Subway Is Testing Sandwiches Made With King's Hawaiian Bread

Subway is going Hawaiian. The sandwich chain is testing King's Hawaiian bread in more than 300 restaurants, served freshly baked and in a new 8-inch size.

The Best Sandwich in Every State

Even if you've never sunned on Waikiki Beach, you may know King's Hawaiian bread. The product dates to the 1950s, when Hawaii-born Robert R. Taira graduated top of his class at baking school and began selling his special bread in his own store, Robert's Bakery, in Hilo. In 1977, he built a bakery on the mainland, in Torrance, California, and kept expanding. Now you can buy King's Hawaiian bread products in many major grocery stores — it has a sweet taste and soft texture that most breads just can't match and a cult following.

But Subway isn't buying the rolls at the grocery store. The stores testing it are baking King's Hawaiian bread fresh on site. And while Subway is known for its 6-inch and footlong subs, the chain is baking King's Hawaiian bread in a special 8-inch size. The restaurant is also offering to make the sandwiches "Aloha Style," meaning they feature 50 percent more meat and double the cheese of a typical 6-inch sandwich.

You don't have to fly to Hawaii to try the new sandwich bread. But for now, you do need to get yourself to one of three test markets: Champaign, Illinois; Reno, Nevada; or Richmond, Virginia. And you'll need to go fairly soon: The bread is being tested from June 27 to September 4.

This isn't the only time Subway has gone against the grain with its bread choices recently. Back in December, the chain started offering cheesy garlic bread as an option for sandwiches. But it's unlikely that the restaurant chain can compete with these sandwich recipes that are better than your mom used to make.