You Need To Try These Secret Menu Items At Jimmy John's
Jimmy John's has been gracing us with its satisfying subs for four decades. It was founded by 19-year-old Jimmy John Liautaud in 1983 after he graduated high school and was faced with either joining the military or starting a business. He opted for the latter and opened the first Jimmy John's in Charleston, Illinois, with a $25,000 loan from his dad (via Forbes). Liautaud thought about opening a hot dog stand, but the equipment was too pricey. So, he instead found a garage and turned it into a hoagie shop.
Jimmy John's original menu featured four sandwiches: The Pepe, Totally Tuna, Turkey Tom, and Vito. Today, there are more than 17 sandwiches offered on three sizes of French bread or thickly-sliced wheat. You can also get your sub as an "Unwich," wrapped in lettuce instead of bread.
But some of the most exciting sandwiches aren't on the actual menu; instead, they come off of Jimmy John's secret menu. These covert offerings are really a creation of its customers and employees. You'll find plenty of off-menu sandwiches that are sure to entice you by searching social media. You can ask for them by name, as most are modifications of existing sandwiches. However, a former Jimmy John's employee stated on Quora that they might have different names at different franchise locations or not be available at all. Next time you visit your local Jimmy John's, try one of these secret items.
The Flying Surfer
The Flying Surfer sandwich was given a beach-themed name to pay homage to its "parent sandwich," the Beach Club. The Beach Club is the No. 12 sandwich on Jimmy John's menu and includes freshly, hand-sliced turkey, double provolone cheese, cucumbers for extra crunch, and topped with an avocado spread.
And that avocado spread isn't just smashed avocados. A former Jimmy John's employee stated on Quora that the ingredient list on the avocado spread includes a flavorful mixture of avocado, garlic, onion, cilantro, and salt. The Beach Club is also topped with mayonnaise, fresh-sliced lettuce, and tomato.
What makes The Flying Surfer, The Flying Surfer is the addition of bacon, and as we know, everything is better with bacon. The crispy bacon gives this light and breezy sandwich the salty kick it needs to keep you in the pocket and prevent your lunch from being a total wipeout.
The Noah's Ark
This sandwich got its name because, like Noah's actual ark, it has just about everything on it times two. Noah's Ark is a modification of the J.J. Gargantuan menu item. The J.J. Gargantuan is a sandwich believed to have been invented by Liatuad's brother, Huey. He must have been one hungry guy because this sandwich is, well, gargantuan!
The J.J. Gargantuan comes with salami, cappocollo, ham, roast beef, turkey, cheese, onion, oil and vinegar, and the Jimmy John's oregano-basil seasoning. Not only is this sandwich ultra meaty, but it's made with primarily heavy pork-based meats, so, it's the perfect sandwich if you're super hungry. Jimmy John's claims that it is "big enough to feed the hungriest of humans."
If you thought that was more than enough meat for one sandwich, you might be surprised to know that the Noah's Ark sandwich doubles down. Yup! Redditors explain that you can ask for double meat on your J.J. Gargantuan by asking for a Noah's Ark. This hero is so huge that the host of the YouTube channel "Fast Food Pit Stops" couldn't even get his mouth around the sub. One commenter on Awesome Possum said it took "forever" to eat an entire Noah's Ark. So, you'll need an appetite and some time on your hands to finish this secret menu item.
The Slim BLT, Strip Club
The J.J. B.L.T. comes layered with smoked applewood bacon. And you don't have to worry about your L (lettuce) or T (tomato) getting soggy. Jimmy John's says it pre-cooks its bacon and serves it cold so "the veggies don't get yuck!"
If you want this sammie bulked up, ask for the Strip Club. This naughty sub comes with double the bacon. If you want it paired down ask for the The Slim BLT. It's a J.J. B.L.T. "slim-style," without the L and T. A Plain Slim sandwich at Jimmy John's is a sandwich that only comes with meat and cheese. There is nothing else on it unless you ask for mayo or mustard. While you can add on extra meat or cheese at a cost, you can't add any veggies from the Freebies list.
The Slim BLT is a bit different from a traditional Plain Slim in that it lacks cheese. This hero consists of a piece of 8-inch French bread with six strips of applewood smoked bacon laid on top. It has been described by an employee on Reddit as "the most secret of all Jimmy John's secret menu items." However, another company worker says the slimmed-down sub gets ordered quite a bit, despite it being omitted from the menu board.
The Chuck Norris
The Chuck Norris is another butt-kicking sandwich on Jimmy John's secret menu. But not everyone agrees on what the Chuck Norris is exactly. Redditors report that it is a J.J. Gargantuan with, wait for it... tuna AND bacon.
