Subway vs A&W Canada: Which Menu Matches Your Cravings?
Introduction
Subway and A&W are popular choices for quick meals across Canada. Subway focuses on customizable sandwiches, while A&W offers burgers, chicken, breakfast, and classic Canadian sides.
Both restaurants serve complete meals with sides and drinks. However, each provides a different ordering experience. Your best choice depends on your appetite, preferred ingredients, and meal style.
This comparison covers menu variety, customization, signature items, sides, drinks, and lighter choices. Prices and availability can vary between Canadian locations.
Create Your Own Combination at Subway
Subway Canada lets you customize many parts of your meal. You can select the bread, protein, cheese, vegetables, sauces, and seasonings.
The Canadian menu includes sandwiches, Everyday Value items, Power Bowls, Snackwiches, wraps, salads, soups, sides, and drinks. You can see what Subway serves before choosing your meal.
You can select a Subway Series recipe or personalize a traditional sandwich. This flexibility helps you create a meal around your taste and appetite.
Subway Choices for Every Appetite
Subway offers different meal sizes and formats. You can select a six-inch sub for a regular meal or choose a footlong when you want more.
| Subway Canada Choice | Suitable For |
| Subway Series Sandwich | A complete recipe with selected ingredients |
| Build Your Own Sandwich | Customers wanting ingredient control |
| Six-Inch Sub | A smaller and convenient meal |
| Footlong Sub | A larger and more filling option |
| Snackwich | A smaller snack-sized choice |
| Wrap | A portable alternative to sub bread |
| Power Bowl | Familiar sandwich ingredients without bread |
| Salad | Customers wanting more vegetables |
| Soup | A warm side or lighter meal |
| Cookie or Side | Something extra with your order |
Power Bowls and salads offer different ways to enjoy selected sandwich ingredients. Snackwiches can work when you want something smaller between meals.
Available proteins may include chicken, turkey, steak, tuna, meatballs, and vegetables. Exact items depend on the restaurant and current Canadian promotion.
A&W Brings Canadian Burger Favourites
A&W Canada is known for its Burger Family, chicken choices, breakfast items, and signature A&W Root Beer. Its menu includes several options for different appetites.
Popular choices include the Teen Burger, Mama Burger, Papa Burger, Mozza Burger, and Buddy Burger. You can discover what A&W offers before selecting your meal.
A&W meals can include a main item, side, and drink. Canadian sides include fries, onion rings, sweet potato fries, hash browns, and poutine.
A&W Picks for Different Cravings
A&W offers smaller burgers, larger burgers, chicken meals, breakfast, and classic sides. This variety helps customers choose according to their hunger level.
| A&W Canada Choice | Suitable For |
| Teen Burger | A signature bacon cheeseburger |
| Mama Burger | A simple and satisfying beef burger |
| Papa Burger | Customers wanting a larger burger |
| Mozza Burger | Mozzarella cheese and burger sauce lovers |
| Buddy Burger | A smaller burger option |
| Chicken Buddy Burger | Customers wanting a smaller chicken burger |
| Chubby Chicken Cruncher | A crispy chicken choice |
| Chicken Strips | A convenient chicken meal |
| Beyond Meat Burger | Customers choosing a plant-based patty |
| A&W Breakfast | Eggs, bacon, sausage, wraps, and hash browns |
A Teen Burger or Mozza Burger works well when you want a signature A&W experience. A Buddy Burger provides a smaller option for a lighter appetite.
Breakfast choices may include eggs, bacon, sausage, hash browns, pancakes, and wraps. Breakfast availability and serving hours can differ by location.
Sides and Drinks Complete the Experience
Both restaurants offer sides and beverages, but their selections follow different menu styles. Subway focuses on convenient additions, while A&W offers several warm sides.
| Menu Addition | Subway Canada | A&W Canada |
| Potato Side | Chips at participating locations | Fries or sweet potato fries |
| Warm Side | Soup at selected locations | Onion rings, hash browns, or poutine |
| Sweet Choice | Cookies | Root Beer Float or available dessert |
| Soft Drinks | Fountain and bottled drinks | Fountain drinks |
| Signature Beverage | Varies by location | A&W Root Beer |
| Coffee | Available at selected locations | Organic coffee and selected hot drinks |
A&W Root Beer can be ordered as a regular drink or float. Subway cookies remain a popular addition to sandwiches, wraps, and bowls.
