10 Things You Didn't Know About Jimmy John's (Slideshow)
Founder Jimmy John Liautaud Was at the Bottom of His Class
Liautaud graduated second-to-last in his high school class, and he opened the first location when he was only 19.
Everything is Made Fresh
Bread is baked fresh throughout the day, meat is sliced in the store, produce is cut fresh every morning, and tuna salad is made on-premises as well. If you want day-old bread you can purchase it for just 50 cents, but be warned: it'll be pretty stale.
All The Add-Ons are Free if You Ask
The basic sandwiches are just meat on bread, so if you want more than that you have to ask for it. Free add-ons range from Dijon mustard to onions to hot peppers to Italian vinaigrette.
They Got Rid of Yellow Mustard
The only mustard that they'll add to your sandwich is Dijon; if you want yellow mustard you'll need to ask for packets. The reason? Efficiency: the fewer options there are, the quicker sandwiches get made. That's also why provolone is the only cheese option.
They’re All About Speed
After you place your order (all at once, as opposed to Subway's piecemeal approach), you should receive your sandwich within 30 seconds. If you order sandwiches for delivery, odds are it'll be out the door in less than four minutes.
They Have a Troubled History with Sprouts
Sprouts (in this case, raw clover sprouts)can't be peeled or washed as effectively as other vegetables, meaning that they're more likely than other add-ons to carry foodborne illness. They were removed from the menu for most of 2012 after five sprout-related illnesses were reported, but returned after a new supplier was found. All seemed well until last month, when 10 people in Washington and Idaho were sickened again, allegedly from Jimmy John's sprouts. They've once again been removed from menus.
There are Some Secret Menu Items
The famed Gargantuan contains one portion of every meat they offer, except for tuna and bacon. If you want double meat, order a Noah's Ark; if you want tuna and bacon on it as well, that's called a Chuck Norris. You can also order a Slim BLT, but most likely only managers will know what you're talking about. It's an 8 inch roll with six slices of bacon inside.
It’s Almost 100% Franchises
A significant percentage of most chains are corporate-owned; In-n-Out is 100% corporate-owned, McDonald's is about ten percent. At Jimmy John's it's all about the franchisees, however: 98 percent of all locations are franchise-owned.
They Add 210 New Jobs Per Week
With new locations opening nearly every day, Jimmy John's creates about 210 new jobs per week. Since 1983 about 45,000 jobs have been created in total.
You Can Buy Jimmy John’s Boxers
There's a pretty solid online store where you can stock up on Jimmy John's merchandise, from duffel bags to winter coats. If you really want to, you can also buy a pair of "Free Smells" Jimmy John's boxers for $10.