Competition between sub shops has begun in the area. When Quizno’s Subs, 1969 B DeKalb Ave. in Sycamore, opened its doors for the first time on Jan 11, three big-name chains began the fight for sub supremacy among DeKalb and Sycamore residents.

“Business is going great,” Quizno’s owner Pat Love said. “If we are lucky, there is about an hour where we only have two or three people. Otherwise, it’s packed.”

This is despite the location of the new restaurant, which is nestled at the back of a small strip mall.

“We were worried about that, but it hasn’t had any effect that I’ve noticed,” Love said.

To combat that, Jimmy John’s, 1011 W. Lincoln Highway, had $1 subs on Feb. 7.

On that day, Jimmy John’s manager Chris Seistrup said the store made more than 1,500 subs. He also said at one point, the line was more than 300 people long.

“We still have the fastest subs, so we aren’t having any problem with Quizno’s moving in,” Seistrup said.

Subway, 901 Lucinda Ave., has not been affected either.

“Quizno’s is so far away from here that it doesn’t really affect us,” Subway manager Brian Klein said. “People don’t want to drive out there just to get a sub.”

Here’s the breakdown on the area sub shops:

Quizno’s Subs

Quizno’s claims to be pioneers in the field of sub sandwiches. You know the commercials, “We are like that guy who wore pants while everyone else wore bushes.”

There is one thing that holds Quizno’s back from being the best in the field, though: the time factor. It takes much longer to get a sub toasted rather than getting it cold.

The taste is worth the wait, however. Quizno’s has elaborate sandwiches created with wine-cured meats, red onions and ranch dressing on just about everything.

The subs do manage to be a bit large for an on-the-go meal, though. Quizno’s can, however, be the most expensive.

Jimmy John’s

Jimmy John’s definitely has the best bread around. They are so aware of this that J.J.’s sells day-old bread for 45 cents. It’s a great deal and the bread doesn’t get stale.

As Seistrup boasts, J.J.’s has the fastest subs in town, which is partially true. They are fast, but about as fast as Subway.

Overall, J.J.’s doesn’t have the all the choices of Quizno’s or Subway, but the bread and ingredients more than make up for it.

Another aspect of Jimmy John’s is the price. The most expensive item on the menu is the Gargantuan, which is $5.99. A regular sub is under $4.

Subway

Subway is the veteran sub shop of them all.

It has been around the longest, but has started to change its choices. There are six different bread types (including Italian, country wheat and Asiago cheese) to choose from, plus all the same ingredient choices.

Subway does offer things the previous two do not, however. Subway has salads, wraps and deli-round sandwiches.