When I told my friends over lunch that I was planning a taste test of Subway versus Jersey Mike's, they laughed while munching on their favorite Jersey Mike's order. 

"There's no comparison," one friend said. "I would resort to a grocery-store sub before eating Subway."

Ouch.

But I wanted to give Subway a chance.

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In July, a month before Subway was purchased by a private-equity firm, the chain rolled out four meat-heavy deli sandwiches to showcase the adoption of automated meat slicers in stores. Jersey Mike's hand-slices its meat and cheeses before customers, so comparing the two brands seemed like a legit mano a mano challenge.

Still, some might think it's an unfair matchup to compare Jersey Mike's to Subway, as my friend suggested. 

But, I was surprised by what I discovered after comparing each chain on taste, presentation, value, and speed of service.

All subs were purchased at restaurants in Orange, California, so prices may vary elsewhere. 

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