With the unmistakable aroma of freshly baked bread and the promise of stacked sandwiches, Jersey Mike's has carved a delicious place in the hearts (and stomachs) of sandwich lovers everywhere. Ranked number two in 2024 Franchise 500Jersey Mike's operates more than 2,700 units as of January 2024 and has seen over 40% unit growth in the past 4 years — and they're showing no signs of slowing down.

But behind the tasty subs and delicious spreads lies a story as rich and layered as their famous Italian cold cuts. From humble beginnings to nationwide fame, get to know Jersey Mike's here.

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1. The CEO worked at the original store as a teenager. Then he bought it.

Back when the original shop in Point Pleasant, New Jersey, was called Mike's Subs, Peter Cancro started as a sandwich shop wrapper at age 14. He eventually earned the right to slice the meat, constantly talking to tourists and rote learning their orders.

When the owners of Mike's Subs put the store up for sale, Cancro's mother encouraged him to buy it. So Cancer bought Mike's Subs at the age of 17 with a loan from his former football coach (who was also a banker).

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2. Jersey Mike's holds an annual day and month of giving.

Jersey Mike's Month of Giving also includes “Annual Day of Giving” on the last Wednesday in March. On this day, 100% of sales – not just profits – are donated to each location's local charity partners.

In 2024, Annual Month of Giving raised more than $25 million to help over 200 local charities. This amount includes customer donations and 100% of sales through March 27, 2024. After 14 Annual Giving Months, Jersey Mike's has raised $113 million.

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3. Danny DeVito was Jersey Mike's first celebrity endorser.

Danny DeVito grew up not far from the original Mike's Subs on the Jersey Shore. When he became the first Jersey Mike celebrity endorsement in an ad, Peter Cancro was skeptical. However, Cancro saw DeVito's work ethic and dedication during the commercial shoot and realized that DeVito was a good fit with the Jersey Mike's culture.

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4. They have a comprehensive franchisee training program.

Jersey Mike's franchisee training program considered more practical than the training programs of other franchises. The program consists of 8-10 weeks of classroom training and in-store experience, and Jersey Mike's believes that the more they invest in a franchisee's training, the more successful a franchise will be.

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5. Jersey Mike's is the official naming rights partner of Rutgers Athletics.

Jersey Mike's has a multi-year agreement with Rutgers University to be the official naming rights partner of Rutgers Athletics. The former Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC) was renamed Jersey Mike's Arena and the space hosts several Rutgers Athletics sporting events and even concerts.

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6. There is a supposedly secret menu.

There are no official claims for a secret menu at Jersey Mike's, but many customers believe there is one. It's unclear whether customers are simply tweaking existing sandwiches to create something new, but the mystery of a secret menu still lingers.

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7. There are currently three international locations, but not for long.

Jersey Mike's has two locations in Canada and one in Mexico, however the brand announced a partnership with one of Canada's largest restaurant operators, Redberry. This partnership expects to open 300 more locations in Canada by 2034.

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8. The Jersey Mike's Tailgate Tour could be coming to a tailgate near you.

To improve marketing efforts, Jersey Mike's gets a big truck on a tailgate tour for college football games across the country. Beginning in 2024, the Tailgate Tour will also include National Hockey League (NHL) and college basketball games.

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9. A bowl is called “Under in a tub”.

Not a fan of bread? Don't let that stop you from trying Jersey Mike's. You can have it all under filling (ie, meat, vegetables and sauces) in a bowl, called “Under in a tub”.

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10. Jersey Mike's is the official sub sandwich of the NHL.

In 2023, Jersey Mike's became one official partner of the National Hockey League (NHL) and their subs are the official sandwich. This agreement includes marketing rights and digital advertising on ice.