Jersey Mike's Subs

‘T is the season of giving. At least for Jersey Mike’s Subs across the country in March. Since 2011, Jersey Mike’s has recognized March as “Month of Giving” when franchisees and team members, supported by generous customers, have raised more than $47 million for local charities of their choosing. “Last year Jersey Mike’s Subs raised an incredible $15 million to help more than 200 charities nationwide including youth organizations, food banks, hospitals and more. Our stores raised $17,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation which allowed for two grants to be made,” said Jersey

Mike’s Subs franchise owner Ken Schanke whose stores are located in Manchester, Rocky Hill,

Middletown and the newest Enfield, which opened in November last year. This year, for the first time in their 12-year history of Month of Giving, Jersey Mike’s owners and operators nationwide will support a single cause, the 2022 Special Olympics USA

Games. For over 50 years, Special Olympics has been empowering athletes and encouraging a more inclusive world for those with intellectual disabilities and beyond. The 2022 Month of Giving campaign will peak with “Day of Giving” on Wednesday, March 30.

On that day, 100 percent of sales will be donated to the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games and the local state programs attending the USA Games from June 5-12, in Orlando, Florida. Every four years, more than 5,500 athletes and coaches from all 50 states unite to compete in 19 sports including athletics, gymnastics, swimming, tennis, basketball, flag football and many more. “We hope to raise $50,000 this year and one additional way we intend to reach our goal is by asking customers at the register for a $5 donation and in return we will give them a “Buy One, Get

One” card to be used when they return,” Schanke said. Schanke opened his first Jersey Mike’s franchise in 2018 in Manchester after leaving behind a 23year career with AT+T. “I was looking for something to do that had a passion behind it,” Schanke said. He found that passion at Jersey Mike’s. “I was on vacation in New Jersey and before heading home I stopped into Jersey Mike’s Subs in Point Pleasant, home of the original sub shop.

When I saw them freshly slicing the meats and cheese that were going onto my sandwich, it reminded me of another Jersey deli when I was growing up. I was amazed by the passion of the staff as I went through the line to the cash register.

They talked to you along the line and brought a real passion to the experience,” Schanke said. “For more than 35 years, I have had this passion for giving to the community, just like Jersey Mike’s founder Peter Cancro, who bought his first sub shop at age 17,” Schanke said. It all started back in 1956, when Mike’s Subs opened as a storefront location in the seaside town of Point Pleasant, offering what was relatively new at the time - a submarine sandwich. The shop offered unparalleled service, with crews recognizing customers by name, and knowing the sandwich they were going to order because of their frequent visits. People would line up throughout the summer to buy the high-quality sub sandwiches, and enjoy the experience of coming into the shop. Cancro was a high school student when he began working at Mike's Subs at the age of 14. He loved working at Mike's and making authentic submarine sandwiches. But even more, he loved working behind the counter, interacting and talking with the customers. He liked learning about where they were from and their summer vacation experiences. He took pride in knowing which authentic sub sandwich his loyal customer would order as they entered the store. When Cancro was a senior in high school, he overheard the owner of Mike's Subs discussing selling the business. He thought to himself, "I love the food, I love working in the store, maybe I'll buy the shop." According to the company’s website, he approached his football coach and said "Hey coach, Mike's Sub shop is for sale, and I'm interested in buying it. Can you help me out?" It didn't hurt that his football coach was also a banker. The football coach came through for him, and backed his loan. So, at the tender age of 17 – before he was legally able to slice a sub – Cancro became the owner and proprietor of Mike's Subs. Today, Cancro is CEO of Jersey Mike's Franchise Systems Inc., overseeing more than 2,000 locations nationwide. Schanke said that Jersey Mike’s mission is “Giving... Making a Difference in Someone’s Life.” In describing their culture of giving - what Cancro calls “giving to give” - it is the philosophy of Jersey Mike’s that you shouldn’t give for the accolades...or the back pats, or the tax breaks. As their website explains: “We think you should give for one reason and one reason only: to give. Our culture of giving at Jersey Mike’s is as much a part of our heritage as oil and vinegar. We believe that making a great sub sandwich and making a difference can be one in the same. Every store we open starts by partnering with a charity in the local community. Because the way we see it, a sub’s job isn’t done at simply tasting good. A sub should do good too.” Cancro credits two local businessmen in Point Pleasant Beach where he grew up — Jack Baker of Baker’s Lobster Shanty and Bob Hoffman of Hoffman’s Ice Cream — with showing him the importance of giving

unconditionally to the community. “It’s that authentic commitment to making a difference that first attracted me to the brand,” Schanke said. Schanke’s own “give to give” philosophy is evidenced through his more than 30-year involvement with an orphanage in Juarez, Mexico, where he has made multiple service trips with his family and serves on the board. And, when opening his first Jersey Mike’s, Schanke offered a free sub to anyone donating a minimum of $3 to the Enfield and Somers high schools. What makes Jersey Mike’s “A Sub Above” - as their brand slogan proclaims - is the quality and freshness of their product, Schanke noted. Everything is quickly made to order for each customer, just the way the first subs were made at the original Jersey Mike’s 66 years ago. “Our meats are lean and antibiotic free and our roast beef is USDA Choice Top Round, and along with our cheeses they are sliced on the spot right in front of our customers. Our veggies are fresh and sliced every morning. And you can watch your cheese steaks grilled right before you,” Schanke said. Sub lovers can also choose to have their sandwich “their way” or the popular “Mike’s Way,” which involves sliced onions, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, oregano, salt (spices) and "The Juice" - a mixture of red wine vinegar and olive oil which adds a “zip” to every bite. There is also a signature cherry pepper relish. Then there is the bread - wheat and white. Customers rave about it, of course, it is baked fresh daily and their website proclaims that “authentic ‘Jersey’ bread is the foundation of a sub above. “I remember going into that early Jersey Mike’s shop in Point Pleasant and after biting into my sandwich finding it just like the bread I grew up tasting in Jersey (the state), which as we would say in Jersey, ‘it’s the water.’” Sandwiches come in 3 sizes - 5-inch Mini, 7-inch Regular, and 14-15-inch Giant. In addition to selling tasty sub sandwiches, Jersey Mike’s also serves wraps, chips, desserts, and beverages such as soda and more. #13 The Original Italian is the best-selling sub at Schanke’s stores with its provolone, ham, prosciuttini, cappacuolo salami, and pepperoni. Among the hot subs on the Jersey Mike’s menu is #17 Mike’s Famous Philly with grilled onions, peppers and white American cheese that gets ordered the most. As for the most popular toppings, at least at his stores, Schanke noted it’s pickles. “It seems as if I’m always ordering them, and my five-year-old granddaughter, Thea, can’t get enough of how great they taste,” he said.

For more information on Jersey Mike’s Subs, visit jerseymikes.com where you can find the locations of Schanke’s four stores.

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