12 Subway Sauces, Ranked Worst To Best

Though I hadn't visited Subway in well over a decade, I have fond childhood memories of lunchtime visits with my dad, who would take me there for a bite to eat during work excursions into D.C. I can't say it's my sandwich chain of choice nowadays, but the fact remains that it's an American staple — endlessly customizable and reliably the same no matter where in the country you stop. Many may opt for one of the chain's pre-formulated sandwich concoctions, but I always preferred building my own. I liked to mix and match what went on it, right down to the condiments — given that Subway has a serious array of sauces to choose from, I wasn't tempted to stray from my usual approach.

I took it upon myself to try and rank each of the 12 sauces offered at my local Subway, and I built a relatively neutral, turkey-based sandwich to test them with (in addition to trying each solo). When I went in, I was surprised to find the chain has so many choices — as a picky kid, I always opted for oil and vinegar, but I don't even think "sweet onion teriyaki" sauce was an offering back then. I assume the plethora of options is an attempt to keep the chain on par with its competitors, and it isn't a bad choice. I ranked each based on its overall flavor profile as well as how easy it would be to pair with a sandwich.

Don't hate on me, yellow mustard lovers — if you adore this condiment, we simply aren't compatible, and that's totally okay. I entered this sauce ranking with the goal of being as unbiased as possible, and I knew yellow mustard would be a hurdle to overcome. So try it I did, and I absolutely loathed it. I enjoy nearly every other type of mustard, but yellow mustard and I just don't get along. If you disagree, feel free to keep scrolling.

Perhaps Subway's sauce is comparable to the best yellow mustard out there. I'm honestly not sure, but I can tell you what it tastes like and hopefully help you make a more informed decision the next time you visit the chain. This particular yellow mustard is very vinegar-forward, and though I don't dislike vinegar, it was entirely too much for me. I tried it on my sandwich anyway, hoping the other flavors would mellow it out, but nope — even the slightest bit overpowered the whole sandwich and seriously detracted from it, especially compared to some of the other sauces on this list. As such, I had to relegate yellow mustard to the bottom spot. 

Perhaps I didn't have this cheddar cheese sauce in the right context. Actually, I assumed it was only meant for Subway's new-ish footlong nachos innovation — but when I saw it also being utilized on the menu's pre-built sandwiches, I figured I'd give it a shot. My first thought upon having a tiny spoonful of it was that this cheese sauce might come in close to the top if this were a ranking of sauces to dip pretzels into. However, it seems a weird sandwich pairing for me. I had a lot of trouble imagining what sandwich would complement without completely overpowering it.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get past the saltiness of the cheddar cheese sauce, and I shudder to think of its possible sodium content. Saltiness aside, it was also incredibly bland — it lacked the rich, almost nutty depth I look for in a cheddar cheese sauce. And before you ask, no, it did not go well with my minimalist sando. Perhaps that's why the chain chooses to use it on epic concoctions like the Cheesy Garlic Steak sub, but I still can't imagine the cheese sauce adding much to any sandwich besides a salty punch; it only ranked higher than yellow mustard because I didn't downright detest it.

Coming in as my No. 10 pick was the sweet onion teriyaki sauce. I had higher hopes for it, but it wasn't bad in the grand scheme of things. I struggled with determining where to put sweet onion teriyaki on my list. It's a decent sauce on its own, but I kept drawing blanks when considering what to put it on. I'd eat it in an Asian-inspired salad, but I'm not going to Subway just to get a dressing for my homemade salad. 

It looks attractive, too, with a translucent quality that belies what's inside. I didn't love the gel-like viscosity of it, which didn't lead to the most pleasant mouthfeel; however, that was a secondary issue, as the texture might not be particularly noticeable on a sub. I got the teriyaki flavors, but I could have used more oniony depth. It was a pleasantly sweet and slightly tangy sauce that tasted extraordinarily out of place on my sandwich, like that couple you know who's trying to make things work but absolutely should not be together — it was just trying too hard. Due to its unique flavor profile that doesn't allow it to be the most versatile sauce, I had to give the sweet onion teriyaki a lower spot on the list. 

