Is Jersey Mike's Actually From New Jersey?

Jersey Mike's range of deli sandwiches runs the gamut from the spicy Chipotle cheesesteak to the meaty original Italian. However, it's perhaps the chain's small-town family feel and commitment to customer service that keeps diners coming back for more. This identity can be traced back to the origins of the first store, which opened in (you guessed it!) New Jersey in 1956.

Jersey Mike's actually began life as Mike's Subs, a mom-and-pop-style store (named after the owner Michael Ingravalo), which was located in the seaside town of Point Pleasant. Despite having poor signage and a lack of parking, business was booming as tourists from nearby New York and Philadelphia visited the boardwalk and got some sun, surf, and a sub. Fast forward a few years, and Peter Cancro (the current owner of Jersey Mike's) started working there as a 14-year-old. It was a mere three years later, at the tender age of 17, that enterprising Cancro bought the store from the original owners after arranging a loan from his school football coach. Securing the $125,000 required was an impressive feat considering he was still a high-schooler, but he had witnessed the successful trade that the deli was maintaining first-hand (the store was using 850 loaves a day!) and wanted a piece of the action.

After opening a few more delis under the name Mike's Subs, Cancro changed the name of the business to Jersey Mike's and began franchising in 1987. The new name was selected to solidify the Garden State roots of the sandwich store, which went from strength to strength. Cancro emphasized the importance of keeping that small-town family feel, even as the brand was growing, by ensuring every group of new stores had its own nucleus, a central hub that worked on operations and training. He even helped new franchisees select their locations and create their own training manuals (it takes 2 and a half months of training to open a new franchise). The store also continued with its unique ordering slogan (order a sandwich "Mike's Way" at Jersey Mike's, and your sub comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, olive oil, red wine vinegar, and spices).

Currently, Jersey Mike's has over 3000 locations in the U.S., but it wasn't all smooth sailing. During the 1990's, Cancro had to lay off several staff members at the company headquarters due to the recession, but he was able to learn from the downturn and keep the business afloat. The original New Jersey store is still there today, but it isn't open to customers anymore. Instead, it's used as a training center for franchisees and their staff. Some of the changes coming to Jersey Mike's in 2026 are a greater focus on digital sales and expansion into the U.K.