Shops Ranked including Pret a Manger, Togo's, Blimpie and more!

-Dan Myers, The Daily Meal