The 5 Best Grocery Stores for Made-to-Order Sandwiches

Most grocery stores attract customers with their stellar selections of fresh produce, meats, baked goods, or perhaps the perfect rotisserie chicken. But some chains take additional steps to impress by offering made-to-order sandwiches at reasonable prices. 

Whether it’s the cult-favorite Pub Subs from Publix or Whole Foods’ sandwich counter with an assembly of fresh ingredients, some grocery chains have perfected the art of deli-style sandwiches. Many grocery store sandwiches are so beloved that people will line up just to grab one or share their enthusiasm for a specific order on social media.

If you’re looking for a new place to get quality sandwiches or want to skip grocery shopping while hungry, here are five major chains to check out across the country.

Whole Foods

The next time you visit this Amazon-owned supermarket, take a stroll to the prepared foods section to grab a custom sandwich for lunch. According to fans of Whole Foods subs, most offerings available at the sandwich counter will cost just under $10, though the final price will depend on your choice of toppings.

One creator notes that you can request your sandwich to be toasted, and there is a gluten-free bread option available. While not every Whole Foods location may have a sandwich department, you can often find the build-your-own sandwich station near the prepared foods section in larger Whole Foods locations. To double-check, we recommend contacting the location directly to confirm if they offer freshly made subs in-store.

The Whole Foods sandwich menu features a stacked selection of signature subs, with bread options including ciabatta, olive bread, sesame rolls, and marbled rye. For protein, you can choose from black forest ham, roast beef, roasted turkey, pastrami, and more. To top it all off, you can select from a wide array of spreads and vegetables, including parsley pistou, sun-dried tomato spread, honey mustard, Dijon mustard, red onions, baby kale, avocado, pickled onions, and more.

Sprouts

At Sprouts, the $4.99 deli sandwiches have gained significant traction on social media thanks to their fresh ingredients and astoundingly affordable price. The subs are made fresh to order at the store’s deli counter, and, according to Grocery Dive, the sandwich counters are available at all Sprouts locations.

When designing your own sandwich, you can choose from a variety of breads like multigrain, sweet prairie, and sourdough; proteins such as ham, pastrami, turkey, bacon, and albacore tuna; a selection of cheeses; and other toppings like red onion, tomato, lettuce, Sprouts’ oil and vinegar sub dressing, and more. If you thought $4.99 was already a great price, you can also make your sandwich a “meal deal” by adding chips and bottled water for just an additional dollar.

Wegmans 

If your location of this East Coast supermarket chain has a prepared foods counter, then it’s likely you can either create your own sandwich — bread options include white, wheat, or sesame; toppings like portobello mushrooms, dill pickle slices, and hot banana peppers; and proteins such as pulled chicken, salami, capicola, spicy ham, and more — or order one of the brand’s signature creations from the menu, like a medium-sized Harissa Chicken Sub ($9.99) or a medium Old Fashioned Sub ($8.49).

One of the most popular subs at Wegmans is called Danny’s Favorite, priced at $8.99 and assembled with thinly sliced salami, capicola, spicy ham, provolone cheese, lettuce, and tomato slices on Wegmans’ signature sub roll. Fans of the sandwich have even reviewed it on the Wegmans website, with some saying it’s a “game changer” and “All sandwiches are great — Danny’s is a notch above.”

Most Wegmans locations, but not all, offer made-to-order sandwiches. You can either call your nearest store to confirm availability or check the supermarket’s Meals2Go delivery service for that specific location.

Safeway 

At Safeway grocery stores, you can build your own sandwich, whether hot or cold, for just $8.99 (though the price may vary depending on the store location, sandwich size, protein, and additional toppings). If you nail your order, you might even score a lower total, like one TikTok user who shared that they got their made-to-order sandwich for $7 at the supermarket.

Both premade and build-your-own sandwich options are available at Safeway’s Signature Cafes, allowing customers to tailor their subs to their cravings. Many Safeway sub fans have jokingly noted online that they hope to gatekeep this hidden gem, yet they’re also openly sharing their love for the freshly made, affordable subs, so it’s safe to say the cat’s out of the bag. 

Publix 

If there’s one superior grocery store sandwich, it has to be Publix. The fanbase of this grocery chain only gets more passionate by the day about its favorite grocery store sandwich, which was first created in 1992.

Of course, we can’t talk about “pub subs” without mentioning the acclaimed Buffalo Chicken Tender Sub. Made with the equally famous crispy chicken tenders from Publix tossed in buffalo sauce, this sub is a fan-favorite, to say the least. Regular shoppers at the grocery store often say that Publix sandwiches packed with chicken tenders are their favorite orders, with one Redditor commenting, “The chicken tender sub is a flat-out classic.” 

A whole Buffalo Chicken Tender Sub is priced at $11.99, while a half sandwich costs $8.39. And of course, if buffalo sauce isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other chicken tender-based subs to try from this regional grocery store.