A reviewer on Zomato stated that the Chuck Norris is the J.J. Gargantuan, but with bacon and hot peppers, which "kick you in the face" as Chuck Norris would.
James Rabe at Y.105 FM has a totally different idea. His version of the Chuck Norris is made by adding bacon to one of Jimmy John's tuna grinders, which is either the No. 3 Totally Tuna or the No. 15 Club Tuna. He recommends crumbling the bacon strips on it for maximum deliciousness. So, ordering this secret menu sandwich might be a bit of a gamble. You should ask the staff at your local Jimmy John's what they consider the Chuck Norris to be before placing your order.
The Ostrich, Italian Day Club, and The Tito
The Ostrich is a simple spruce-up to a beloved Jimmy John's sandwich, the Vito. The Vito is the chain's version of an Italian sub and was one of four sandwiches on the original menu. An Italian sub typically comes with salami, mortadella, ham, capocollo, prosciutto, provolone, tomato, lettuce, oil and vinegar, and oregano. Sometimes some of those meats are omitted or traded for other Italian cured meats like pepperoni or soppressata. The Vito comes with salami, capocollo, provolone cheese, tomato, lettuce, onion, oil and vinegar, and oregano and basil.
The Ostrich is a birdy add-on to a Vito. But this is a sub that doesn't stick its head in the sand when it comes to flavor. A former employee explains that The Ostrich is the No. 5 topped with turkey (via Quora). Adding mayo changes the name to an Italian Day Club (per Quora). According to Jimmy John's, The Tito is an Italian Day Club minus the cappocola with double cheese, hot peppers, and dijon mustard.
Some fans had to put their cravings for the Ostrich and other turkey sandwiches at Jimmy John's on hold during the avian flu outbreak in 2015. According to WATTPoultry, the company had to temporarily cut turkey from its menu at some locations due to the outbreak that caused supply shortages around the Mississippi flyaway where the chain sourced its birds. In June of 2022, the company tweeted that shortages caused it to temporarily remove turkey from its menu again.
The Dubbuhgutbustuh
The Dubbuhgutbustuh, a.k.a. the Double Gut Buster, is a monster of a sandwich. It's freaking enormous. We wouldn't be surprised if it was the biggest, quick-service sub ever made. Jimmy John's reserves this sandwich for only the hungriest of the hungry. It's reportedly in the Jimmy John's POS computer system for a whopping $16.90, and that's not including tax (via Reddit).
The Dubbuhgutbustuh, according to a former Jimmy John's manager, is a J.J. Gargantuan with double meat and two orders of bacon, which is about 10 strips of the salty, crispy goodness. So, it's a Noah's Ark with double bacon or a double Rambo. One employee posted a photo showing the massive hoagie weighing in at 1.73 pounds. Another showed a sandwich made for a customer that also requested extra tuna and peppers on their sandwich. It was so big that they couldn't even cut it in half!
The Rambo/Steve Seagal, The Ultimate Garg, The Flexin'
The Rambo is another meaty favorite off Jimmy John's secret menu. If you thought the J.J. Gargantuan had all the meats, then you're mistaken. It has a lot of meat, however, it doesn't have ALL of the meats.
A commentor on Reddit explains that the Rambo adds bacon to a J.J. Gargantuan. That means it has every single meat on the Jimmy John's menu. The Rambo is reserved only for those who need a cure for the most brutal hunger spells. Another Redditor noted that this sandwich also goes by a different name: Steven Seagal.
The Ultimate Garg is also an altered version of the J.J. Gargantuan. It too gets the addition of bacon but comes on sliced wheat and omits the tomatoes. Looking for something with a touch of spice? The Flexin' is an Unwich-style Rambo that omits the mayo and adds hot peppers.
Surf and Turf, The Big Onion
Did you know that you can even get surf and turf at Jimmy John's? Well, sort of. Some customers get really creative with their clubs, like adding tuna to a roast beef sandwich. This off-menu item is called the Surf and Turf.
Jimmy John's confirmed that the Surf and Turf is an off-menu item for one of its #modifiedmonday Instagram posts where employees share their unique sub creations. This hero offers the best of land and sea. The altered sammie is actually a No. 2 Big John but with tuna. The Big John is a roast beef sandwich with mayo, lettuce, and tomato.
The company also made a post on its Facebook page showing another modification of the No. 2 that's called The Big Onion. It's a Big John that is light on the pickles (or EZ pickles) with extra onions. This sandwich also adds bacon and provolone cheese. It is reminiscent of a Philly cheesesteak, but with bacon.
