The bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich, or "BLT," has been a worldwide favorite for over a century, with its simplicity key to its charm.
After all, a true BLT consists of just the ingredients listed in its name between two slices of bread with a slather of mayonnaise.
I've been a huge fan of the BLT for many years, so I set out with alacrity to find the best one at popular sandwich chains in the US.
At each stop, in an effort to try the most default BLT, I gave no instructions beyond size preference when ordering and made no customizations.
Here's how the BLTs from Subway, Jersey Mike's, and Jimmy John's stacked up — and which left me the most impressed.
My Subway sandwich felt like a solid deal.
At Subway, I could choose between ordering a footlong BLT for $12.99 or a 6-inch for only $3.99 from the chain's Deli Faves value menu.
I went with the latter, which seemed like too good a deal to pass up.
The sandwich came on Italian bread, which was toasted open-faced with the bacon on top of it. After, the Subway staffer added lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise.
Subway's BLT tasted fresh, but there was way too little bacon.
Once I got home and unwrapped the BLT, the sandwich looked light on bacon and a bit heavy on mayo.
A hearty bite of Subway's BLT confirmed my suspicion: It was very light on the "B." It appeared to have about four strips of bacon, and though they were stacked closer together on the small piece of bread, it didn't feel substantial enough.
The bacon pieces themselves were a bit too thin, but tender without being soft; their consistency was welcome.
Beyond that, the lettuce had a good crunch, the tomato seemed fresh, and there wasn't actually a glut of mayo as I'd figured on visual inspection.
This would have been a well-balanced sandwich if only there had been twice or even three times as much bacon. As it was, the bacon mostly just added a salty flavor to the sandwich rather than playing the main role in it, which is the hope for a good BLT.
Overall, at a $3.99 value price, Subway's BLT was worth the money but hardly worth further commentary.
After trying this, the footlong's $12.99 price also feels hard to justify. I still doubt that having double the bacon (spread over more bread) would be enough to properly balance out this BLT.
Jimmy John's BLT also had toasted bread and bacon.
At Jimmy John's, I ordered the smallest BLT I could, which came on an 8-inch "regular" French bread.
The sandwich cost $8.99, which was fair but hardly a deal. My other option was ordering the 16-inch "giant" sandwich for $17.49, but it felt like far too much.
In this case, again, the staffer toasted the bread and bacon, then added the other toppings and mayo.
The bacon flavor was on full display in this BLT.
Jimmy John's BLT had plenty of bacon — I'd say six slices encircled the lettuce and tomato. The meat was a bit crispier here than at Subway, but not crunchy.
I'm a huge fan of bacon, so you might think the bacon-forward flavor profile of Jimmy John's BLT was a good thing. I wouldn't go that far, though I don't think it was a bad thing.
I was mostly left wishing the sandwich were more balanced. The dominant salty, savory bacon taste made it difficult for me to detect flavors from other ingredients. Also, the lettuce wasn't as crisp as I'd like.
I usually love Jimmy John's doughy, delicious, and famously fresh-baked bread. However, toasting detracted from its appeal.
I'm also used to the chain's "regular" sandwiches feeling substantial enough that I often save a few bites for a post-lunch snack. This time, that wasn't the case. The slender BLT felt light in my hand, and I didn't have leftovers.
I'd order this sandwich again, but only if I wasn't incredibly hungry.
My Jersey Mike's BLT was the first and only one not toasted.
Jersey Mike's is famous for its freshly sliced deli meats, so it felt strange ordering a sandwich that didn't include any. This BLT is also the only one on this list that was prepped and served cold.
With no fresh slicing or toasting required, my sandwich was ready incredibly quickly. There was about 30 seconds between when I said "I'll have a BLT, please" and my finished sandwich being wrapped and deftly slipped into a to-go bag.
The sandwich was available in a "mini" size (about 5 inches) for about $7.25, a "regular" size (about 7 inches) for $9.75, and a "giant" sub (about 14 inches) for $17.65.
I went with the "regular" for $9.75, which felt like a solid value without getting way too much sandwich.
Ultimately, I left impressed by how fast I was in and out of the store and the decent heft of my sandwich in the to-go bag.
Jersey Mike's BLT hit all the right notes for this classic sandwich.
After one big bite, the competition was over: Jersey Mike's made the best BLT of the lot, hands down.
This sandwich was large and satisfying, with a pile of shredded lettuce, thickly sliced tomatoes, and plenty of bacon layered on fresh-tasting, soft bread.
There was a generous slathering of mayo, but not so much that it dominated (or dripped), and that bread was thick but pillowy, allowing for hearty bites.
The bacon from Jersey Mike's was cooked to the point of being crispy, almost crunchy. This isn't my favorite take on bacon, but I know it's a popular preference that will surely please many people.
And regardless, the amount of meat felt fairly generous — I counted about six slices — and it felt well-proportioned to the other ingredients.
Price-wise, Subway seemed to offer the most value.
After rough calculations, Subway had the lowest price-per-inch across the board for both the value-sized 6-inch BLT and the footlong.
This doesn't factor in how well each sandwich was loaded, though, and value doesn't always just come down to cents. None of the estimated per-inch price differences felt significant enough for me to declare Subway my winner.
It's also worth pointing out that many of these chains regularly offer meal bundles, rotating deals, and coupons that can help level the playing field.
In the end, Jersey Mike's BLT remains my top pick.
Next time I stop at a Jersey Mike's, you can count on the BLT being at the top of my list of likely orders. It's also a sandwich I'm sure I'll recommend to others in the future, too.
The two runners-up were still fine and worth trying, which is a testament to the overall excellence of the classic bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.
If I find myself only a little hungry and in proximity to Subway or Jimmy John's, I may well order another BLT — especially if the former still has it on its $3.99 Deli Faves value menu.
Otherwise, next time a BLT craving hits, you'll find me at Jersey Mike's.
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Steven John has been a freelance writer for more than a dozen years and has been a regular contributor to Business Insider since 2017. His work includes a focus on the tech world, covering companies including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google, and others. He also reviews restaurants, shares how-to cooking articles, and writes general interest pieces.Steven also writes for publications including Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, Forbes, and more. In the past, he also wrote for New York Magazine, Mashed, U.S. News & World Report and other outlets. He runs his own outdoor lifestyle site, Dad Gear Review, and co-hosts the Fact Trekkers podcast with his son. He has had two novels published, Three A.M. and Outrider. He graduated from Emerson College with a degree in communications focused on filmmaking.He is an avid outdoorsman and can be frequently found in a kayak or on a mountain trail, often with his family along for the adventure.Expertise:Tech industryTech hardwareOutdoorsCookingRestaurantsDIYPopular articles:Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and moreYouTube is a major entertainment force. Here's the platform's history, plus how to create a channel and upload videos.Inside the life and career of Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire, and philanthropistTim Cook net worth: How the Apple leader earns and spends his moneyBecoming an Amazon seller is a simple process. Here's what's involved, plus how you make money and get paid.
