A melt at Subway is not a separate product line so much as a promise about heat: meat and cheese that go through the toaster together so the cheese actually runs. Some melts are named on the board, others you build yourself by asking for extra cheese and a proper toast. Both are covered here, with the numbers for the ones you can order by name.
The melts on the 2026 menu
| Melt | What's in it | Footlong calories | Footlong price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steak & Cheese | Steak, American cheese, toasted | ~760 | $10.49–$13.29 |
| Subway Melt | Ham, turkey, bacon, American | ~740 | $10.29–$12.99 |
| Chicken Bacon Ranch Melt | Grilled chicken, bacon, Monterey cheddar, ranch | ~1030 | $10.99–$13.79 |
| Meatball Marinara Melt | Meatballs, marinara, mozzarella | ~920 | $7.79–$9.99 |
| Tuna Melt | Tuna, cheese, toasted | ~940 | $9.49–$11.99 |
| Spicy Italian Melt | Salami, pepperoni, provolone | ~880 | $9.29–$11.79 |
Halve the calories and roughly a third off the price for a 6-inch. Prices are franchise-set — the app shows your own store's, as explained in our Subway prices guide.
Melt vs toasted sub
Ordering a sub "toasted" sends it through the conveyor oven once with whatever cheese is already on it. A melt is the same oven, but the sandwich is built for it: more cheese, laid directly over hot meat, with cold vegetables and sauce added after the toast rather than before. That order of operations is the whole difference — vegetables that go in the toaster release water and the bread turns limp.
The build that works
- Ask for the cheese on top of the meat, not under it.
- Double cheese, or one provolone plus the shredded Monterey cheddar for stretch.
- Request a second pass through the toaster if the cheese has not run.
- Vegetables and sauce after toasting, every time.
- On a flatbread, ask for a shorter toast — it crisps fast.
Which cheese melts best is its own question; we ranked all of them in the cheese guide.
Which melt is worth it
The Steak & Cheese is the best of them when the store heats the steak through properly. The classic Subway Melt is the most balanced — bacon does the seasoning work, and it lands lower in calories than the ranch melts. The Chicken Bacon Ranch melt is the most indulgent and the one to treat as a once-in-a-while order. The Meatball melt is still the cheapest hot sandwich in the building.
Melts and nutrition
Melts run high on sodium because they stack cured meat and cheese. If you are watching numbers, order a melt with a single cheese, skip the ranch and mayo, and add vinegar and pepper instead — full context in calories and nutrition and healthiest options.
FAQ
What is on a Subway Melt?
Ham, turkey and bacon with American cheese, toasted so the cheese melts over the meat.
Can any Subway sub be made a melt?
Yes — ask for extra cheese over the meat and a full toast, then vegetables afterwards. There is no separate menu category needed.
How many calories is a Subway melt?
Roughly 740 to 1,030 for a Footlong depending on the melt; about half that for a 6-inch.
Does a melt cost extra?
Only the extra cheese does, typically around $0.75 to $1.25 — see extras and add-ons.