I'll start by saying that while I don't love sriracha or mayonnaise separately, I adore sriracha-mayo concoctions — in my opinion, mayonnaise is hands-down the best condiment to mix with sriracha. I was expecting a more sriracha mayo-like sauce from Subway's creamy sriracha offering, so perhaps that's my bad. Spice lovers will adore this incredibly sriracha-forward sauce that's not tempered by much of anything. For me, though, it packed slightly too much of a punch.

The creamy sriracha is without a doubt the spiciest condiment on this list, and for that reason, it's not as universally palatable as a milder sriracha mayo might be. Even a small bit overpowered everything else on my sandwich and left me wishing I had a glass of milk on hand (I'm also a spice wimp, which plays a role here). Though I won't be getting this sauce again, I couldn't rank it any lower because I think fans of sriracha won't have a hard time building a sandwich to pair with this sauce. It's a pretty versatile pick that would go decently with most sandwich toppings, so go ahead and give this one a try if you don't mind the heat.

Subway's hot honey, on the other hand, didn't get a lower spot on my list because of the heat — I quite liked the balance of hot and sweet in this sauce, and I thought the ratios of each flavor here were pretty balanced. It also had a good viscosity and was pleasantly thin, unlike the gel-esque sweet onion teriyaki I talked about previously. Maybe this is a "me" thing, but I struggled to imagine sandos to pair this with beyond a crispy chicken invention.

If you're a fan of sweet sauces on pretty much anything, this could very well be the right choice for you (particularly if you're a hot honey enthusiast in general). But if you're more in line with the average consumer, you might have a hard time making a sandwich that the hot honey can complement well. Given that the following sauces are either more versatile or more interesting, this didn't merit a place above the eighth spot.

This and the following sauces will be far easier to pair with most sandwiches than the previous choices. You'll find that they are all fairly versatile, and which you choose may just depend on personal preference. Let's start with Subway's BBQ condiment (who doesn't love a good BBQ sauce?). The BBQ sauce was a pretty standard offering as far as BBQ sauces go. It reminded me of the classic favorite, Sweet Baby Ray's, which I don't have a hard time drizzling on most anything I may be eating.

Subway's had the hint of sweetness you'd expect from a good BBQ sauce, but it also had a decent smoky quality that I remember missing from the BBQ sauce offered at Jack-in-the-Box, the previous sauce taste test I did. There was also a pleasant, slightly spicy quality at the end of the bite. There wasn't anything particularly special about this sauce, but it could be versatile enough to pair with a lot of sandwiches. It went fine with my turkey sandwich, although I'd recommend pairing it with a heartier sandwich to make for a better balance.

It's only fitting that the most standard sub sauce on my list gets put smack dab in the middle. Mayonnaise is an obvious choice that automatically gets slathered onto nearly every fast food burger, and it's the most obvious choice whenever you need to add something moist to your sandwich. Subway's mayonnaise is no exception. It doesn't offer anything unique, but I'll stand by placing it sixth in my ranking.

The only thing I have to say about this mayo is that it was slightly saltier than your average. Do with that information what you will, but I don't think you'd notice the mild saltiness on a sandwich. It had a good, creamy consistency and elevated my sandwich nicely. Mayo gets some bonus points when you want to throw other sauces into the mix, and I'd say you could pair pretty much any sauce on this list with mayonnaise without worrying about the flavors clashing.

Ah, creamy garlic aioli. I love a good aioli sauce, and had my suspicions this would rank toward the top of this list. As it was, I liked it and thought it was a relatively unique offering among the rest, but a couple of minor issues kept it from getting a higher spot. I ultimately struggled with where to put this, but I couldn't justify ranking it below the very average mayonnaise or above the classic sauce that I'll mention next.

If you have a vampiric aversion to garlic, this is not the sauce for you — it was incredibly garlic-forward, and though you get some lemony tang, it didn't do enough to balance the garlic. I would adore this sauce paired with fries; alas, given that fries are not a Subway offering, I didn't factor that into my choice of ranking here. It was thin enough not to overwhelm as long as you don't pile it on your sandwich, and it could elevate almost any Subway sandwich on offer as long as you like garlic. I would, however, caution you to ask for just a little bit, so it doesn't overpower the other ingredients present. 

