History
Mike opens up one of the first submarine sandwich spots in the country. It’s a family run storefront offering up this relatively new food invention for the first time in America. It’s an instant success as families line up for the delicious food and friendly service.
Mike chose this scenic vacation spot on the Jersey Shore close to NYC, Philly, and Washington DC to open up his first shop. Located on the boardwalk where people would spend their summers surfing, relaxing, and enjoying time with their families, it was the perfect location for this new concept in food service.
Besides the food, the thing that made Mike’s different was the way he got to know his customers. Mike would love to learn people’s names (both vacationers and locals alike) and he built a loyal following of people coming back year after year, week after week to enjoy the amazing subs.
A 17 year old high school kid who absolutely loved working at Mike’s heard the original owner was planning on selling the store, and so with a loan from his football coach who was also a local banker, he purchased the shop. Even though he was young, Peter began expanding Mike’s subs locally, and everywhere he went people continued to line up around the block for sandwiches.
Peter Cancro is still the CEO of Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems Inc. and oversees more than 2,800 locations open and under development. Despite the title, Peter still jumps behind the counter to test his skills and demonstrates his passion for the product and the customer. He tries to instill that passion in every store he enters and with every franchisee he meets.
Lettuce, onions, tomatoes, oil, vinegar and spices still top amazing authentic sandwiches across the nation, carrying on the namesake who created the store over 65 years ago. Our secret to longevity has been making sure that everything is always high quality. Our MSA Grade top round beef are trimmed and cooked right in the store. Our meats and cheeses are all top-quality premium brands. Our bread is fresh-baked each day on the premises. And of course, everything’s prepared right in front of you. It’s what makes Jersey Mike’s the most authentic tasting submarine sandwich.