The California Club, The Vegan
We all know that bacon makes most things better, so you may enjoy this variation on The Veggie. While the original sandwich comes with provolone cheese, avocado spread, and cucumber, you can add bacon to it by ordering the California Club from the secret menu (via Reddit). The touch of grease and salt on this sub balances perfectly with the crunch of the cucumbers to create a truly mouthwatering delight.
Going a completely different direction, The Veggie can also be transformed into The Vegan, which omits the cheese and mayo. You may also want to order it Unwhich-style, as the chain doesn't consider its bread to be vegan since it is processed in a facility that also processes eggs, per Veg Knowledge. However, the publication still gave Jimmy John's bread the vegan green light because it isn't listed as having an egg allergen on its allergen guide.
Bacon Burger Club, Hunter's Gut Buster, The Holy Cow
Did you know that there are burgers at Jimmy John's? Not really, but there is a sub named after one on its secret menu. The Bacon Burger Club is a take on Jimmy John's No. 10 sandwich, the Hunter's Club. The Hunter's Club is comprised of a double serving of roast beef and provolone cheese with mayo, lettuce, and tomato. Add pickles, onions, bacon, and yellow mustard, and voila!, the Hunter's Club turns into a Bacon Burger Club. It's a pretty brilliant sandwich transformation if you ask us.
Another variation of the No. 10, called Hunter's Gut Buster, is for those who are a little hungrier and looking for a little heat. This version of the Hunter's Club adds hot peppers for a spicy kick, as well as bacon and oregano-basil topping. It's served with a side of jalapeño chips.
The Holy Cow is a lighter version of the No. 10 served on the 9-grain wheat hero. It omits cheese while adding peppers, avocado, mayo, extra onions, and herb topping.
Cherry Blossom, LBI Tsunami, Go Green or Go Home, Beach Babe, Flaming Beach Pig, Italian Beach Banger
The No. 12 must be a beloved sammie because there are a lot of variations of it. The Cherry Blossom is a Beach Club sub without mayo or tomatoes and with the addition of hot peppers and onions. If you want to be hit with a wave of flavor, then the LBI Tsunami is your sandwich. The LBI Tsunami has double turkey, double avocado, and it leaves the bread in.
The Go Green or Go Home is a No. 12 Beach Club without bread left in or tomato. It includes extra lettuce, cucumbers, and sprouts, and is prepared with EZ sauce. The Beach Babe offers salty, crunchy spice by topping it with hot peppers and including jalapeño chips.
Its counterpart, the Flaming Beach Pig, brings the heat too with some hot peppers, but uses bacon for its crunch factor. Want a sandwich with Jersey Shore vibes? The Italian Beach Banger is a No. 12 and No. 5 combined that also hits you with hot peppers, onions, sauce, and oregano-basil.
The Ultimate Pepe, The Hot Dog Sandwich, Mean Mr. Mustard
Are you a fan of pork? Then you'll want to consider Jimmy John's No. 17, the Ultimate Porker. This hearty sub sports ham and applewood bacon that are smoked to perfection. A slathering of mayo, topped off with some L and T complete this hero. If that's not enough to fill you up, can try The Ultimate Pepe from the secret menu for a cheesier alternative. This slight alteration adds provolone and swaps out tomatoes for extra pickles.
If you are in the mood for mustard, you've got two options. The Hot Dog Sandwich is a No. 17 that goes EZ on the mayo, peppers, sauce, and oregano. It adds onions and yellow mustard to give you the feeling of biting into a frank. Mean Mr. Mustard is an Ultimate Porker with Dijon and Jimmy mustard. It also includes sauce and oregano.
Little Thrifty, LBI, and off-menu lingo
Are you looking to bulk up your Jimmy John's sandwich while saving a few bucks? The secret menu has your back — just ask for a Little Thrifty. On Reddit, customers note that a Little Thrifty is any Little John sandwich — a 6.5-inch version of any sandwich on the Originals menu — with all of the Freebies and extra veggies. Jimmy John's Freebie list includes veggies, like pickles and onions, as well as different types of sauces like mustard or oil and vinegar.
Jimmy John's scoops out the bread's insides on sandwiches Nos. 1 through 6 and the JJ BLT before filling it with meats, veggies, and cheese. Do you want all of your bread in your sandwich? The company announced on Twitter in 2017 that it'll leave the bread in for those who ask for it LBI, which stands for Leave Bread In.
Employees on Reddit say that Jimmy John's has interesting lingo for ordering sandwiches. If you want extra onions, you can tell staff to make your sub "stinky." Adding extra mayo? Then you'll want your sandwich "creamy." A "Yee Yee!" means that your hero has Kickin' Ranch on it, while a "moist" sandwich has extra sauce.