Predictably, ranch dressing made it in the top five selections on this list. I adore ranch on pretty much everything (yes, pizza included), and it's my go-to condiment when I don't have a specific sandwich enhancement in mind. That said, Subway's ranch, just like its mayo, was extraordinarily average. "Average" isn't a bad word here — I think it's a good thing when it comes to standard condiments. With an average staple like ranch or mayo, you want to know what to expect when you order it, and you won't get any surprises here.

This ranch didn't taste quite the same as Hidden Valley's (which is my brand of choice), but it wasn't far off. If anything, it was slightly subtler than Hidden Valley's, which works to its advantage when considering it as a sandwich condiment — you won't have to worry as much about conflicting flavors. I thought it would be too heavy for my simple sandwich, but I changed my mind after trying them together. Ranch complements most sandwiches quite well, especially if you need a safe, reliable sauce choice the next time you visit Subway.

If you're part of the crowd who hissed and booed at my 12th-place ranking of yellow mustard, I hope giving honey mustard third place can at least slightly amend the rift between us. I don't generally dislike honey mustard, but it's also not usually my condiment of choice. It's something I'll take on a pre-made sandwich without complaint, though you'll be hard-pressed to find it in my fridge at any given moment. Perhaps I need to change my tune on the condiment after trying it with my sub — I enjoyed this one way more than I expected, and it got the third position rather easily.

Honey mustard isn't an unusual condiment, and this one is by no means unique to Subway, but it's always an interesting choice nonetheless. With this sauce in particular, you'll get a pleasant hit of sweetness before the sharp, earthy mustard seed appeal comes in, making for a well-rounded eating experience. It was a good honey mustard (albeit a pretty typical one), and I liked that it was thick and viscous enough to hold its own without having a gel-like consistency. And, yes, I adored it on my turkey sandwich.

Any other vinaigrette fans in the house? I tend to consider vinaigrette a relatively safe choice for most uses — though there's certainly a wide range of flavor profiles for the sauce, you're pretty much guaranteed something thin and relatively vinegar-forward. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by Subway's parmesan vinaigrette offering. I consider this on par with, if not above, your average vinaigrette, and it also managed to be versatile enough to (in my mind) go with most any sub offering.

While this was a pretty punchy condiment, it was thin enough not to overwhelm any bite (provided you don't completely drown your sandwich in it). Parmesan mellowed out the vinegars a bit and added a savory, umami component to the sauce. It was still tangy and vinegar-forward, but it has an extra depth that you often don't find in a vinaigrette. It added a lot of character to my sandwich without detracting from any of the ingredients. You can count on it to be a decent addition to pretty much any sandwich you may build on your next trip in.

My favorite Subway sauce was, without a doubt, its Baja chipotle offering. This sauce was the most flavorful of the bunch by far, leaving me pretty impressed. And, even though it packed a ton of flavor, I still didn't have a problem coming up with sandwiches it would taste great on. Chicken, turkey, and any assortment of veggies will only be enhanced by Baja chipotle.

The sauce did wonders for my plain turkey sandwich. It elevated it and added a ton of interest, and the slight spicy kick at the end gave some character to every bite. I also got hints of a blue cheese smokiness to it, which just added more (much welcome) depth. Now, I'm sure there are some sandwiches this wouldn't go the best with — for example, I wouldn't put it on a meatball marinara sub — but for those it does work well with, this will probably be your best bet at creating an ultra-flavorful sub.

When building the sub to try these sauces with, I went for simplicity on purpose. My build of choice consisted of: Italian herb and cheese bread, turkey, provolone, lettuce, and tomatoes. It's a pretty standard, no-frills sandwich, with neutral tasting notes that could (hopefully) pair with any of the sauces. My results were mixed. You'd have to choose carefully when pairing the sauces on the bottom of my list with a sub, and you'd probably want to start making your sandwich with that particular sauce in mind. The sauces toward the middle of my list would go pretty well with any option, while those at the top packed a punch of flavor and could easily elevate most any sandwich.