One Of Jersey Mike's Most Expensive Subs Takes The Roast Beef And Provolone Up A Notch

One of the best parts of visiting a customizable sandwich shop, such as Jersey Mike's, is the flexibility to make changes before leaving with your sandwich. Want to add pickles to the #2 even though it doesn't call for it? No problem. In the mood for some bacon on your turkey and provolone sandwich? That's easy work. One of Jersey Mike's most expensive subs started as a secret-menu item, but became so highly requested that it was officially christened the #12 Cancro Special, which just so happens to give the plain roast beef and provolone sandwich a major upgrade.

The #12 Cancro Special at Jersey Mike's starts as a basic provolone and roast beef on a sub roll, but where it differs from a regular #6 is the addition of pepperoni. A regular-sized #12 goes for about $11.75, while the giant-sized goes for about $19.45, depending on the specific location, easily making it one of the sandwich chain's most expensive menu items. Even if some customers are questioning whether the subs at Jersey Mike's are worth it anymore, the #12 Cancro Special is often discussed for a "bit of a cult following," according to one Redditor. Just like any other Jersey Mike's sub, the #12 comes Mike's Way, with onions, lettuce, tomatoes, red wine vinegar, olive oil blend, oregano, and salt, but it's the only sandwich on the menu that officially combines pepperoni with roast beef.

According to Jersey Mike's website, the #12 Cancro Special came about in the '70s when a delivery man requested the combination, and founder Peter Cancro's brother "liked the sandwich so much, he gave it the family name and a menu spot of its own," even if Jersey Mike isn't a real person. Speaking on The Jedburgh Podcast, Cancro claimed the sandwich was his own creation, one that was officially added to the menu after years of persistent customers asking for the Cancro Special. As of 2016, the Cancro Special was an off-menu item which Cancro often spoke about, and as of 2020 it was still widely considered a secret menu item. Today, though, the sandwich is officially named on the Jersey Mike's menu as a # 12.

The Cancro Special is widely regarded as an upgrade to the basic roast beef and provolone sub thanks to the addition of pepperoni, but customers still find other ways to upgrade it, among other unwritten rules to know before visiting Jersey Mike's. Some people recommend opting for rosemary parm bread and adding chipotle mayo with cherry pepper relish, while others say it's important to ask for extra pepperoni. "I have it at least 2-3 times a week," said one Redditor, while another TikToker said it was "the best thing [they'd] had at Jersey Mike's so far."