What Subway and A&W Have in Common
Subway and A&W offer fast ordering, complete meals, and choices for different appetites. Both also provide digital ordering at participating Canadian locations.
| Shared Feature | Subway Canada | A&W Canada |
| Individual Main Items | Available | Available |
| Complete Meals | Available | Available |
| Chicken Choices | Available | Available |
| Plant-Based Choices | Availability varies | Available at selected locations |
| Kids’ Options | Availability varies | Kids’ Pack available |
| Breakfast | Participating locations | Available at many locations |
| Mobile Ordering | Available | Available |
| Pickup | Participating locations | Participating locations |
| Delivery | Location dependent | Location dependent |
| Restaurant-Based Prices | Yes | Yes |
Menu items, prices, and promotions can change between provinces and restaurants. Check the selected location before ordering.
Subway and A&W Canada Side by Side
Subway builds its experience around sandwiches and customization. A&W focuses on burgers, chicken, breakfast, warm sides, and signature root beer.
| Comparison Point | Subway Canada | A&W Canada |
| Main Menu Focus | Sandwiches and customizable meals | Burgers, chicken, and breakfast |
| Ordering Style | Choose a recipe or personalize it | Select a prepared menu item |
| Main Sizes | Six-inch and footlong | Smaller and larger burger choices |
| Alternative Formats | Wraps, salads, and Power Bowls | Chicken, plant-based burgers, and breakfast |
| Vegetable Selection | Wide topping selection | Selected burger toppings |
| Smaller Choice | Snackwich or six-inch sub | Buddy Burger |
| Popular Side | Cookies, chips, or soup | Onion rings, fries, or poutine |
| Signature Drink | Drinks vary by location | A&W Root Beer |
| Breakfast Choices | Available at selected restaurants | Dedicated breakfast selection |
| Best-Known Feature | Personalized sandwiches | Burger Family and Root Beer |
Which Canadian Menu Suits You?
Subway may suit you when you want control over your ingredients. You can adjust the bread, protein, vegetables, cheese, sauces, and seasonings.
A&W may suit you when you want a burger, chicken meal, poutine, or traditional breakfast. Its Burger Family offers several portion sizes and flavour combinations.
| Your Preference | Suggested Restaurant |
| Customizable sandwich | Subway |
| Teen Burger or Mozza Burger | A&W |
| Power Bowl or salad | Subway |
| Poutine or onion rings | A&W |
| Wide vegetable selection | Subway |
| All-day breakfast at participating locations | A&W |
| Footlong sandwich | Subway |
| Root Beer Float | A&W |
| Smaller sandwich-style meal | Subway Snackwich |
| Smaller burger | A&W Buddy Burger |
Neither menu needs to fit every craving. The right choice depends on your appetite, preferred format, nearby restaurant, and available promotion.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the main difference between Subway and A&W Canada?
A: Subway focuses on customizable sandwiches, wraps, salads, and Power Bowls. A&W serves burgers, chicken, breakfast, warm sides, and Root Beer.
Q: Which restaurant provides more customization?
A: Subway offers more ingredient-level customization. You can select bread, protein, cheese, vegetables, sauces, and seasonings.
Q: What are popular A&W burgers in Canada?
A: Popular choices include the Teen Burger, Mama Burger, Papa Burger, Mozza Burger, and Buddy Burger. Availability may change by restaurant.
Q: Does Subway Canada offer meals without bread?
A: Yes. Power Bowls and salads let you enjoy selected sandwich ingredients without traditional sub bread.
Does A&W Canada serve poutine?
A: Yes. Poutine appears on the Canadian sides menu. Prices and availability may vary by restaurant.
Q: Does Subway Canada offer Power Bowls?
A: Yes. Power Bowls are listed as a current category on the Subway Canada menu.
Q: Which restaurant offers smaller meal choices?
A: Subway offers six-inch subs and Snackwiches. A&W offers smaller choices such as the Buddy Burger.
Q: Does A&W Canada serve breakfast?
A: Yes. A&W Canada offers breakfast items such as eggs, bacon, sausage, wraps, pancakes, and hash browns. Availability varies.
Q: Do Subway and A&W have plant-based options?
A: Both may provide plant-based choices. Ingredients and availability should be checked at the selected restaurant.
Q: Are Subway and A&W prices the same across Canada?
A: No. Prices can vary by province, restaurant, customization, taxes, and ordering method.
Q: Can you order from both restaurants online?
A: Yes. Mobile and online ordering are available at participating Canadian locations. Pickup and delivery options can vary.
Conclusion
Subway and A&W provide different ways to enjoy a convenient meal in Canada. Subway offers customizable sandwiches, Power Bowls, wraps, salads, and smaller Snackwich options.
A&W offers its Burger Family, chicken, breakfast, poutine, onion rings, and signature Root Beer. Choose Subway for greater ingredient control or A&W for classic burger combinations and warm sides.
Before ordering, select your nearest Canadian location. This will help you check current menu items, prices, restaurant hours, and available promotions.
