Trend Insights: Sandwiches - Flavor & The Menu

Harissa brings a culinary upgrade to the veg-centric “Harissa Explains It All” sandwich at Seattle’s Layers Sandwich Co. Here, roasted sweet potato, Mehdi’s harissa, spinach, pickled onion and aïoli are layered on a toasted potato bun.

Credit: Ashley Hardin

By Flavor & The Menu Contributors
February 25, 2021

A chef-driven approach is a key factor driving success in this category. The same ideation, research, development and execution we chefs put into haute cuisine is put into food that we can eat with our hands. This brings tremendous opportunities; precisely engineered casual food offers craveability and profitability.
T.J. DELLE DONNE

Aside from converting menu staples into delivery and takeaway, why not focus on sandwiches that stretch the imagination and ring up a higher margin? Quite often an assessment of one or two component SKUs can make a huge difference in quality and perception.
DINA PAZ

The sandwich had lost some favor on midday menus due to higher profitability in bowls and even premium salads. This is a good opportunity to drive profits and make sandwiches menu kings again.
CHRIS AQUILINO

A big trend I’m seeing is premium meats on breakfast sandwiches. You don’t have to upgrade everything on each of your sandwiches, however a serious callout about the meat portion, along with a delicious egg, cheese and bread combination can be game changing. Brisket, braised pork belly, pulled pork shoulder and Cadillac bacon (sugar-coated and baked) are easy ways to put a premium on the meat.
JEFF MILLER

Premium sandwiches are a platform to increase cross-menu applications of more expensive proteins and raise check averages. With additional thought put into each element, a higher menu price for sandwiches is becoming more acceptable.
JESSICA BOGRAD

A chef-driven approach is a key factor driving success in this category. The same ideation, research, development and execution we chefs put into haute cuisine is put into food that we can eat with our hands. This brings tremendous opportunities; precisely engineered casual food offers craveability and profitability.
T.J. DELLE DONNE

Sandwiches as a concept is the most democratized food one can eat and enjoy. Aside from converting menu staples into delivery and takeaway, why not focus on sandwiches that stretch the imagination and ring up a higher margin? Quite often an assessment of one or two component SKUs can make a huge difference in quality and perception.
DINA PAZ