Don’t Runaway has free American sandwiches in Joo Chiat
You’re not going to want to run away from this one: from 29 August 2025, Don’t Runaway has a pop-up at Joo Chiat Road where you can redeem sandwiches free of charge, no strings attached!
Run by the brains behind Champion Bolo Bun and Dickson Nasi Lemak, the sandwich concept seems like a far cry from the Singaporean dishes offered at those eateries. However, Don’t Runaway promises a remix of the pastrami and meatball sub that’s catered toward Asian taste buds.
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The pop-up operates from Friday to Sunday, starting at 11:30am until sold out. Each diner can claim one sandwich per week. All you have to do is download their app, register, and flash the QR code to score one sandwich and a can of Coke.
Over the next four weeks, their sandwich offerings will rotate, with one “hero” sandwich starring each week. We got to try each of their flavours, so here’s a preview of what you can expect.
First up was the Mortadel-lah, stuffed with a good amount of mortadella ham and layered with stracciatella cream cheese, house-made salsa, and a zesty yuzukosho.
We loved how substantial the sandwich was: it was overflowing with ham and cream cheese. While it was a tad too savoury, we loved how the salty ham came together with the tangy yuzu and herby salsa, mellowed out by the rich cream cheese.
The Side Chick was a love letter to the Middle East; reminiscent of shawarma with spiced smoked chicken, tangy white sauce, and a pumpkin seed dukkah.
We loved the medley of textures, from the juicy chicken to the crunchy pumpkin seeds. The spices and smokiness complemented each other well, creating a sandwich which rivals other Turkish kebab offerings.
Next, we tried the Jack & Loaded, and could not tell from one bite that this was fully vegan. It featured a chilli con carne, made with a jackfruit-based meat that tasted like the real deal.
While this sandwich was more straightforward than the others, we enjoyed how the chilli went with the melted cheese for a luscious yet mildly spiced bite.
Lastly, Beef Me Up is inspired by the Tantanmen: a thick stack of yakiniku brisket is accompanied by a house-made chilli oil that uses beef tallow, and layered with creamy peanut butter.
We felt that the peanut butter was too rich and overpowering for the other flavours, but the beef brisket was delightfully succulent, and the chilli oil was crispy yet sweet. It was definitely the most striking of the bunch and would be perfect with the nuttiness toned down.
Image credit: Don’t Runaway
Once again, there are no prices for each sandwich—the sandwiches are absolutely free for the duration of the pop-up; all they ask in return is for your honest feedback on their app in preparation for the opening of their brick-and-mortar outlet.
Furthermore, early birds will get free Don’t Runaway merchandise for visiting: the first 20 in line each day will get a keychain on Fridays, a tote bag on Saturdays, and an iron-on patch on Sundays. This pop-up will remain open indefinitely, so do check out their social media pages for updates.
For more limited-time deals, check out our Warabimochi Kamakura 1-for-1 deal coverage. If you’re in the area, check out our Joo Chiat and Katong food guide.
Address: 320 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427571
Opening hours: Fri-Sun from 11:30am until sold out
Website
Don’t Runaway is not a halal-certified eatery.
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Photos taken by Tan Tao Zhi.
This was a media tasting by Don’t Runaway.
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