Is the ‘Picklewich’ Actually Healthier Than a Sandwich?

Part of my role as SELF’s fitness and nutrition writer is to try recipes and food products that spark buzz online and IRL. Fluffy yogurt? Check. Protein Diet Coke? Check. But a pickle sandwich? Well, that was new territory even for me.

Later this month, the sandwich chain Jimmy John’s will be serving exactly that for a limited time. And by “pickle sandwich,” I’m not talking about a sandwich that contains pickles, to be clear. Rather, I’m referring to the Picklewich, a bread-free spinoff that substitutes Jimmy John’s standard French roll for hollowed-out dill pickles. When the Picklewich first debuted in 2024, it proved such a viral sensation that the brand decided to bring it back for a consecutive year. From October 27 through November 23 (or while supplies last), the Picklewich will be available at Jimmy John’s locations across the country with six filling options: ham, tuna, turkey, veggie, roast beef, and Italian (the Italian ’wich is officially termed the Vito.).

To pick up a few of these briny boys for taste-testing, I headed to midtown Manhattan on October 22 for the official Picklewich launch event (appropriately dubbed “PickleCon”). Surrounded by pickle-themed decor and bathed in pickle-green light as pop songs blasted, I snagged a few Picklewich halves from waiters handing out samples and busied myself with reporting (a.k.a. eating). With the exception of the veggie Picklewich, I tried every other filling.

Courtesy of Caroline Tien

My review of the Picklewich

Early on, I noticed my Picklewiches presented a few practical difficulties. First of all, they’re…drippy (as you might expect of sandwiches made from cucumbers that have been marinated in liquid for an extended period of time), so the brine tends to leak onto your hands and clothes. My advice: Make sure you have some napkins handy.

Second, pickles are obviously more tough and firm than bread, so the Picklewich requires more force to bite into. While this isn’t necessarily an issue in and of itself, it causes the innards (the meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and everything else) to shift toward the other end to the point that they eventually start protruding from the back—a serious annoyance. Even though this can afflict regular sandwiches as well, my Picklewiches definitely suffered from it more.