9 Best Fast Food Subs That Are High In Protein

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

If you thought convenience and nutrition couldn't go hand in hand, think again. Fast food sandwiches are a lunchtime staple for many, but treating yourself to a lunch on the go doesn't have to mean sacrificing on your protein goals. Despite their reputation for being indulgent, plenty of popular sub chains offer a wide range of protein-packed sandwiches, making it easier to grab a satisfying meal while also keeping your daily intake on track.

Naturally, the subs highest in protein tend to be those filled with meats, and once you start stacking a few different varieties in there, the protein content can quickly add up. From turkey and roast beef medleys to stacks piled with chicken, bacon, or cured meats, these hearty sandwiches deliver on flavor, texture, and overall indulgence factor, all while offering a serious protein boost that'll keep you feeling fueled until dinnertime. So, if you're looking for a quick, high-protein lunch that also satisfies your fast food cravings, give one of these top-rated fast food subs a try.

First up is an undeniably tempting offering from Firehouse Subs. The Engineer comes loaded with smoked turkey breast, melted provolone cheese, mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Stacked up with a swipe each of mayo and deli mustard, these ingredients create a deeply savory flavor profile and a hearty bite, with the resulting sub packing a notable dose of protein. A medium-sized (eight-inch) Engineer sub contains 39 grams of protein, but if you go for the large version (12 inches), you'll get a whopping 70 grams. Either way, that's a significant chunk towards your daily intake. And, if you fancy making things even meatier, you could always add bacon to your stack for a small extra cost (usually around two dollars).

The Engineer has long been a popular pick amongst customers, and it receives frequent recommendations online. One fan dubbed it "the best sandwich I have eaten in a restaurant in a very long time" in their review on Tripadvisor, while others were impressed with the incredibly generous portion of turkey.

A top pick on the cold subs menu at Jersey Mike's is the #13 The Original Italian. This features ham, provolone, and an array of flavor-packed cured meats — prosciuttini, cappacuolo, salami, and pepperoni. Ordered in the regular size, this sandwich contains a little over 46 grams of protein, and it's super easy to customize to your taste.

There are a few nifty ordering hacks you can use to get the very best out of the #13. Firstly, ordering "Mike's Way" is highly recommended. This means that in addition to the usual meat and cheese fillings, your Italian sub will also come topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onions, oil, vinegar, salt, and oregano. This adds an extra burst of freshness, richness, color, and crunch that truly takes the sandwich to the next level. Another way to customize your sub is by switching out the standard white bread for wheat bread or rosemary Parmesan bread for a heartier or herbier approach. And extra toppings are always a great option. Think banana peppers, jalapeños, pickles, or mustard.

However you choose to order yours, The Original Italian is sure to impress. After trying the sandwich for the first time, one customer took to Reddit to share, "Honestly, this is one of the most flavorful and juicy sandwiches I've ever eaten," and plenty of others agreed, adding comments like "The 13 never does me wrong" and "Love their Italian."

At Charleys, you'll find a mouth-watering selection of fully loaded subs, and one that stands out for its impressive protein content is the Chicken California Cheesesteak. Inside the pillowy-crisp toasted sub roll, you'll find generous layers of white meat chicken, melted provolone, and ranch dressing. There's creaminess, tanginess, and heaps of comforting savory flavor, and this sub will certainly help you hit your protein goals, too. A regular-sized Chicken California provides 57 grams of protein, while the large size offers 79 grams.

This sub can be enhanced with various add-ins, such as bacon, pickles, and red wine vinaigrette. Charleys also offers a free drizzle of sauce, with the options including BBQ, extra ranch, and garlic aioli. Or, you could even throw in some extra chicken to create a seriously meaty stack. It's hard to go wrong with this sandwich, and countless customers can attest to its deliciousness. One Redditor who previously worked at the chain said the Chicken California Cheesesteak was their go-to, and they recommended ordering it with a side of Ultimate Fries. Another reviewer on Uber Eats confirmed that "the chicken California is to die for."

Another customer favorite at Jersey Mike's is the #9 Club Supreme. Not only does this sandwich contain tender, savory slices of roast beef and turkey, but it also gets a smoky twist from applewood bacon, and this meaty trio makes for an exceptionally protein-rich combination (59 grams to be exact). Swiss cheese and mayo amp up the creaminess, and when ordered Mike's Way with lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, the Club Supreme offers an irresistible mixture of heartiness and freshness.

As sub chains go, Jersey Mike's is one of the most customizable, and there are many ways to boost the flavor and texture of your sub. Try turning up the heat with a swipe of chipotle mayo, or asking for oil and vinegar on the side so you can dunk your sandwich before every bite. However you prefer to enjoy yours, the Club Supreme is sure to hit the spot. This is backed up by one particularly glowing review on Reddit, where a newbie to the chain said they were "Blown away by #9," adding, "This was the most delectable sandwich I have consumed and I haven't stopped thinking about it since I ate it."

