Blimpie Subs, remember those? Not Blimpes, not Blimpies and not Blimpys. And it’s not Blimpi Subs either. It’s Blimpie Subs! Back in the day, they used to be in the local Go Mart gas stations where I grew up. It was in the middle of town, which made for the most convenient location.
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For many years, for me, they were out of sight, out of mind. Well, not anymore. They are alive and well in the DMV (DC-VA-MD, if ya don’t know now ya know) and I decided to go in and check out how America’s Sub Shop is holding up. I used to love Blimpie Subs and was excited to investigate.
What Happened to the Blimpie’s Subs Sandwich Franchise? Is Blimpie Subs Still in Business?
While they aren’t as much of a major player in the United States sub and sandwich market as they once were, they’re still out there. Kahala Restaurant Franchising acquired Blimpie in 2006. Then in 2011, Blimpie’s was purchased by MTI and they still have store locations across the country. While they aren’t quite up there with Subway, Jimmy John, Jersey Mike’s and the other top dogs, Blimpie’s Subs are still chugging along. While my local Blimpie is no longer in existence, it’s only because the Blimpie franchise owner in my town was unable to keep my local Blimpie going.
Blimpie Subs used to be very prevalent. You could even run into Blimpie food court locations once in a while during your travels.
Blimpie’s Menu
Blimpie’s menu consists of subs, paninis, wraps, salads, cookies and drinks. Not quite as diverse of a menu as the Sheetz menu, but some good sandwich options are available.
Hot Subs
- Meatball Parmigiana
- Chicken Cheddar Bacon Ranch
- Philly Cheesesteak
- BLT
Deli Subs
- Blimpie Best®
- Turkey & Provolone
- Club
- Ham & Swiss
- Tuna
- Ham, Salami & Provolone
- Veggie & Cheese
- Roast Beef & Provolone
Paninis
- Sicilian
- Buffalo Chicken
- Ultimate Club
- Turkey Bacon Cheddar
Wraps
- Buffalo Chicken
- Southwestern
- Chicken Caesars
Limited-Time Offers
- Nashville Hot Chicken
- Sweet BBQ Chicken
My Blimpie’s Sub Review
So when I saw a Blimpie’s Subs I had to investigate. On top of that, I also had to document the process. The Blimpie’s Sub I ran into was located in an Exxon in Sterling, VA, near DC. Don’t bother looking it up because it has since closed. It was in a very convenient location and didn’t have to veer off my route home. It’s kind of surprising to me this location has closed. It was cranking out sandwiches to customers, despite the subpar service.
On my trip, I was going with the Blimpie Best Panini and getting it the Blimpie Way. I wanted this to be as Blimpie as possible. What is the Blimpie Best, Blimpie Way, you ask?
What is on a Blimpie Best Sandwich? What’s the Blimpie Way?
“Slow-cured ham, salami, capicola, prosciutinni, provolone made the Blimpie® Way with tomatoes, lettuce, onion, vinegar, oil and oregano.”
Sounds a lot like Mike’s Way, if you ask me. That said, it was AWESOME. The service sucked, they didn’t get my order completely correct, but I’m not sure if it was the actual panini or the nostalgia I was tasting, but either way, it was awesome. The meat was sliced fresh. America’s Sub Shop did not let me down!
Check out my Blimpie’s experience:
Blimpie Subs with Grilled Chicken Breast
If you’re thinking that Blimpie Subs only has deli subs that would be incorrect. There are also some different options at Blimpie that include grilled chicken breast.
Chicken Cheddar Bacon Ranch Sub
This delicious option combines grilled chicken breast with the delicious combination of crisp bacon and ranch. If you’ve never tried the delicious combination of chicken breast, crisp bacon and ranch then you are in for a treat. These are available at all locations.
Grilled Chicken Teryaki
This option features grilled chicken breast with teriyaki sauce and also includes provolone and onion with sweet teriyaki sauce.
Buffalo Chicken Breast Panini
Buffalo chicken breast is an awesome addition to any meal, especially when you put it on a panini. In addition, this panini has provolone, tomatoes and onion with Frank’s® RedHot sauce and ranch dressing. The melted provolone is an amazing touch.
Blimpie Meatball Parmigiana Sub
The meatball parmigiana is a surprisingly popular option at America’s Sub Shop. It has Italian beef/pork blended meatballs smothered in a zesty marinara sauce with melted provolone and sprinkled with parmesan. The provolone thinly sliced is an awesome touch. If you’re looking to switch things up and want to add some kick to your sub then add some banana peppers.
How Many Blimplies Are There?
There are 156 active Blimpie locations currently in operation. That’s according to good old Wikipedia, so if it’s incorrect go take it up with them.
Conclusion – I miss My Local Blimpie
As I stated earlier, maybe it was the nostalgia talking, but it turns out I am still a big fan of Blimpie Subs. In a strange way, it kind of reminded me of those fundraiser subs that I buy every single time I get an opportunity. I won’t make any claim it has the freshest meats or the best bread, but when you put it all together, it just works for me. America’s Sub Shop hooked me my buddy and I up with a couple of good sandwiches for a fair price.
The only problem for me is finding one of these sandwich shops in operation. A quick trip to Google tells me that it will be a nearly four-hour drive for me to score more Blimpie’s. In the meantime, I’ll be hoping more Blimpie restaurants pop up in my area. A man can dream, right?