Healthy Options at Quiznos

Quiznos Legos and Dinosaur

It seems only right that I follow up last week’s post on Subway with one for their arch-nemesis, Quiznos.

I’m not as familiar with their offerings, since I found they didn’t have (m)any palatable vegetarian options.  I once got a veggie sub that was just hot guacamole and black olives on a huge loaf of bread… what were they thinking?

Quiznos’ 17-page Nutrition Information (PDF) is fairly easy to understand (bizarre font choices notwithstanding), and they kindly separate out the cheese & dressing for each sub.  They also highlight a handful of menu options that are under 500 calories — if you get the small.

I thought Subway’s sodium levels were high until I saw Quiznos’. It’s hard to find any regular sub with less than 1,000mg of sodium — most of them are over 1,500, and some are pushing 3,000!  It seems that their bread has much larger serving sizes (judging by the carb totals — they don’t include serving sizes in their nutrition information) and is significantly higher in sodium than Subway’s.  Stack on processed, salted deli meat and it’s off the charts.

Don’t fall for their marketing hype about Omega-3 oils in some of their sauces – any (minor) potential benefit you’d get from that will be completely overshadowed by the saturated fat and sheer number of calories in the dressings.

Unfortunately I couldn’t find any nutritional info for specific components (like the breads or meats), but there are some simple choices that will be at least a little bit healthier.

Avoid the ranch dressing, mayonnaise, honey-mustard dressing, and red-wine vinaigrette, as they’re almost entirely fat and salt.

Go easy on the cheese, or cut it out altogether.

Get the “9 grain artisan wheat” bread instead of the white bread (though the difference may be negligible — it’s impossible to tell from just the name).

For the information below, I’m going to use the numbers from the “Regular” size, and assume you’re including the default cheese and dressing, unless noted.

Classic Subs – Better Choices

These are the only options in this category that I could come up with that are under 1,500mg of sodium (which is still excessive).

Honey Bourbon Chicken
510 cal, 3.5g sat fat, 8g total fat, 1,380mg sodium, 73g carbs, 19g sugars, 4g fiber, 28g protein
The standard sandwich does not include cheese.  Skip the “Zesty Grille Sauce” and save 70 calories, 270mg sodium, 14g carbs, and 13g sugars.

Veggie – No Cheese, No Vinaigrette Dressing
460 cal, 3.5 sat fat, 16g total fat, 1,230mg sodium, 59g carbs, 10g sugars, 8g fiber, 16g protein

Classic Subs – Worst choices

Classic Italian
860 calories, 20g sat fat, 51g total fat, 2,650mg sodium (!), 64g carbs, 9g sugars, 4g fiber, 37g protein

Turkey Bacon Guacamole (California Club)
800 cal, 11g sat fat, 39g total fat, 2,570mg sodium (!), 67g carbs, 11g sugars, 7g fiber, 40g protein
Skip the Ranch dressing to save 140 cal, 2.5g sat fat, 15g total fat, and 250mg sodium.

Classic Club
860 cal, 13.5g sat fat, 49g total fat, 2,400mg sodium (!), 63g carbs, 10g sugars, 4g fiber, 41g protein
Do yourself a favor and skip the mayo, saving 260 calories (!), 4.5g sat fat, 29g fat, and 170mg sodium.

Honey Bacon Club
760 cal, 7.5g sat fat, 32g total fat, 2,405mg sodium (!), 77g carbs, 22g sugars, 4g fiber, 36g protein

The Traditional (Triple Meat Club)
680 cal, 10g sat fat, 31g total fat, 2,280mg sodium (!), 65g carbs, 10g sugars, 4g fiber, 34g protein
Skip the Ranch dressing to save 140 cal, 2.5g sat fat, 15g total fat, and 250mg sodium.

Signature Clubs – Better Choices

It seems the only way to get a Signature Club under 1,500mg of sodium and under 600 calories is to get one of the Chicken subs, without cheese or sauce.  It also seems like these four subs end up being the same thing — I’m guessing the type of cheese and sauce is what differentiates them.  Ahh, well.

Honey Mustard Chicken – No cheese, no Honey Mustard Dressing
560 cal, 7g sat fat, 17g total fat, 1,390mg sodium, 59g carbs, 7g sugars, 4g fiber, 35g protein

Chicken Carbonara – No cheese, no “Creamy Bacon Alfredo Sauce”
550 cal, 7g sat fat, 17g total fat, 1,380mg sodium, 56g carbs, 5g sugars, 3g fiber, 34g protein

Baja Chicken – No cheese, no “Sweet & Smoky Baja Sauce”
550 cal, 7g fat, 17g total fat, 1,380mg sodium, 57g carbs, 5g sugars, 3g fiber, 34g protein

Mesquite Chicken – No cheese, no Ranch Dressing
560 cal, 7g sat fat, 17g total fat, 1,390mg sodium, 59g carbs, 7g sugars, 4g fiber, 35g protein

Signature Clubs – Worst Choices

All of the Signature Clubs are “Worst Choices,” with the exception of the four cheese-less, sauce-less chicken variations mentioned above.

Mesquite Chicken
790 cal, 14g sat fat, 39g total fat, 1,770mg sodium, 61g carbs, 8g sugars, 4g fiber, 40g protein

Honey Mustard Chicken
830 cal, 11g sat fat, 41g total fat, 1,645mg sodium, 66g carbs, 13g sugars, 4g fiber, 41g protein

Baja Chicken
780 cal, 13.5g sat fat, 36g total fat, 2,030mg sodium, 64g carbs, 11g sugars, 3g fiber, 39g protein

Bourbon Grille Steak
830 cal, 10g sat fat, 1g trans fat, 35g total fat, 2,060mg sodium, 76g carbs, 20g sugars, 3g fiber, 52g protein

Chicken Carbonara
840 cal, 14g sat fat, 42g total fat, 1,850mg sodium, 8g sugars, 3g fiber, 41g protein

Steakhouse Beef Dip
860 cal, 6.5g sat fat, 1g trans fat, 45g total fat, 2,505mg sodium, 65g carbs, 8g sugars, 3g fiber, 49g protein

Prime Rib and Peppercorn
930 cal, 9.3g sat fat, 1g trans fat, 53g total fat, 2,010 mg sodium, 66g carbs, 9g sugars, 3g fiber, 48g protein

Double Cheese Cheesesteak
1,030 cal, 8.5g sat fat, 1g trans fat, 63g total fat, 2,035mg sodium, 65g carbs, 8g sugars, 3g fiber, 54g protein

Everyday Value Deli Subs – Better Choices

Yes, I realize how ridiculous it is to get a “Turkey & Cheddar, Hold the Cheddar.”  Even then, these still have nearly 1,700mg of sodium.

Oven Roasted Turkey & Cheddar – No Cheddar, No Mayo
420 cal, 2.5g sat fat, 8g total fat, 1,680mg sodium, 62g carbs, 7g sugars, 4g fiber, 27g protein

Roast Beef & Cheddar – No Cheddar, No Mayo
430 cal, 2.5g sat fat, 7g total fat, 1,690mg sodium, 63g carbs, 9g sugars, 3g fiber, 29g protein

Everyday Value Deli Subs – Worst Choices

Oven Roasted Turkey & Cheddar
770 cal, 11.5g sat fat, 44g total fat, 1,980mg sodium, 63g carbs, 8g sugars, 4g fiber, 33g protein

Honey-Cured Ham & Swiss
770 cal, 8.5g sat fat, 44g total fat, 2,085mg sodium, 63g carbs, 11g sugars, 3g fiber, 37g protein

Roast Beef & Cheddar
780 cal, 11.5g sat fat, 44g total fat, 1,990mg sodium, 64g carbs, 10g sugars, 3g fiber, 35g protein

Tuna Melt
1,220 cal, 19g sat fat, 94g total fat (OMG!!!!!!), 1,370mg sodium, 60g carbs, 8g sugars, 3g fiber, 36g protein

Toasty Bullets/Torpedos – Better Choices

The Torpedoes are roughly double the Bullets for all the nutrition info, so I’m only listing the info for the Bullets here. All of the Torpedoes should be filed under “Worst Choices.”

Pesto Turkey Bullet
330 cal, 3.5g sat fat, 13g total fat, 1,140mg sodium, 38g carbs, 3g sugars, 2g fiber, 16g protein

Toasty Bullets/Toasty Torpedos – Worst Choices

Beef, Bacon, & Cheddar Bullet
385 cal, 5g sat fat, 17.5g total fat, 1,225mg sodium, 38g carbs, 2g fiber, 20g protein

Turkey Club Bullet
405 cal, 5g sat fat, 20.5g total fat, 1,225mg sodium, 38g carbs, 3g sugars, 1g fiber, 17g protein

Italian Bullet
445 cal, 7.5g sat fat, 24.5g total fat, 1,355mg sodium, 36g carbs, 3g sugars, 1g fiber, 17g protein

Tuna Melt Bullet
525 cal, 7g sat fat, 36.5 total fat, 690mg sodium, 35g carbs, 1g sugars, 1g fiber, 14g protein

Flatbread Sammies – Better Choices

Veggie Sammie – With Cheese, but no Vinaigrette Dressing
240 cal, 8.5g sat fat, 10g total fat, 495mg sodium, 27g carbs, 4g sugars, 3g fiber, 6g protein

Veggie Sammie
330 cal, 10g sat fat, 19g total fat, 755mg sodium, 29g carbs, 5g sugars, 3g fiber, 9g protein

Cantina Chicken Sammie
265 cal, 6g sat fat, 6g total fat, 625mg sodium, 35g carbs, 12g sugars, 2g fiber, 12g protein
There must be a typo here — the sandwich alone lists 6g sat fat and 5g total fat.  I emailed them.

Flatbread Sammies – Worst Choices

Roadhouse Steak Sammie
250 cal, 6g sat fat, 4g total fat [sic], 980g sodium, 38g carbs, 13g sugars, 1g fiber, 13g protein
Again with the impossible fat numbers!  I emailed them again.

Alpine Chicken Sammie
380 cal, 9g sat fat, 19g total fat, 780mg sodium, 28g carbs, 4g sugars, 1g fiber, 20g protein

Sonoma Turkey Sammie
380 cal, 10.5g sat fat, 23g total fat, 1,135mg sodium, 29g carbs, 4g sugars, 1g fiber, 15g protein

Bistro Steak Sammie
395 cal, 10.5g sat fat, 23.5g total fat, 1,050mg sodium, 30g carbs, 5g sugars, 1g fiber, 16g protein

Italiano Sammie
410 cal, 11.5g sat fat, 25g total fat, 1,025mg sodium, 4g sugars, 1g fiber, 19g protein

Chopped Salads – Better Choices

I’m using the info for the Small Chopped Salads.  For the Regular Salads, you can roughly double these numbers.

Raspberry Chipotle Chicken Small Salad
380 cal, 7g sat fat, 16.5g total fat, 835mg sodium (!), 41g carbs, 22g sugars, 2g fiber, 14g protein

Pan Asian Small Salad
270 cal, 2.5g sat fat, 11g total fat, 1,085mg sodium (!!), 26g carbs, 13g sugars, 1g fiber, 12g protein

Chopped Salads – Worst Choices

Chicken Caesar Small Salad
535 cal, 12g sat fat, 41g total fat, 1,235mg sodium, 19g carbs, 5g sugars, 2g fiber, 16g protein
About two thirds of the calories and fat, and about half the sodium, come from the Peppercorn Caesar dressing.

Classic Cobb Small Salad
475 cal, 10g sat fat, 36.5 total fat, 1,035mg sodium, 20g carbs, 5g sugars, 2g fiber, 13g protein
The Ranch Dressing adds most of the fat, calories, and about half the sodium here as well.

Honey Mustard Chicken Small Salad
550 cal, 11g sat fat, 42g total fat, 935mg sodium, 25g carbs, 12g sugars, 2g fiber, 15g protein
The Honey Mustard Dressing adds most of the fat & calories, and a third of the sodium.  Seeing the pattern here?

Chili Taco Small Salad
530 cal, 7.5g sat fat, 45g total fat, 1,190mg sodium, 20g carbs, 6g sugars, 5g fiber, 10g protein
Yup, the “Creamy Chipotle” dressing is to blame.

Chicken Taco Small Salad
530 cal, 8g sat fat, 42.5g total fat, 1,170mg sodium, 14g carbs, 3g sugars, 3g fiber, 14g protein
“Creamy Chipotle” strikes again.

Soups – Better Choices

I’m using the larger “Bowl” size here, and leaving out the crackers.  For a cup, just reduce these numbers by half.  Two crackers add 45 calories, 1g fat, 140mg sodium, 8g carbs, and 1g protein.

Chili
230 cal, 1.5g sat fat, 6g total fat, 1,050mg sodium, 26g carbs, 6g sugar, 6g fiber, 20g protein
Although the Chili has more calories and fat than the Chicken Noodle Soup, it also has lots of fiber and protein — and less sodium.

Chicken Noodle Soup
110 cal, 0.5g sat fat, 2.5g total fat, 1,470mg sodium (!), 17g carbs, 2g sugar, 1g fiber, 7g protein

Soups – Worst Choices

Tomato Basil Soup
160 cal, 7g sat fat, 0.5g trans fat, 8g total fat, 1,040mg sodium, 11g carbs, 7g sugar, 2g fiber, 2g protein

Broccoli Cheese Soup
260 cal, 12g sat fat, 0.25g trans fat, 17g total fat, 1,280mg sodium, 18g carbs, 3g sugars, 1g fiber, 9g protein

Quiznos Nutrition Information (PDF)

Quiznos Menu

Quiznos Contact Information (So you can ask them to reduce the appalling amounts of sodium in their foods.)

Quiznos Corporate Office
1001 17th Street, Suite 200
Denver, CO 80202
866-4-TOASTED

Menu Mondays are my recommendations for the most healthful options at chain restaurants. Although it may be tough to find “perfect” options when eating out, it’s important to choose “better” whenever possible, and I hope these guides will help make that easier for you.

indicates the “best-of-the-best,” and X indicates the “worst-of-the-worst,” more or less.

Photo by Captain Redstorm.

A photo of Andrew Wilder leaning into the frame and smiling, hovering over mixing bowls in the kitchen.

Welcome to Eating Rules!

Hi! My name is Andrew Wilder, and I think healthy eating doesn’t have to suck. With just three simple eating rules, we'll kickstart your journey into the delicious and vibrant world of unprocessed food.

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2 Comments
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David Carrico
January 2, 2015 10:47 am

Thanks for this info! helped me keep it relatively clean today 🙂

Sam
July 19, 2012 11:17 am

looks like I’ll be getting the Honey Bourbon Chicken, thanks for the tips!