We Ranked 26 Classic American Sandwiches From Worst To Best

There might not be a class of foods that is as uniquely American as the sandwich. Although the name is derived from a British aristocrat, the Americans are really responsible for taking in the sandwich and making it uniquely their own. Now, sandwiches include everything from the piled-high pastrami sandwiches you'd grab from your local Jewish deli to the breakfast sandwich from your local greasy spoon doused with copious amounts of hot sauce. The Americans are also responsible for turning recipes that aren't inherently sandwiches in nature, like chicken salad and meatballs, into portable meals that can be eaten for lunch, dinner, and more — just by sticking them between two pieces of bread.

But, although the distinction of "sandwich" is wide, there are some sandwiches that are undeserving of the title. In turn, there are also sandwiches that we could eat every day for the rest of our lives and be perfectly okay with it. We ranked some of the most popular American sandwiches from worst to best based on important factors, including whether you could make substitutes in the recipe, the regional specificity, and the overall functionality of the iconic food.

If there were one word we would use to describe a classic Reuben sandwich, it would be "overwhelming." While we believe all sandwiches should have a little bit of spark or something unique, rather than just meat plopped between two slices of bread, there is a threshold where the Reuben becomes just too much.

For the uninitiated, a Reuben sandwich is made with sliced corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing — which we would describe as a Thousand Island dressing that had a really bad hangover. There's shallots, there's Worcestershire, relish, and often horseradish. So, while there are a lot of good flavors, every independent component is clawing its way to the top and muddling the others. In short, this sandwich has just too much going on.

We believe not many people outside of Chicago would know what a Chicago beef sandwich was if it wasn't for FX's "The Bear." Otherwise called an Italian beef sandwich, it is typically made with a white Turano or Gonnela roll, sirloin butt roast that has been reheated in au jus, and spicy Chicago-style giardiniera on top.

This sandwich has a ton of complexities to it, from the meaty, slow-cooked base bursting with umami and seasonings to the spicy pickled giardiniera that will excite your tastebuds. This style of sandwich is so specific to Chicago that it's hard to find all of the components outside of the region or make it yourself. So unless you're planning a trip to the Windy City, you may not ever get your hands on one of these delicious sammies.

A club sandwich has varied components, which earns it some points for creativity. All you need for a club sandwich is a poultry base (often turkey), bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. But the trouble comes in when the definition of a proper club sandwich requires you to bring in a third piece of bread to sandwich in the middle.

The third slice of bread was the one thing Anthony Bourdain couldn't tolerate about the club sandwich, and it's where you lose us, as well. While it might have been added to separate the fillings, it makes the sandwich so tall that you have to unhinge your jaw to get a bite with every layer.

A deep-seated hatred of mayonnaise is not the reason why this sandwich scored in the middle of the pack for us. The primary issue we have with egg salad, rather, is its texture.

It leans more mushy than the other kinds of salad sandwiches we ranked, which, combined with soft bread slices, doesn't do the sandwich any good. You need a ton of good, crisp lettuce to elevate your egg salad and a bit of extra mustard. Unfortunately, we've found that many delis don't put enough effort into making egg salad and giving it the zest it craves. We'll eat it, yes, but it won't be our pick of the litter.

A po' boy is a Louisiana classic made with seafood. One of the most classic renditions is the shrimp po' boy, which is made with marinated, fried shrimp sandwiched with lettuce, tomato, and a mayonnaise-based sauce. You'll also find some po' boys made with succulent oysters, roast beef, catfish, or crab.

We appreciate po' boys because they have a good balance of fried seafood to the rest of the fillings. Plus, we love the soft French bread that often accompanies these sandwiches. Overall, this sandwich has a lot of room for experimentation but still has a limited geographic scope.

If you make a trip to Philidelphia, you absolutely have to get your hands on a Philly cheesesteak. These sub sandwiches are topped with layers of shaved ribeye steak, caramelized onions, and provolone cheese. The West Coast posers will try to make this sandwich with bell peppers, but true sandwich gurus know that it's the Philly version or bust.

