Papa Johns is officially in its sandwich era. The chain recently launched three Oven-Toasted Sandwiches (Philly Cheesesteak, Chicken Bacon Ranch, and Steak & Mushroom), billing them as a bold step in “raising the bar on sandwich flavor” and a “pizza-approved sandwich.” Big claims, so naturally I had to investigate.

I went with the Chicken Bacon Ranch because, honestly, it sounds the best of the three. And yes, before you ask, I’m also still processing the loss of the Papadias. Apparently, not enough people ordered them (or maybe just Canadians, since it’s only available to our northern neighbors right now), and now we’re here. Moving on.

My first impression is the pepperoncini smell. On the car ride home, the new custom green sandwich box fills the car with nothing but banana pepper fumes. If you’re a fellow pickle-y, tangy girlie, you won’t mind because it’s basically a free car air freshener. Consider yourself warned either way.

Opening the box, the sandwich is golden and a little oily, which makes sense since Papa Johns brushes it with its Garlic Sauce before oven-toasting. It looks good, though the fillings spill out a bit, something I’m choosing to call “generous” rather than “structurally unsound.”

The ciabatta holds up well for a national pizza chain, offering a good chew while staying soft with zero razor-to-the-roof-of-your-mouth incidents, hooray! The sandwich does arrive warm and holds up well, which you’d hope for from something named “oven-toasted,” but honestly, a cold version probably wouldn’t have tasted wildly different given how mild the overall flavors are.

The chicken leans more chicken-salad in texture than actual strips of grilled chicken, so don’t go in expecting Subway sweet onion teriyaki vibes. It blends softly into the overall bite rather than bringing the texture and bolder flavor that actual grilled chicken strips would.

The “pizza ranch” sauce, which Papa Johns describes only as “tangy” with no further elaboration, doesn’t bring much flavor on its own, but it keeps the whole thing from drying out, so it earns its place.

So, do I actually taste chicken bacon ranch in what’s billed as a Chicken Bacon Ranch sandwich? Not really. It’s…food. Decent, edible food. The most distinctive flavor I get comes from eating the bacon and tomatoes that spill out onto the wrapper, which says something. The whole sandwich is fairly hearty but mild, and it could use a little help getting there.

Would I order it again? Probably not, but under duress — I’d be asking for an extra garlic sauce cup without question. The ciabatta and garlic sauce combo is genuinely the best part, which tracks because crust and garlic sauce is what Papa Johns does well.

If you’re already placing an order and want to add a sandwich as a Papa Pairing – sure, why not? Just don’t expect it to blow your mind.

Purchased Price: $9.99
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 780 calories, 34 grams of fat, 2770 milligrams of sodium, 71 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of sugar, and 52 grams of protein.