Jersey Mike's Subs
| File:Jersey Mike's logo.svg | |
| File:Jersey Mike's Subs, Valdosta.JPG Jersey Mike's restaurant in Valdosta, Georgia | |
| Jersey Mike's Subs | |
| Formerly | Mike's Submarines (1956–1975) |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Fast casual |
| Founded | 1956 Point Pleasant, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Founder | Peter Cancro |
| Headquarters | , U.S. |
Number of locations | Increase 3,500 (2023) |
Areas served |
|
Key people | Charlie Morrison (CEO) |
| Products | |
| Revenue | Steady US$974.1 million (2021) |
Number of employees | 19,000 (2021) |
| Parent | Blackstone |
| Website | www |
A Sub Above, LLC, widely known as Jersey Mike's Subs, is an international submarine sandwich franchise based in Manasquan, New Jersey. The company operates roughly 3,500 outlets throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
History
Peter Cancro started working at Mike's Submarines in 1971 when he was just 14 years old. The original establishment, founded in 1956 by Michael Ingravallo as part of a family-run chain with locations in New Jersey and Florida, was situated close to Point Pleasant Beach High School. This family enterprise had its roots with Jimmy Lepore, an Italian immigrant who launched the first submarine sandwich shop in the Bronx before expanding into New Jersey.
At age 17 in 1975, Cancro acquired the Point Pleasant store by raising $125,000 with the help of local supporters. He eventually became the majority owner and chief executive officer. Franchising began under his leadership in 1987; by 2014, Jersey Mike's had expanded to 750 stores with an additional 650+ planned. The brand reached over 1,000 locations in 2015 and saw significant growth on the U.S. West Coast, particularly in Southern California. The original store now functions as the corporate training facility.
The chain briefly ventured into Australia in 2016 with three outlets but withdrew by late 2020 due to challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Jersey Mike’s entered the Mexican market with a new location in Guadalajara.
In January 2024, a major expansion into Canada was announced through a partnership with Redberry Restaurants aiming to open 300 stores over ten years. Initial Canadian locations include Kitchener, London, and Markham in Ontario.
On November 18, 2024, Cancro sold a controlling interest to private equity firm Blackstone for $8 billion. Subsequently, Charlie Morrison took over as CEO on April 28, 2025.
Products
All Jersey Mike's Subs restaurants prepare submarine sandwiches to order by freshly slicing meats and cheeses for each customer. Their signature preparation method called "Mike's Way" features sliced onions, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, oregano, salt, and a mixture of red wine vinegar, olive oil, and vegetable oil known as "The Juice." Additionally, a unique chopped pepper relish ("CPR") is available but is not included in Mike’s Way.
Certain locations also offer breakfast sandwiches incorporating pork roll, a regional specialty from New Jersey, for early-day patrons.
Advertising
In September 2022, Jersey Mike's introduced a promotional campaign starring actor Danny DeVito, who hails from the area near the brand’s original location. This collaboration strengthens the company’s credibility and expands its market reach by capitalizing on DeVito’s local connections and celebrity appeal.
See also
External links
- Pages with broken file links
- Blackstone Inc.
- Submarine sandwich restaurants
- Fast-food chains of the United States
- Fast-food franchises
- Companies based in Monmouth County, New Jersey
- American companies established in 1956
- Restaurants established in 1956
- 1956 establishments in New Jersey
- Fast casual restaurants
- Fast-food restaurants
- 5
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment