I Taste-Tested Every Subway Breakfast & the Best Was Rich and Hearty

With its classic subs and new sandwich wraps, Subway has long been a favorite lunchtime destination—not to mention, one of the best places to "eat fresh" fast.

But, since 2010, America's largest sandwich chain has also been helping its guests to wake up on the right side of the bed with hearty breakfast options. At the onset of this new endeavor, the shop was rather ambitious, presenting menu items like English muffin melts and omelet sandwiches at all of its locations to attract a wider customer base.

In 2018, Subway backed off breakfast slightly—lifting the requirement for all franchises to serve the morning meal. But, not to worry. At many locations, the chain is still very much in the breakfast game and right now it's promoting all things flatbreads and wraps on the menu. There are currently four of each, all with eggs and cheese but also featuring various proteins that are already at the shop's disposal. These include ham, bacon, and steak. You won't find any sausage sammies at Subway.

Of course, the element of customization is still at play here. Hungry patrons can load up their classic bacon, egg, and cheese with veggies, sauces, and other add-ons. Plus, you can even switch out the flatbread for the Artisan Italian, Hearty Multigrain, or Italian Herbs & Cheese. For the sake of the taste test, though, I ordered all eight items as they come, and munched my way through each to see which ones excel at the most important meal of the day.

Here's how all eight breakfast options ranked in descending order, beginning with my least favorite and counting down to the very best.

Egg & Cheese Wrap

It doesn't get much simpler than a standard egg and cheese on bread. This dynamic duo is there for you at Subway when double protein seems overwhelming. The wrap version comes swathed in what the chain calls a "lavash-style flatbread"—a new shop feature that debuted this past April. Of course, I also could have loaded it up with garnishes like veggies and condiments but stuck to the as-it-comes makeup. When it comes to wraps, Subway takes a one-size-fits-all approach, so I ordered the only option available for $7.19.

The look: The wrap (which I measured at about 8 inches long) is primarily filled with layers of solidified egg whites with dense yolk centers. I'm not sure if it's the way they're cooked or the way they're spooled inside the bread, but something about them makes them look like fake food. Meanwhile, the cheese is melted to the point that it looks like mayonnaise oozing out.

The taste: The flatbread is a high point—warm yet still soft—and the mild cheese is inviting, available in what seems like a double portion compared to other options. However, it's dull and monotonous, not only in terms of flavor but also texture. I don't know about you, but for me, mouthful after mouthful of squishy unseasoned egg can become almost gag-worthy—not the kind of experience I'm looking for in my morning meal. Next!

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Egg & Cheese Flatbread

Copy and paste the makeup of the previous breakfast item, but fold it instead of rolling it, and you have the Egg & Cheese flatbread. The chain has actually offered breakfast flatbreads for a while. However, they got a facelift earlier this year with the launch of the new bread. The cheese included here is still a white American and I once again ordered the meal sans toppings. For all flatbreads, guests have the option of either a 6-inch or footlong sandwich. I went with the smaller 6-inch for just $4.79.

The look: Like a flattened and lightly toasted panini. Stuffed on the inside were two overhard egg discs and the white American cheese, which appears to have been slathered on like sauce.

The taste: A small small step up from the egg and cheese wrap. It's once again missing a much-needed change-up in texture. Sturdy, only slightly crisped bread, plus spongy eggs, still don't make a well-diversified right. But, with a little bit less egg (or perhaps just better-distributed egg), the cheesiness and flatbread have a stronger influence over each bite, making the entire sandwich come off as more balanced. It's still bland, but better.

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Wrap

What would a fast-food breakfast menu be without the coveted bacon, egg, and cheese, aka BEC? Subway has two versions of the classic, and the first up is the wrap. The bacon in question here is known for being pre-cooked and hickory-smoked. I also have to assume it's identical to the slices thrown onto lunchtime subs like the B.L.T. or All-American Club. I paid $7.19 for the wrap's one and only size. That's the same price as the egg and cheese wrap, meaning the bacon comes at no additional charge.

The look: It's hard to tell, but if you peak closely right at the center of the wrap, there are, in fact, a few crumbly slices of bacon enveloped between the thick bands of white and yellow egg.

The taste: The bacon is a small yet mighty addition to this menu option. It's noticeably fragrant and, with smoky and salty notes, it tastes even better—that is, when you're lucky enough to come up with a big enough piece. That being said, the BEC wrap continues to suffer from the same overpowering egg issue as the egg and cheese. I don't think the eggs are cooked poorly by any means. But, with their generally flavorless nature, they boil down to filler in my mind and shouldn't be leading the charge.

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Steak, Egg & Cheese Flatbread

Subway is one of few chains that offers hearty steak as a meat option in the morning. Its locations pair the beef with egg and cheese—no surprise there—and throw it on flatbreads and inside of wraps. Of course, more premium meat comes with a more premium price tag, so expect to pay just a little bit more for this specialty. It's priced at $4.99 for a 6-inch flatbread rather than $4.79.

