When hunger cannot wait, order Jimmy John’s. It may take longer to place an order online than it takes to show up at your door. Notorious for its “freaky fast” delivery, JJ’s claims they can put a sandwich in your hand in less than four minutes. Sound too good to be true?
I ordered Jimmy John’s a lot my freshman year after the dining hall closed. By the time I reached the lobby, my sub was there waiting for me. So what’s their secret? I did some digging and talked to a former employee to find out all of Jimmy John’s secrets. Yes, there’s more than one.
1. They Follow a Strict 30 Second Rule
Employees are allowed no more than 30 seconds to make a sandwich—even custom orders. How do they do it? Like an assembly line.
“There’s one bread cutter, one on fillings, and one wrapper,” the former Jimmy John’s employee told me. They even learn to cut and gut fresh bread loaves in two quick, precise slices.
#SpoonTip: Did you know that you can purchase day old bread from Jimmy John’s for 50 cents? Score.
2. They ONLY Deliver Within a 2-Mile Radius
Live 2.5 miles away? Sorry, you’ll have to order pickup. This short range is what really gives drivers the upper hand. According to a former delivery man, they eventually memorize all of the street names, backroads and traffic patterns, and mentally map their trip accordingly.
Based on your phone number, some workers are able to recognize the area code and know immediately which direction to start driving.
3. The Real Question
So I had to ask, “Do drivers speed?”
“Yes. They do,” replied my source.
“Have you ever gotten a ticket?”
“I never got caught speeding, but I know drivers who have. It’s rare. But hey, less time, more deliveries, more money,” he admits. While he doesn’t encourage speeding, he’s also not wrong.
4. It Takes a Village
Jimmy John’s hires an average of 210 new employees per week and constantly adding more franchise locations.
This makes sense, considering their two-mile-radius rule and the fact that they always have three sandwiches makers and multiple drivers on staff. To keep up with multiple orders, if employees aren’t delivering or filling orders, they’re either food prepping or waiting on stand-by for the next one to come in, making the overall Jimmy John’s experience (conveniently) freaky fast.