Cheapest Sandwich Chains in 2026

Sandwich Chains Ranked by Price

Typical price is the median of every priced item on the menu — the point where half the menu costs less and half costs more.

The Cheapest Sandwich Options in Detail

1. Arby's — typical item $6.29

Arby's is the only national fast-food chain built on roast beef rather than burgers, and its pricing reflects a deliberate position slightly above the burger chains: a Classic Roast Beef at about $5.49 against a McDouble at $3.79. The chain's long-running 2…

The menu runs $2.39 (Soft Drink (medium)) to $26.99 (Family Bundle (4 sandwiches, 2 large fries)) across 42 priced items, averaging $6.45. The 2 for $7 mix-and-match covers the Classic Roast Beef, Crispy Chicken and Greek Gyro — two sandwiches for less than the price of one Half Pound. See the full Arby's menu →

2. Tropical Smoothie Cafe — typical item $7.79

Tropical Smoothie Cafe pairs a large smoothie menu with a full food operation — flatbreads, wraps, quesadillas and bowls — which sets it apart from smoothie chains that sell drinks alone. Most locations do roughly half their business in food. Pricing is…

The menu runs $1.99 (Chips) to $13.99 (Half sandwich + smoothie combo) across 37 priced items, averaging $8.07. The half sandwich plus smoothie combo at $13.99 saves about $3.50 versus ordering a full flatbread and a smoothie separately. See the full Tropical Smoothie Cafe menu →

3. Subway — typical item $8.99

Roughly 99% of American Subway restaurants are franchisee-owned, and each owner sets their own board — which makes Subway the single most price-variable chain in the country. The same Italian B.M.T. footlong can differ by four dollars across one metro area…

The menu runs $1.09 (Cookie (each)) to $52.99 (Giant Sub (3 ft, catering)) across 37 priced items, averaging $9.44. A footlong costs about $3.50 more than a six-inch but gives twice the sandwich — per inch it is always the better order, and half keeps well for the next day. See the full Subway menu →

4. Potbelly Sandwich Works — typical item $9.49

Potbelly built its business on toasted sandwiches served fast, and its pricing structure is unusually simple: nearly every sandwich comes in three sizes — Skinny, Original and Bigger — with the Original as the default. Choosing the right size is the main…

The menu runs $1.99 (Chips) to $89.99 (Sandwich Platter (feeds 8–10)) across 32 priced items, averaging $14.66. Order Skinny instead of Original to save $1.50 — the bread and toppings are identical, only the meat portion changes. See the full Potbelly Sandwich Works menu →

5. Panera Bread — typical item $10.99

Panera Bread sits between fast food and casual dining: bakery-cafe pricing with table service in some locations and counter service in most. The menu is built around soups, salads, sandwiches and its signature bread bowls, and the You Pick Two combo is by far…

The menu runs $3.19 (Coffee (regular)) to $18.99 (Baker's Dozen Bagels) across 39 priced items, averaging $10.10. You Pick Two at $13.79 gives you two half items for less than most single entrees elsewhere — it is the reason the item exists. See the full Panera Bread menu →