TOMS RIVER, NJ – There’s one thing guaranteed to stir up debate faster than traffic on the Parkway: what do you call that long sandwich stuffed with deli meats, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and a drizzle of oil and vinegar? Some say hoagie, others insist on hero or grinder. But in New Jersey, most folks will tell you straight up—it’s a sub.
Exhibit A: It’s Jersey’s Mike’s Subs. Not Jersey Mike’s Hoagies
Exhibit B: Wawa says “Hoagie”, Not Sub.
Rebuttal: Jersey Mike’s is from New Jersey. Wawa is from Pennsylvania.
Wawa originated as a dairy farm founded by George Wood in 1902 in Wawa, Pennsylvania, Delaware County). It began as a processing plant for certified milk before opening its first16260843236717521877 food market in Folsom, Pennsylvania, on April 16, 1964, to adapt to declining home milk delivery. The name comes from the Ojibwe word for the Canada goose.
Jersey Mike’s originated in 1956 as “Mike’s Subs,” a small, local storefront in the seaside town of Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Founded on the Jersey Shore, it was later purchased in 1975 by17-year-old Peter Cancro, who began franchising the brand as Jersey Mike’s in 1987.
Now that we have settled the matter, let’s continue.
The argument isn’t new. Across the Northeast, locals cling to their sandwich slang like it’s a badge of honor. In Philadelphia, it’s a hoagie. Up in New York, they order a hero. Go further north to New England, and you might hear someone ask for a grinder. But cross into the Garden State, and you’ll get a quick correction if you call it anything other than a sub.
A hero is also a New York City thing, not a Jersey thing. The folks up in Bergen county need to just chill. We’re not sure why some in Northwest New Jersey call it a grinder, it could be the thinner air and less oxygen to their brains up in the mountains. Not a fact, just an assumption.
According to local lore, the term “sub” originated during World War II when Italian-American shipyard workers along the Jersey coast started ordering long sandwiches that resembled the submarines being built nearby. The nickname stuck, and by the 1950s, “submarine sandwich” was a staple of every corner deli from Hoboken to Cape May.
Not just a sandwich—part of Jersey culture
Ask any New Jerseyan about their favorite sub shop and you’ll get passionate answers: White House Subs in Atlantic City, Fiore’s in Hoboken, or perhaps that tiny family-run spot tucked beside a gas station that’s been making cold cuts since the ’70s. The sub isn’t just food—it’s a ritual. You grab one for a day at the beach, a high school football game, or after a long shift on the job.
- In New Jersey, it’s always called a sub
- The name traces back to the state’s shipyard heritage
- Every town has its go-to sub shop and loyal following
Outsiders may argue for their “hoagies” or “heroes,” but in New Jersey, that word just doesn’t sound right. The roll, the meats, the oil and vinegar—every bite screams Jersey.
So next time someone asks what you want for lunch, don’t overthink it. Skip the hoagie. Forget the hero. In New Jersey, we know the truth—nothing beats a good old-fashioned sub.