7 Chains That Still Use Real Tuna in Their Tuna Salad—Not Mystery Chunks
Tuna is one of those tricky proteins. It can be fresh, delicious, and tasty, or, well, fishy or fake-tasting. If you are a purist when ordering a tuna sandwich and only real tuna will do it for you, we get it. Who wants to eat a mixture of tuna with other less expensive fish and fillers? Luckily there are more than a handful of chains that use real tuna in their tuna salad – and one of them even went to court to prove it. Here are 7 chains that still use real tuna in their tuna salad, not mystery chunks of funky fish!
Jersey Mike's Subs Still Uses 100% Albacore Tuna
Jersey Mike's prides itself on making one of the best tuna subs in town. According to a YouTube video posted by That Crazy Sub Guy the New Jersey-based chain uses a mixture of tuna and albacore for a "more balanced flavor and texture." The "protein-packed tuna sub" is "made right on site" with just a few ingredients – premium albacore tuna, freshly chopped celery, mayo, and a dash of pepper.
Potbelly Sandwich Works Makes Tuna Salad Fresh In-House
Potbelly also makes an esteemed tuna salad sandwich, using "100% albacore tuna salad," according to its website, calling it a "must-try for any tuna lover." The salad is made with "premium albacore tuna, mixed with a light touch of mayo and relish" and served on their trademark freshly baked bread.
Firehouse Subs Uses Dolphin-Safe, Wild-Caught Tuna
Firehouse Subs keeps its tuna salad traditional. The chain's website states that its Firehouse Subs Tuna Salad is a "blend of tuna, mayo, relish, and black pepper—an old fire department recipe." Our reviewer endorsed it as one of the best tuna sandwiches in town. "The tuna is shredded down to small pieces, so no bite is excessively fishy, yet the substance tasted like something that could have come straight from a fresh fish market," she writes in her review.
Jimmy John's Keeps It Real With Tuna and Mayo
Jimmy John's only uses Starkist tuna for their sandwiches. "Our tuna salad is made from scratch by hand. Real tuna fish, real Hellmann's, real fresh veggies, reeeeeeealllly good," the brand confirmed in a 2017 Facebook post. Our reviewer enjoyed it overall, though they did say "the fish essence is toned down."
Panera Bread Offers Solid White Albacore Tuna
Panera uses solid white albacore in its chicken salad, which is canned in "water and salt," and whipped into its "special recipe tuna salad" the restaurant discloses on its website.
Subway Says Its Tuna Is 100% Wild-Caught
Subway is so adamant that its tuna is 100% wild-caught, they went to court over it and even created a page on its website in response to the "meritless lawsuit that falsely questioned the quality of Subway's tuna," the brand explained about the case, which was dismissed on July 27, 2023. "The truth of the matter has always been that Subway's tuna is high-quality, premium and 100% real," it writes. "We test our tuna regularly to ensure it meets Subway's stringent quality and safety requirements, including compliance with FDA regulations."
Which Wich Tuna Salad Is Just Tuna and Mayo
At Which Wich, ordering a sandwich is sort of a choose-your-own-adventure. According to The Takeout, the tuna salad is made with two ingredients: Tuna and mayonnaise. This allows diners to choose what else they want on it. The chain also offers "krab salad" sandwiches and a seafood sandwich special on Fridays.
Sign up for our newsletter!
