I’m a big fan of cults — grocery chain cults, that is. As someone who grew up in upstate New York, I am a proud member of the Wegmans grocery store chain for their hot buffets, surprisingly impressive sushi as far as grocery store chains are concerned, and their subs (Danny’s Favorite is the best).
But I recently moved to Florida and unfortunately, the nearest Wegmans is about 800 miles away, a bit too far for my weekend food hauls. But the Wegmans-equivilent of the south is Publix, a true Florida institution. And the people down here are passionate about their Pub Subs.
What is a Pub Sub?
One of the cult grocery store’s most popular items is the sub sandwiches that come from the deli. A Pub Sub is what the people call it. They are enormous, pretty affordable, and world-renowned. Now, I’m a sandwich girly through and through, so I had to try it. I asked some local folks what their go-to was when ordering a Pub Sub, and I only got one answer — the chicken tender sub.
I made my way back to the deli at my local Publix, and then proceeded to wait in line for no less than 20 minutes before it was finally my turn. Apparently, this is a phenomenon at Publix, where everyone really wants a Publix sub, but hates the experience of getting it due to long wait times, long lines, and the inability to wander the store in fear of losing your spot.
But I mustered on (condiment pun intended), and after some time, it was my turn. I went with a whole chicken tender sub on white bread with chipotle mayo and munster cheese toasted. I added lettuce, tomato, and onion.
Why are Pub subs so damn good?
This, I discovered, before even tasting my sub. For one, they chop up the chicken tender pieces into tiny pieces so they are evenly spread across your sandwich and don’t scrap the inside of your mouth on their crispy coating. And two, they are massive. Seriously, Subway’s footlongs could never. There is an insane amount of protein in there and plenty of cheese and toppings, and the bread-to-filling ratio is perfection. This sandwich, once all wrapped up, could be used as a baseball bat, a very delicious baseball bat.
Then, I got home and tasted it. Delicious. The chipotle mayo is no joke, providing an impressive amount of flavor and a decent kick. The chicken is crispy and tender and easily chewable because of the tiny pieces. I ate half and was full. Not one bite was too dry or too wet or missing any necessary elements for it to be the most perfect bite.
In total, I paid $10.35, which is a deal for lunch considering it makes two meals for me. As a sandwich savant, I give this Pub Sub an 8.7 out of 10. I would gladly wait 20 minutes for one again. And again. And again.