Jersey Mike's - Austin, Texas

Jersey Mike’s is a sub sandwich franchise that was started in 1975 by a 17-year-old entrepreneur named Peter Cranco. According to Wikipedia, he worked part-time in a neighborhood sandwich shop called, amazingly enough, Mike’s, which had started in the Fifties and was under its third owner. When it came up for sale again, Cranco got a banker to invest and along with a childhood friend, Jersey Mike’s was born. They started franchising in the Eighties and there are more than a thousand locations these days. Cranco remains the CEO.

The location we visited today in South Austin has been open for I don’t know how long. Less than a year, I think. I know the space was once part of Cindie’s Lingerie, which apparently South Austin was not ready for because it didn’t last that long. Perhaps opening next to Fed Ex in the parking lot of the most ghetto Wal-Mart in town, next to Chic-Fil-A, wasn’t the wisest business decision for a “lingerie” store that  displays a plethora of dildos and stripper shoes.

Let me say first and foremost that I like the shop itself. Kitschy Jersey Shore-type beach décor, a simple menu and terrific customer service. The staff was very friendly, engaging, polite…all those things I like if I’m in the right frame of mind. The cashier was super-accommodating when it came to addressing my issues, even apologizing for something that was in no way her fault. All that said, there’s one word to address the rest of the experience: Tragic.

That’s right, I said tragic. I built up the first few paragraphs to demonstrate that I truly think this shop has potential, and the franchise is obviously successful as there are so many locations and a couple hundred more in development. And I will go back; I want that to be clear. But what was so tragic? The Chicken Caesar Wrap. I had some coupons from the mail for sandwiches, but when I saw that Chicken Caesar Wrap on the menu, I immediately wanted it. In the Nineties I was a big fan of Wendy’s version of that, with its crisp green leaf lettuce and rich dressing. I never understood why they stopped that one. Did I not buy enough of them? Does Wendy’s hate me? No, I think not, but for a while today I thought Jersey Mike’s hated me. There’s no other reason why they would have served me what they did.

The wrapping material was supposed to be tomato basil flavored, but there was no flavor. It must have escaped when I took the wrap up to the counter to be cut again because I couldn’t tear it apart without risking destroying the whole wrap. Destroying the wrap that wasn’t wrapped all that well. I feel wraps should be wrapped tight, tighter that a burrito, so that you can eat it while doing something else. This construction was inadequate. I went up to the counter again and asked for a bowl and a fork when I realized the wrapping material would be better suited for packing material. The lettuce was shredded iceberg lettuce, not Romaine or something more suitable for a quality Caesar salad. I could barely taste the dressing because there was so much mayonnaise in it. The chicken, while it looked like it had been grilled at one point, also had a texture that suggested it had been frozen again after said grilling.

I also think a wrap should be either completely chilled, or put together hot. The wrapping material had been heated, as had the chicken somewhat, so the end result with the chilled ingredients was a thoroughly lukewarm product that didn’t cut easily, tasted like mayonnaise and was a huge disappointment.

As stated earlier, I WILL give Jersey Mike’s another go. They have some great-sounding sandwiches on their menu. But I will not be ordering the Chicken Caesar wrap again. Not without some serious upgrades. An I suggest you don’t, either.