The Controversial Beginnings of Publix’s Chicken Tender Subs

According to the Tampa Bay Times, Dave Charls shared a story on the “Are Publix Chicken Tender Subs On Sale?” Facebook page in May of this year, claiming he and his friend Kevin came up with the idea for the chicken tender sub in 1997 or 1998. Charls explained that they persuaded Philip, a deli employee at the Fleming Island Publix, to create a sandwich using chicken tenders and sell it as a single item—a request previously denied by other deli workers. Philip then reportedly convinced his manager to feature it as a special, promoted it with a chalkboard sign, and the concept quickly gained popularity.

“You’re welcome,” Charls stated. “It was Kevin’s idea, and Philip made it happen.”

Publix, on the other hand, informed the Tampa Bay Times that its documented records for a chicken tender sub recipe and process date back to 1992 or 1993. Spokesperson Brian West stated that Charls's dramatic origin story is more fiction than reality, though West couldn’t provide an alternative tale to counter it.

Charls did not reply to the Tampa Bay Times's request for comment, leaving the validity of his claim uncertain. It’s plausible that Publix’s chicken tender sub recipe from 1992 (or 1993) hadn’t yet gained popularity by the time Kevin’s culinary inspiration occurred in 1997 (or 1998). The vague timelines from both sides suggest uncertainty, but one thing is undeniable: the irresistible taste of Publix’s iconic sub.

"I’m just grateful to exist in the same era as this incredible sandwich," says Justin Dodd, a devoted Pub Sub enthusiast and Mytour video producer/editor. "Regardless of who came up with it, it’s truly a masterpiece."