A submarine sandwich, also called a sub, is a type of American sandwich made with a submarine roll, which is a long bread roll. The roll is split lengthwise and filled with meats, cheeses, vegetables, and sauces.

Although the term "submarine" or "sub" is used for both the bread and the sandwich in the United States and other English-speaking countries, there are many local names, especially in the northeastern United States. For example, in Philadelphia and Western Pennsylvania, it is called a hoagie. In New York City, it is known as a hero. In Maine, it is called a Maine Italian. In New England and Fulton County, New York, it is called a grinder. In Westchester, New York, it is called a wedge. In Boston, it is called a spuckie.

History

This type of sandwich began in many Italian-American communities in the northeastern United States between the late 1800s and the middle of the 1900s. The sandwich became popular in states such as Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. Over time, its popularity spread across the United States, especially when local pizzerias started offering the sub on their menus.

— John Mariani, America Eats Out, p. 66

As the sandwich gained popularity, small restaurants called hoagie shops or sub shops, which focused on selling the sandwich, opened across the United States. Today, many chain restaurants specialize in subs nationwide. The sandwich is also commonly found in supermarkets, local delis, and convenience stores. Examples include Wawa, which holds a summer event called Hoagiefest every year, and Publix, where their sandwiches are often called "pub subs."

Etymology

In 1987, linguists Edwin Eames and Howard Robboy wrote an article in American Speech about different names for the submarine sandwich in the United States. They studied 100 American cities and found thirteen names used to describe the sandwich. These names, listed in order of how often they were used, are: submarine, hoagie, poor boy, grinder, torpedo, Italian sandwich, hero, rocket, zeppelin, Garibaldi, bomber, musalatta, and Cuban sandwich. Eames and Robboy noted that "submarine" was the only name not tied to a specific region. Some names, like Garibaldi in Madison, Wisconsin, and musalatta (or muffuletta) in New Orleans, were used in only one city.

The term "submarine" or "sub" became popular in the United States and Canada because the bread roll used for the sandwich resembles the shape of a submarine. Some sources say the name began in New London, Connecticut, where a U.S. Navy submarine base operated since 1915. However, written ads from 1940 in Wilmington, Delaware, suggest the term was used before the United States entered World War II.

One theory says an Italian immigrant named Dominic Conti brought the sandwich to the United States in the late 1800s. He may have named it "submarine roll" after seeing a recovered submarine called Fenian Ram in a museum in New Jersey in 1928. His granddaughter later shared this story.

The term "hoagie" comes from the Philadelphia area. Eames and Robboy found that "hoagie" was mainly used in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. There are several theories about how the name began:

• In 1953, a letter to The Philadelphia Bulletin said Italian-American workers at a shipyard called Hog Island during World War I made a sandwich with meats, cheeses, and lettuce between two slices of bread. This became known as the "Hog Island" sandwich, later shortened to "Hoggies" and then "hoagie."
• Dictionary.com explains that "hoagie" originally meant "hero" or a large sandwich made from a long roll. It may have come from the name of a jazz musician, Hoagy Carmichael, but the word was used before he became famous. The spelling "hoagie" became common around 1945.
• A different theory says street vendors in Philadelphia called "hokey-pokey men" sold a sandwich made from a long loaf called the "pinafore" after a musical called H.M.S. Pinafore opened in the city in 1879. However, this theory is unlikely because "hokey-pokey men" were known for selling ice cream, not sandwiches.
• Another idea is that Italian immigrants in South Philadelphia used the term "hoke" to describe someone who had nothing. Deli owners gave away scraps of cheese and meat in a bread roll called a "hokie," which Italian immigrants said "hoagie."
• A sandwich shop owner named Alphonso DePalma in Philadelphia claimed he said, "You have to be a hog to eat one of those," in 1928. He later called his sandwiches "hoggies" and eventually "hoagies."

After World War II, many different names for the sandwich were used in Philadelphia. By the 1940s, "hoagie" became the most common spelling, replacing older versions like "hoogie" and "hoggie." By 1955, restaurants in the area used the term "hoagie." In Pittsburgh, the word appeared in 1961 and became popular by 1966.

In 2005, former Philadelphia mayor Ed Rendell declared the hoagie the "Official Sandwich of Philadelphia." However, some say the hoagie was first made in Chester, Pennsylvania. A deli called DiCostanza's claims its owner’s mother created the sandwich in 1925 in Chester. Today, hoagies are a common menu item in Philadelphia delis, including places like Campo’s, Geno’s Steaks, and Pat’s King of Steaks.

Woolworth’s called its to-go sandwiches "hoagies" in all its U.S. stores. In Philadelphia, Vietnamese-style bánh mì sandwiches are sometimes called "Vietnamese hoagies."

The term "hero" is used in New York City. It was first recorded in 1937. Some say a food writer named Clementine Paddleford helped popularize the name, but there is no strong evidence for this. The term "hero" is often used for sandwiches on an oblong roll with Italian flavors, such as eggplant parmesan, chicken parmesan, and meatball sandwiches.

In New England, especially in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, the term "grinder" is used. One theory says the name came from Italian-American slang for dock workers, who liked the sandwich. Another idea is that the hard crust of the bread required a lot of chewing, so it was called a "grinder" because it would "grind" your teeth. In Pennsylvania, New York, and parts of New England, "grinder" usually means a hot submarine sandwich, while "sub" refers to a cold one. In Philadelphia, "grinder" can also mean a hoagie that is toasted in the oven.

In Maine, the term "Maine Italian" or simply "Italian" is used. Local stories say a baker named Giovanni Amato invented the sandwich in 1899. The traditional Maine Italian sandwich uses a long, soft bread roll with ham, bologna, American cheese, tomato, onion, green bell pepper, Greek olives, pickles, olive oil or salad oil, salt, and cracked black pepper. Extra ingredients like pepperoni, banana peppers, or lettuce may also be added. The sandwich is often cut in half for easier handling.

The term "wedge" is used in New York counties like Dutchess, Putnam, and Westchester, as well as in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Some say the name comes from a diagonal cut in the sandwich, creating two "wedges." Others say it refers to a sandwich served between two "wedges" of bread. A deli owner in Yonkers may have shortened the word "sandwich" to "wedge" because he tired of saying the full word. "Wedge" or "wedgie" can also refer to a deli meat sandwich cooked on pizza dough or a type of club sandwich.

The term "spukie" (also spelled "spukkie" or "spuckie") is used only in Boston.

International popularity

Sandwiches called subs or similar types of sandwiches were already popular in many countries in Europe, Asia, and Australasia before fast food chains like Subway became widespread in the late 20th century. These chains helped make subs even more popular and increased how often the word "sub" was used. Many restaurants now offer unusual food mixtures. Major international chains include Firehouse Subs, Quiznos, Mr. Sub, Jersey Mike's, Jimmy John's, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, and Subway, which is the largest restaurant chain in the world.