Sweet Onion Chicken Teriyaki — SOCT to regulars — has been Subway's most ordered chicken sandwich for the better part of two decades, and it is the sub most often recommended to people who "don't like Subway". It is also quietly one of the sweetest things on the menu, which is both why it works and the thing worth knowing before you order it twice a week.
What's on it
Teriyaki-glazed chicken strips, Sweet Onion sauce, and whatever vegetables you choose. Both the glaze on the chicken and the sauce are sweet, so the standard build is effectively double-sweet. The chicken itself is a solid protein source — around 20 g in a 6-inch — and it is one of the lower-fat proteins on the board because there is no mayonnaise involved anywhere.
Calories, sugar and price
| Build | Calories | Sugar | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-inch on 9-Grain Wheat, standard sauce, veg | ~370–410 | ~16–19 g | $6.99 – $9.79 |
| Footlong, same build | ~740–820 | ~32–38 g | $10.99 – $14.99 |
| 6-inch, sauce on the side, light glaze | ~300–330 | ~7–9 g | same |
| Teriyaki No Bready Bowl | ~330–400 | ~14–18 g | $12.49 – $16.49 |
A Footlong SOCT carries roughly as much added sugar as a small soft drink. That is not a catastrophe, but it explains why it feels lighter than it is: the calories are fine, the sugar is doing the heavy lifting on flavour. Compare it against the other proteins in our nutrition guide.
Three better builds
1. The balanced version
9-Grain Wheat, chicken, half the sweet onion sauce, spinach, cucumber, red onion, green pepper, tomato, black pepper. You keep the flavour, drop about 60 calories and half the sugar, and the vegetables actually taste of something instead of drowning.
2. The high-protein version
Double chicken on a 6-inch, provolone, light sauce, extra spinach. Roughly 40 g protein for around 450 calories — one of the best protein-per-calorie orders in the chain, better value than doubling on a Footlong.
3. The low-sugar version
Ask for grilled chicken without the teriyaki glaze if your store stocks plain chicken, then use mustard or a light chipotle southwest. Sugar drops to near zero and you still get a warm chicken sub. Details on sauce sugar and calories in our sauce guide.
Is it the healthiest sub at Subway?
It is frequently recommended as such, and on calories and fat it holds up well. But on sugar it is near the top of the menu, so for anyone managing blood sugar, the Rotisserie-Style Chicken or Oven Roasted Turkey with mustard is a cleaner pick. If you like the teriyaki flavour and want it without the bread load, the bowl version in our low-carb guide is not keto — the glaze and sauce carry too much sugar — but it is a reasonable moderate-carb meal.
Availability and deals
SOCT is on the standard menu nationwide and its wrap and bowl versions are available at nearly all locations. It appears in app promotions reasonably often but rarely in the $4.99 Sub of the Day rotation, since chicken sits in a higher price tier than the deli meats.
Nutrition values are approximate 2026 US figures and vary with sauce portioning. Confirm in the Subway app; the sauce contains soy and the glaze contains wheat.