Packing 50 grams of protein when ordered in the standard eight-inch size, the #8 Billy Club from Jimmy John's offers a delectable blend of roast beef, ham, and provolone, all topped off with mayo, mustard, lettuce, and tomatoes. It's a sandwich that's big on savory depth, with a wonderfully indulgent feel and enough protein to make it a particularly substantial lunch. Jimmy John's offers free add-ons aplenty, including mini croutons, crispy fried onions, horseradish sauce, and Caesar dressing. Maxing out on these extras is one of the many ordering hacks to consider when visiting the chain (you can also scoop out some of the bread to make room for more fillings, or ditch the bread altogether in favor of a lettuce wrap), so there are plenty of ways to make the Billy Club your own. 

And, if you still need convincing, a quick glance at online reviews for this sandwich proves just how well loved it is. One Redditor and Jimmy John's regular admitted to ordering the sub almost once per week, and another voted it their favorite sandwich on the menu, explaining that they frequently ordered it with extra mayo, oil, and cheese.

Chicken and bacon are a famously satisfying duo, and they taste especially great in the form of a hearty sub. Subway's Chicken & Bacon Ranch sandwich brings these two ingredients together in a delightfully fresh way, and its protein content is another major selling point. The six-inch sub comes in at 35 grams of protein, while the footlong offers double the dose at 70 grams. The tender, rotisserie-style chicken pieces and smoky bacon strips are accompanied by shredded Monterey cheddar cheese and a creamy peppercorn ranch dressing, with tomatoes, lettuce, and onions bringing a refreshing crunch. When ordering, you can choose from a variety of different breads, such as Italian herb and honey oat, and go all out with additional toppings of your choice. We also love elevating Subway sandwiches by dunking them in a side of one of the chain's signatures sauces.

The Chicken & Bacon Ranch sub has earned itself a loyal following amongst Subway regulars. One customer — who kicked off a Reddit discussion with, "Why is the Chicken Bacon Ranch sub the best on the menu?" — went on to proclaim, "Its so damn good with American cheese," while another called it "sinfully tasty."

It contains more protein than any other sub in this lineup, and the American Wagyu Club from Capriotti's certainly isn't short of meaty deliciousness. The prime-grade Wagyu beef is the star here, but the hand-pulled turkey and hickory-smoked bacon add even more salty, savory flavor into the mix. Provolone cheese brings a layer of creamy indulgence, and there's the usual fresh, crunchy salad toppings thrown in there, too. Once everything has been piled into a 10-inch crusty sub roll, this moreish stack totals a remarkable 135 grams of protein (or 161 grams, if you go for the giant 18-inch version).

As well contributing pretty considerably to your daily protein intake, this sandwich also wins customers over for its crave-worthy taste. In a post on Facebook, one fan remarked, "This is one of the best sandwiches I've had in a while!" while noting the generous portions and recommending a rather tempting upgrade — adding Russian dressing and coleslaw for a creamy, crunchy contrast.

Crammed full with smoked turkey breast, honey ham, bacon, and melted Monterey Jack cheese, the Firehouse Subs Club on a Sub is a comforting, flavor-packed pick for protein-conscious foodies. Layers of shredded lettuce, tomato, and onion keep things fresh, and deli mustard injects a touch of tang that cuts through the richness of the meat and cheese beautifully. Served with a dill pickle spear on the side, this sandwich clocks in at 40 grams of protein, giving it some considerable nutritional heft.

Firehouse Subs is widely touted for its great-tasting subs, and the Club on a Sub is no exception. On Reddit, a user who claimed to have sampled everything on the menu when previously working at the chain stated, "The Club on a sub is the best imo." And, when another Redditor asked Firehouse Subs regulars to share their menu standouts, the Club on a Sub received multiple recommendations.

Another protein-packed gem on the Capriotti's menu is the iconic Capastrami, made with pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing. Served hot, this sub is the epitome of comfort food, offering heaps of smokiness, creaminess, and crunch. It's the kind of sandwich that feels like a truly decadent treat, and its protein content only adds to the appeal. Grab yourself a 10-inch Capastrami, and you'll be getting a very respectable 102 grams of protein. 

The Capastrami has wowed countless customers with its bold, meaty flavor. In a discussion about Capriotti's on Reddit, this sub received several mentions, with taste testers describing it as "delicious," "awesome," and "ridiculously good." Over on Facebook, another reviewer praised the softness of the bread, crunch of the coleslaw, and sauciness of the filling, remarking, "The more I'm chewing it, the more happy I am." For serious meat fiends, this sandwich can be customized with extra or even double the amount of pastrami at an additional cost (four dollars or six dollars, respectively). You can also add bacon or extra Swiss cheese if desired, or remove any elements that don't take your fancy.

To identify the subs with the highest protein content, we first searched the menus of popular sandwich chains for options featuring naturally high-protein ingredients, with meat-heavy combinations being a key indicator. We then confirmed the exact protein content of the subs using each chain restaurant's official nutritional information. To make sure our picks weren't just protein rich, but also well received by customers, we also looked at reviews across platforms like Reddit, Tripadvisor, and Facebook, ensuring each sandwich had received consistent praise for its taste and texture. This helped us narrow down our final selection to nine subs that combine substantial protein content with excellent customer feedback.