I Compared Subway & Dagwoods Classic Sandwiches — One Sub Reigned Supreme

The Sandwich Overview

Right off the bat, I immediately took note of how the Dagwoods "small" size is much larger compared to Subway's six-inch option. While it isn't a staggering difference, you definitely get more sandwich at Dagwoods, making it clear that in this very case, size really does matter.

The packaging is also very similar. Sure, Dagwoods opts for a brown bag, while Subway keeps things simple with all-white to-go packaging. Nevertheless, both use an abundance of green writing and are wrapped practically the same.

But how do they both taste?

The Grilled Chicken Sandwich

When it came to the grilled chicken sandwich, I was surprised to discover that Dagwoods uses sliced chicken while Subway uses an actual slab of grilled meat. Despite allegations claiming Subway doesn't even use real chicken, the fast food chain was quick to nip that in the bud. "Our chicken is and has always been 100% real chicken. In response to these baseless allegations, we had two independent labs, one in the US and one in Canada, test our Canadian chicken products," Subway said.

With the "is it really even chicken?" debate out of the way, I got to tasting both sandwiches. The Dagwoods chicken option offered a fresh take on the protein-filled sub with the ingredients mixing exceptionally well together. Not to mention the mustard and mayo didn't overpower the sandwich at all, which cannot be said for Subway.

The Subway six-inch grilled chicken sandwich was disappointing. The bread was a bit tougher (despite being purchased after having ordered at Dagwoods) and there was far too much sauce, so much so that it was practically dripping down my fingers at one point.

Considering the Dagwoods chicken sandwich was less messy and offered a fresher taste, it was easily the winner among the two.

The Cold Cut Sandwich

I ordered the Subway cold-cut sandwich made up of Black Forest ham, Genoa salami and bologna along with Subway house dressing. I then ordered (or tried to at least) the exact same thing at Dagwoods, except the sandwich included mortadella in lieu of bologna.

Also made with its very own house dressing, the Dagwoods cold-cut sandwich was a bit greasier and saltier than I would have enjoyed. The bread was fresh, and the toppings also blended well with the meat. However, I couldn't get past the saltiness. While I thought it was the house dressing at first, turns out the meat was giving off far too much of a sodium taste, taking away from the overall sandwich experience.

As for Subway, the cold cut was just alright. The sauce was easily the best part, which says a lot considering it's the last thing that gets put onto the sandwich. Although it tasted better than the Dagwoods sandwich, Subway's cold cut still fell a little flat. There wasn't enough meat compared to the toppings inside, and even with a smaller amount of protein, the cold-cut meats also tasted too salty.

Sandwich Prices

Alright, let's take a look at the prices. When it comes to the grilled chicken sandwich, Subway's six-inch option costs $8.69, while the Dagwoods sandwich costs $9.67. However, it's important to remember that you do get nearly two extra inches from Dagwoods, so it pretty much comes to the same thing.

As for the cold-cut sandwich, Subway's six-inch choice costs $6.19, while the Dagwoods sandwich came up to a total of $9.12. Although the $0.98 difference in cost between the chicken sandwiches makes sense, the nearly $3.00 difference between the cold-cut options had me confused. Sure, you're getting a bit more with Dagwoods, but not $3.00 worth more.

For those looking to save money while still getting a filling meal, Subway may be your best bet. However, it entirely depends on the sandwich you order.

The winner is…

By the crust of its bread, Dagwoods wins this one.

Although its price point is slightly higher than Subway, Dagwoods offers a bit more freshness compared to Subway, particularly in the bread department. When your slogan is quite literally "Eat Fresh" you expect everything to be fresh, including the bread, and that simply wasn't the case with either Subway sandwich. As for Dagwoods, the slogan "Fresh & Delicious," isn't entirely true either, at least not for the "delicious" part.

Not to mention, Subway fell flat both times. While the Subway sandwiches were entirely edible and the taste was by no means horrible, the excessive amount of sauce, tough bread and imbalance of protein to toppings ratio put Dogwoods in the lead. Sorry, Subway.