Steak & Cheese is the sub people order when they want Subway to feel like a proper hot sandwich rather than a salad in bread. Since the Subway Series arrived there are now three steak options on the board, and the price gap between them is wide enough to be worth understanding before you order.
The three steak options compared
| Sandwich | What's on it | 6-inch calories | Footlong price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Steak & Cheese | Steak, cheese, your choice of veg — fully customisable | ~370–420 | $10.99 – $14.99 |
| #1 The Philly | Double steak, green peppers, onions, provolone (often no lettuce by default) | ~490–560 | $13.49 – $17.99 |
| #2 The Outlaw | Steak, crispy onions, BBQ sauce, pepper jack | ~520–600 | $13.29 – $17.49 |
The honest summary: The Philly is mostly a double-meat Steak & Cheese with the peppers and onions decided for you. If you want more steak, it is usually cheaper to order The Philly than to order a classic Steak & Cheese and pay the double-protein upcharge. If you want less steak and more control, the classic is the better value. Full breakdown of all twelve numbered subs is in our Subway Series guide.
What the steak actually is
Subway uses thinly sliced, pre-cooked seasoned beef steak, portioned cold and heated on the toaster with the cheese. It is not griddled to order like a cheesesteak shop, which is why toasting is not optional — an untoasted steak sub is noticeably worse. Ask for a longer toast if your store allows it; the edges catching is the whole point.
The build that makes it taste like more
- Artisan Italian or Italian Herb & Cheese, toasted hard. Multigrain competes with the beef.
- Provolone or pepper jack, doubled if you can. American goes greasy under steak.
- Green peppers, onions and mushrooms if stocked — cooked-tasting vegetables, not watery ones. Add jalapeño for heat.
- Add lettuce and tomato after toasting, not before. Most complaints about limp steak subs are actually complaints about steamed lettuce.
- Sauce: chipotle southwest, or mustard and black pepper. Ranch and mayo bury the beef; see our sauce ranking.
Lower-calorie and low-carb versions
The Philly No Bready Bowl is one of the best items on the menu for anyone counting carbs: double steak, peppers, onions and cheese over greens lands around 350–450 calories with under 10 g net carbs before sauce. Exact numbers are in our keto and low-carb guide. As a wrap it moves the opposite way — lavash flatbread adds roughly 300 calories over a 6-inch.
Price and value notes
Steak subs are the items most affected by regional pricing: the same Footlong Philly can differ by four dollars between a suburban strip mall and an airport terminal. They also appear less often in discount promotions than turkey or ham, so if you want a steak sub cheaply, watch for Footlong-specific app offers rather than the Sub of the Day, which rarely includes steak. Our price guide tracks the full ranges.
Prices and nutrition are approximate 2026 US figures and vary by franchise and region. Confirm in the Subway app before ordering.
