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Flavor, adventure, more healthful ingredients drive sandwich trends

Few foods reign as ubiquitously on restaurant menus in the U.S. as the almighty sandwich.

August 11, 2015

Americans love their pizza and hamburgers, and the hot dog often gets the glory as the most iconic all-American food. Yet, it's the sandwich that has restaurateurs, food retailers and culinary masterminds nationwide most excited, according to the Packaged Facts report, "Sandwiches: Culinary Trend Tracking Series."

On the high side, some 74 percent of quick-service restaurants feature sandwiches on the menu. Even on the relatively low side, 62 percent of fine-dining restaurants feature sandwiches.

In each case, sandwiches are more prevalently featured than portable, sandwich-like competition, such as burgers, hot dogs and pizza.

"Leveraging progressive food sourcing and food preparation practices, restaurants and food manufacturers are increasingly focused on providing sandwiches that are fresh, naturally produced, locally sourced and either culturally authentic or genuinely creative in culinary concept," Packaged Facts Research Director David Sprinkle said. "This focus dovetails with two of the most important consumer drivers in the sandwich market: the demand for flavor adventure and authenticity."

Options for grabbing a sandwich extend beyond restaurants, cafes and fast food and into the retail sector. Some 16 percent of respondents to Packaged Facts' survey indicate that they had purchased a sandwich at a supermarket or convenience store within the last week, illustrating the broadening reach of made-to-order deli and other foodservice options within food-retailing channels.

Foodservice operators are seeking to capitalize on the sandwich's customizable versatility as a vehicle for a variety of ingredients, including sandwiches featuring authentic multicultural ingredients, underutilized or even novel bread and protein options, and unique flavor combinations, according to the report.