Quiznos Submarine Sandwiches (Greenbelt, Makati)

Things get complicated these days. Sandwich or sub? I didn't really care before but this post got me thinking. What really is a "sub"? How did it come about?

Semantics try to be appropriate these days. People love distinction, delineation. This is the age that embraces evolution. Ideas evolve, as do species, phrases and words. While time moves forward, food gets re-imagined.

Here's the official definition of a "sub": "A submarine sandwich, also known as sub, wedge, hoagie, hero, grinder, baguette, or one of many regional naming variations, is a sandwich that consists of a long roll of Italian or French bread, split width-wise either into two pieces or opened in a "V" on one side, and filled with a variety of meats, cheeses, vegetables, seasonings, and sauces." Now that we got that cleared, here's the focal point of this post - Quiznos' subs!

I first tried Quiznos sometime March last year when I took a foreign guest to Eastwood City in Libis, QC for a taste of "sisig", common nowadays in Pinoy gastronomy. Obviously, there was no sisig in the original Quiznos menu back in Colorado. But franchises adapt to the country they serve to be competitive and, in the process, be more marketable. Twenty years ago, Pinoys hardly knew what sisig was but times have changed. It is now as common as Coca cola.  

For this post, I'm featuring Quiznos' delectable submarine sandwiches. They're gargantuan in size, considered gourmet sandwiches by their makers, and quite affordable between PhP150-190 ($3.40-4.30). The first photo is a "Chicken Carbonara Sub". Photos 3 and 4  are called "Vegie Sub". This branch was in Greenbelt 3 in Makati's cinema ticketing lobby.

The very first Quiznos restaurant in Colorado.

Quiznos is a franchised fastfood restaurant based in Denver, Colorado which specializes in toasted submarine sandwiches. This is exactly why the "sisig" meal I tried was a bit of a surprise, but most international franchises try to adapt to their country of business to be competitive.  Founded in 1981 by Jimmy Lambatos and sold to Rick and Richard Schaden in 1991, and grew to nearly 5,000 restaurants. 

As of the end of 2013, the chain had about 1,500 domestic locations and about 600 international locations. Quiznos is the second-largest submarine sandwich shop chain in North America, after Subway. Pakistan has its own branch, and Indonesia is projecting hundred branches in the next 10 years.

This is the Eye in the Sky!
   

Chicken Carbonara Sub

Vegie Sub