The flavors of fresh-veggies, combined with hand-sliced meats and fresh-baked bread is what makes a Jimmy John's sandwich The Sandwich of Sandwiches SM.

Inspire BrandsJimmy John's / Parent organization Roark Capital, the owner of the Jimmy John's sandwich chain, is reportedly the front-runner in a $9.6 billion battle to buy Subway.

The Beginning. Our founder, Jimmy, had two options after high school - head to the military or open a business. He opted for sandwiches, and in January of 1983, the first Jimmy John's was opened in the college town of Charleston, IL.

Jimmy John LiautaudJimmy John's / Founder In 1983, at 19 years old, Jimmy John Liautaud founded a small sandwich shop in Charleston, Illinois. He worked open to close to make the business succeed, and succeed it has. Today, he has grown Jimmy John's Sandwiches to one of the fastest growing Quick Service Restaurants in America.

The brand has carved out a unique niche for itself in the booming sandwich industry - by focusing on cold subs that can be made and delivered in less than 10 minutes, Jimmy John's offers something that its competitors don't.

Jimmy John's Threats

Jimmy John's competitors include Domino's Pizza, Jersey Mike's Subs, Subway and Panera Bread. Jimmy John's ranks 2nd in Product Quality Score on Comparably vs its competitors.

Jimmy John's is a sandwich shop that has been franchising since 1993. At the start of 2022, there were 2,657 Jimmy John's locations in 43 states across the United States. The chain is most concentrated in Illinois, which is home to the most Jimmy John's franchises (over 200).

Turkey, ham, and roast beef are the best meat choices if you're trying to keep your calories in check. High-calorie options, like tuna salad made with mayonnaise and processed meat like salami, can be high in fat and sodium. Use toppings wisely. To reduce calories and fat, skip mayo and cheese.

In 2016, Liautaud sold an estimated 65% of the business to Inspire's parent company, the Atlanta-based private equity firm Roark Capital, in a deal that valued Jimmy John's at around $3 billion. The sale helped make Liautaud a billionaire.

In Spring 1980, the first pre-packaged sandwich arrived on the shelves of Marks & Spencer, with the price of one sandwich costing just 43p!

John Montagu According to history, the sandwich we know and love today was created in 1762 in England. Most food historians agree that the sandwich is the product of John Montagu, “the 4th Earl of sandwich.” Montagu was known for being a problematic gambler, spending hours upon hours at the card table.

Competitive advantages are attributed to a variety of factors including cost structure, branding, the quality of product offerings, the distribution network, intellectual property, and customer service.