The look: Cheese-covered, chopped-up brown steak occupies one side, not quite taking up the full length of the flatbread. Two obligatory egg rings sit on the other.

The taste: The beef is obviously cheesesteak meat, which is understandable when you consider that's the only type of steak on Subway's entire menu. It's a significantly more appropriate match for eggs compared to the previous skimpy bacon or just cheese. It also pairs well with the neutral doughiness of the flatbread. The problem is that it's unfortunately dry. While it has decent flavor, the shredded steak isn't as juicy as I would have hoped and some pieces are even a bit chewy. It would benefit from the chain's garlic aioli or even just a few swift dabs of mayo.

Bacon, Egg & Cheese Flatbread

As promised, the bacon, egg, and cheese makes a second appearance, this time tucked into a toasted flatbread. I resisted the urge to zhuzh it up with sauce or even something like smashed avocado—especially after the BEC wrap, which fell flat–and instead stuck to the sandwich's original advertised form. The 6-inch flatbread rang up at $4.79.

The look: Two long strips of pre-cooked bacon rest on top of the mostly white eggs. It's elusive but there's also some white American cheese tucked in between the two proteins. Like all the other flatbreads this one appears to be delicately toasted.

The taste: With a better bacon-to-egg ratio, this BEC trumps the wrap version outright. The slices really are tasty for fast-food bacon, too. They're not fragile and crunchy like some people prefer. In my opinion, though, they're savory and flavorful enough to eat on their own. Like the steak flatbread, this one does lean a little bit parched. The bread was also more crusty here than with other options—something I am averse to since this type of bread comes off more like a cracker when toasted for too long. So, watch out for that, but overall this isn't a bad choice.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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Black Forest Ham, Egg & Cheese Flatbread

Along with steak and bacon, black forest ham is another protein option on the Subway breakfast roster, creating a couple of Egg McMuffin-like sammies. And, if you think about it, this is the meat choice that makes the most sense at a joint made famous for its cold-cut subs. Paired with egg and white American cheese, this 6-inch flatbread cost me the same as its bacon and egg-only counterparts at $4.79.

The look: Sporting just three folded-over slices, it could have done with at least double the ham. The bread and eggs continue to be on par with the preceding flatbreads and the cheese here may be even more meager than before.

The taste: There's something weirdly comforting about the warmed-up pairing of ham and gooey cheese—it's like a nostalgic nod to childhood. Not to mention that the ham adds some moisture into the mix that the steak and the bacon couldn't quite muster. More pillowy and less crispy, I also preferred the level of toastiness of this flatbread over others. The entire sandwich is still primarily egg-forward. But, slap on a few more slices of ham and perhaps another ounce of cheese and this would be quite good.

Steak, Egg & Cheese Wrap

After taking a closer look at the breakfast wrap iteration of this three-part combo, I saw that Subway actually refers to the beef as "shaved steak." That phrase makes me think more of gyro meat rather than cheesesteak, but it still checks out. Whether the wrap is a "savory breakfast sensation" or not, though, remains to be seen. Once again, I dished out a little bit extra for the steak and paid $7.39 in total for this wrap.

The look: Inside the bubbled wrap, there's equal parts egg and steak, and smack dab in the middle is the trusty helping of liquified American slices. From a distance, the meat lining the sides looks more like ground beef. However, it is, in fact, the same steak that occupies the flatbread.

The taste: Finally, we found a contender for the heaping portion of eggs! The steak is applied generously enough that I would actually refer to it as a steak and egg sandwich rather than an egg sandwich with a small sampling of other ingredients. Nestled into the wrap, the steak also isn't as dry here as it was on the flatbread—perhaps soaking up juices from the egg and cheese. Overall, it's bolder and more filling than any of the previous offerings. A "savory breakfast sensation"? Not quite. But, certainly a tasty meal that will hold you over until lunch.

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Black Forest Ham, Egg & Cheese Wrap

Last but not least, we have the wrapped-up version of a ham, egg, and cheese. No surprises here. It's still made with black forest ham. The cheese is still white American. And, I prepared again for the eggs to be plentiful. This final item cost me $7.19—the same price as both the bacon wrap and the egg and cheese wrap.

The look: Like the previous steak wrap, the ham stands its ground alongside the neighboring egg folds. It appears that more deli slices were thrown on in comparison to the flatbread—a great sign for this creation.

The taste: You still get that soul-warming ham and cheese fusion, but here it's elevated even further. Present in a larger amount, I could actually appreciate the sweet and smoky blend of taste notes coming from the black forest ham this time. This adds tremendously to the otherwise muted flavor profile of the bread and eggs. It's just as hearty as the steak wrap and is still filled with plenty of umami. This ham and cheese just comes off as a classic that maintains that Subway essence, just rolled tight into an on-the-go breakfast. I could definitely wake up to it again.

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