This sandwich has a lot going for it, and we think it's in the top tier of fast-food-style sandwiches because it's so easy to eat and is more filling than a burger or a hot dog. However, it's difficult to recreate these sandwiches at home because the beef needs to be thinly sliced, which is really only possible with a special slicer and a skillful butcher.

I will always opt for a cold Maine lobster roll — despite being Connecticut-born. First off, most people eat lobster rolls in the summer, so it would make sense to have a filling with a chilling, soothing effect on the back of your palate. Plus, the mayonnaise base also allows you to tweak the flavor of the lobster roll more than if you only had a hot roll with butter to work with. For example, a little dill or chives could transform your sandwich.

This sandwich has fewer regional ties than our lower-ranked varieties, but it's still really centered around New England. So unless you visit, you won't get to experience a true, tasty cold lobster roll.

Italian sandwiches are one of those things that everyone has tried at least once in their lives. The classic Italian sub sandwich (or "hoagie" or "grinder," depending on your geographic region), is topped with an array of Italian meats like salami, capicola, mortadella, and pepperoni, along with crunchy veggies like lettuce, banana peppers, and olives. There's even a pleasurable acidic element courtesy of red wine vinegar.

This sandwich essentially has the whole package of flavors combined into a soft Italian roll — which can't be said for many of our lower-ranked, strickly-savory sandos. There's a great variety to this sandwich, which makes it really a pleasure to eat. Unless, of course, it's been sitting out for too long and becomes a soggy mess.

Breakfast sandwiches are undoubtedly one of the best foods to ever be created. It's a portable way to make breakfast food, giving this sandwich massive points for versatility. Another area where the breakfast sandwich shines is customizability. Eggs? Great. Breakfast meat? Lovely. Hot sauce? Count us in. You can even plop a hash brown on an English muffin, and no one around you would think twice about it.

However, you can't get a breakfast sandwich outside of your home after like 1 p.m. — which is a drag for anyone trying to nurse a hangover. If we could eat this sandwich at any time of day, we would have placed it higher.

If we go to a barbecue and there's a range of proteins on the table, we're going to pick the pulled pork every single time. Like a meatball parm, a well-executed pulled pork sandwich has everything you could ever want. There's a soft, succulent protein, sweet sauce, crunchy and acidic slaw, and a perfectly soft bun waiting for you. The site has every texture and flavor profile you'll ever need, which makes it a pleasure to eat.

But making pulled pork takes time. It's not a sandwich you could walk into your kitchen, whip up, and walk out five minutes later. This really defeats the purpose of a sandwich, which is supposed to be a quick yet satiating bite.

Nashville hot chicken is an icon in the state of Tennessee. Like the pulled pork, it offers the best of the crunchy slaw, acidic pickles, and the burn-your-lips spicy, juicy chicken cutlet. But you can also just eat it with a hot piece of chicken on a sweet bun and call it a day.

You can get hot chicken at almost any fast food place, but the only real hot chicken that we should be eating comes from Nashville itself. The spice is what makes these sandwiches different from whatever the folks at Wendy's are trying to pass off as a "hot chicken sandwich."

Make no mistake, the bagel and cream cheese is something that you can eat for breakfast, but it is not a breakfast sandwich. We love bagels because nothing is more pleasant than the blistered, crusty shell of a boiled New York-style bagel coated with tons of cream cheese. But all of that goes out the window when the bagel is bread with a hole that's trying to be something it's not. Unfortunately, most of the bagels we get from the grocery store fall into the latter category, which drops this bagel and shmear combo down a peg.

But, the opportunity for customization that comes with this bagel and cream cheese is expansive. For example, go with the lox and caper combo, or mix your cream cheese with something fruity.

While this might be the sweetest sandwich we included, it's also one of the ones we most think of when we think of when it comes to a true American sandwich. You don't need to have protein in a slow cooker all day or buy a specialty press to whip up a Fluffernutter sandwich with cheap peanut butter and marshmallow fluff. The texture of the filling also doesn't create issues with sogginess.

Don't mistake simplicity for weakness here, either. Add some bacon for a meaty crunch, or cook your bread in melted butter to get the perfect crunch on the outside. While it does lean sweet, you can use your creative genius to take your Fluffernutter to a new level.