[ConservativeInPA]

Subway is total crap. I grew up in Philadelphia where mom an pop delis are all over the place. Nothing is pre-measured. Hoagie rolls are incredible, nothing like the crap bread at Subway. The meats and cheese sit in a refrigerated case and you know exactly what you are getting. Meats and cheeses are sliced directly on your hoagie roll. Anything like prepared food (tuna, meatballs) are top notch. Plus, there is usually a pickle barrel that lends a wonderful and unique aroma to the place. Those delis ruined me from wanting to go to Subway after the first time I tried subway.

[blackdog]

If chain you must for a hogie, go Wawa or Lee’s. Philly by-laws.

[FamiliarFace]

My husband is from Long Island, and I’m from the South. After we graduated from college, we went to his hometown for a visit. His best friend’s family had one of the mom and pop delis you mentioned. I will never forget watching his buddy slice up some real turkey for me on the spot, and provolone, too, on some of the best bread I’ve ever tasted. That turkey sandwich is STILL the best turkey sandwich I’ve ever eaten in my 60+ years. That happened almost 40 years ago, and I can still remember the taste, the aromas, the whole experience of it. Thank you for reminding me of that day, and my husband’s best buddy. (RIP, dear friend, and thanks for making the best sammich a girl ever had!)

[Truthoverpower]

OK you win

I grew up in Philly to and everything you say is 100% accurate

To be specific I grew up in Ardmore and Bryn Mawr

I always tell people on the West Coast that every single pizza place in Philly has a 100 item menu and they’ll make you any Italian dish that you want.

Me and my buddies used to get the large steak Stromboli when we would cut school which was big enough to feed a family but we would eat the whole thing between the two of us

[lodi90]

The subway next to my local gas station here in FL is literally the only local business still with their lock down “government mandate” mask signage still up on the door. They truly do seem to be run by morons.

[Dr. Sivana]

Subway is total crap. I grew up in Philadelphia where mom an pop delis are all over the place. Nothing is pre-measured. Hoagie rolls are incredible, nothing like the crap bread at Subway.

No shortage of similar "Mom'n'Pop" Italian delis in Connecticut, where I grew up. We had Italian bread grinder rolls instead of hoagies, and we didn't have the pickles you described, but the cold cuts, meatballs, Italian sausage and tomato sauce were/are phenomenal.

I grew up in the shadow of one of the first Subways (Subway started in Milford, CT). In those days, they did not even attempt to go head-to-head with the mom-n-pops. They marketed heavily on FM radio (WPLR, the album rock generation), and used 2 for 1 coupons heavily in their promotions. Finally, they were open on weekends in my hometown until 2 AM, when almost nothing was open that late. That got the bar crowd and the potheads.

[bert]

Yes but....... it’s Philadelphia and nothing to be proud of.