Firehouse Subs, Joliet

With more than 900 locations (and counting) throughout the United States, it's safe to say that Firehouse Subs is, well, catching fire. Starting with house-made, secret recipe bread, crews pile on staggeringly generous portions of top-shelf ingredients. Unlike the bread recipe, there's no secret to the sub shop's success: they steam their meats and cheese, unlocking a backdraft of flavor that draws out the sweetness in Virginia honey ham, the earthiness in their smoked turkey breast, and the creaminess of their Monterey Jack cheese.