IT’S no surprise the Subway is such a popular sandwich shop considering people can customize their orders to their hearts’ content.
Oh, you want lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and teriyaki sauce on your chicken teriyaki sandwich on wheat bread? Add American cheese? Your wish is Subway’s command.
I know this, you know this, Subway regulars from Gualo Rai to Agana Shopping Center and beyond know this. That ability to customize your order is the very reason Subway owns 14 locations across Guam, and two on Saipan.
And now, with the Subway Refresh 3.0, your favorite sub shop has added six new sandwiches to the roster of 12 Subway Series sandwiches launched in November last year.
The new menu items are #33 Teriyaki Blitz, #16 All-Pro Sweet Onion Teriyaki, #20 Elite Chicken & Bacon Ranch, #23 Hotshot Italiano, #18 Ultimate B.M.T, and #19 Pickleball Club.
If you’re a little curious as to why I’ve included a number next to the name of the new sandwiches, that’s because ever since November 2022, there’s been a new way to Subway. The numbers on the menu let your Subway Sandwich Artist know a preset way to build your sandwich. So, for example, when you go to Chalan Piao and say “Can I have a #23?” your friends at Subway will automatically throw together Italian bread, salami, pepperoni, jalapenos, lettuce, tomatoes, provolone cheese, red onions, and MVP Vinaigrette.
And yes, of course, if you want to change or add ingredients in your sandwich order, you’re totally welcome to do so.
Last week, I was lucky enough to visit the Subway Gualo Rai and Chalan Piao locations to try out the ordering system for myself.
I started lunch in Subway Gualo Rai by ordering #3 The Monster and #19 The Pickleball Club.
The first thing I had was the Pickleball Club, and let me tell you, I might have to start playing pickleball over at American Memorial Park if the game is as good as this sandwich.
I was impressed by how well-balanced the flavors are in #19 Pickleball Club. In one sandwich you get ham, American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, honey mustard toasted on your favorite bread.
What I liked best was the way the sandwiches came together. The ham, bacon, and cheese obviously are salty, the bacon adding in some smoky flavors as well. But with the lettuce and tomatoes in there, that salt balances out and you notice how creamy the cheese can be, too. The honey mustard and pickles brighten up the sandwich’s flavor profile, and the onions are pungent without being overpowering.
Now, because I still needed to take a bite out of my next sandwich, I made sure to save room for #3 The Monster.
The Monster is a cheesesteak sandwich that adds steak, peppers, onions, bacon, Peppercorn Ranch, and slaps on some Monterey cheddar. When your name is The Monster, you need to bring those bold flavors into every bite.
This sandwich is what I imagine you would need after you finish an entire day of hard work in your front yard. Also, if you hit the gym during a bulking phase and crush an absolutely killer heavy workout, you’re going to want to munch on this.
When I do food reviews I try to only take a couple bites of each of the dishes I’m having. But with #3 The Monster I couldn’t help myself. I ate the whole thing in one sitting. Is this thing satisfying? Absolutely. If you have a monstrous appetite, get the footlong.
The next day, when my lunch began at Subway Chalan Piao, I started off with #8 The Great Garlic. And I know what you’re thinking, with a name like Great Garlic, I should be raving about the garlic aioli that permeates the entire sandwich and is a garlic lover’s dream. It’s good, no doubt, but I want to highlight the rotisserie chicken that comes loaded on every order of this meal. I almost want to go back to Subway and ask if I can buy a side of rotisserie chicken so I can go make kelaguen. The Chamorro in me definitely could eat the chicken with rice, and next time I’ll make sure to do so by ordering the Subway Protein Bowl.
Usually, rotisserie chicken is either bland or dry or some combination of both, but Subway gets it done right. The chicken is juicy, tender, and flavorful. On the standard menu you can expect to enjoy Monterey cheddar, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and onions on a toasted sub when you order a Great Garlic.
Finally, I think the sandwich that surprised me the most was #4 Supreme Meats. When I saw the pepperoni, salami, capicola, ham, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes and onions, I sort of knew what flavors to expect. All hits in my book. But I’ve never had the MVP Vinaigrette before, and since I was curious, I gave this one a shot. Now, I should disclose that I’m a fan of oregano, which helped me enjoy this sandwich, because although I don’t know what all the ingredients are in the MVP vinaigrette, I could definitely taste the oregano. The vinaigrette itself is tangy and fresh and really goes well with the provolone and all those glorious Italian deli cuts.
Here’s what I think: By using Subway’s numbered ordering system to purchase a Subway Series sandwich, we could really speed up how we order our subs. I don’t know about you, but when I go to Subway, I’m never ordering for just myself. What happens when you tell your family that you’re going to Subway? They start giving you their order, and before you know it, you’re in line at Chalan Piao with five different footlongs in your brain, with like a million different vegetable and sauce combos. But calling out your order number is one way to streamline all that. You can walk into the restaurant with your orders in mind, say out a few numbers, retain the option to customize, and walk out the door when you’re ready.
Subway Managing Director Marcos Fong explained to me that while customization is here to stay, Subway has reinvested in its test market studies and chef-led, reimagined flavors for the Subway Refresh 3.0 campaign in order to stay fresh for its customers.
“Subway has always been a build your own, customization shop. That’s always been the DNA of Subway. But what we found is that a lot of people have their preferred favorites,” Fong said. “Subway got chefs and experts together, did all kinds of market tastings with the public, and came out with the Subway Refresh 3.0 sandwiches.”
If you’re in Gualo Rai or Chalan Piao, stop by at Subway and see which of the new menu options is the right one for you.
Supervisor Alliyah Ulechong, left, and Angelo Manibay, operations manager at Subway Gualo Rai, prepare a #19 Pickleball Club and #3 The Monster.
A footlong # 19 Pickleball Club right before it hits the toasting oven at Subway Gualo Rai.
Over at Subway Chalan Piao, I ordered a #8 Great Garlic and a #4 Supreme Meats. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do food reviews.
The #8 Great Garlic features rotisserie chicken and a garlic aioli. The #4 Supreme Meats features all kinds of Italian deli cuts and a wonderful MVP Vinaigrette.
The #4 Supreme Meats comes with pepperoni, salami, capicola, ham, provolone, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and the MVP Vinaigrette.
I might have to start playing pickleball over at American Memorial Park if the game is as good as this sandwich. The #19 Pickleball Club comes with ham, American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onions, honey mustard toasted on your favorite bread.
Toasting makes a sandwich better in my humble opinion. This is a #3 The Monster right before it was tossed in the oven.
I feel like if you’re bulking and hit a heavy day at the gym and then crush your work out, you should order a #3 The Monster as a reward.
Customization will always be a part of Subway, but they also now have a numbered ordering system that could potentially speed up the way you order your favorite sub.
The new menu items featured in Subway Refresh 3.0 are #33 Teriyaki Blitz, #16 All-Pro Sweet Onion Teriyaki, #20 Elite Chicken & Bacon Ranch, #23 Hotshot Italiano, #18 Ultimate B.M.T, and #19 Pickleball Club.
