At its most basic, it’s just two slices of bread and some meat, but the sandwich is an American classic—and it can be a big moneymaker for pizzerias looking to expand their menus.
Forty-seven percent of American adults eat a sandwich on any given day, according to the USDA Agricultural Research Service, and 69 percent of all restaurant menus offer sandwiches, Datassential reports.
Additional reading: How to sell more sandwiches at your pizzeria
Adding sandwiches to a pizzeria menu is a no-brainer, but you do have to give some serious thought to creating a signature sandwich that customers will love. Fortunately, Restaurant Hospitality has taken some of the guesswork out of the process with its new report, “Best Sandwiches in America 2018.”
According to the report, seafood sandwiches are trending in the U.S., along with Korean and Vietnamese flavors.
Among its best-of list, Restaurant Hospitality singled out these six munchable treats and included both the menu price and food cost for each sandwich:
Soft-Shell Crab Sandwich, Publican Anker, Chicago: It features Parmesan tempura-battered soft-shell crab, pickled green tomatoes, remoulade and chive cream cheese, all served on a brioche bun. Sells for $18 and costs $3.17 to make.
Pepperjack Gyro, Glory Bound Gyro Co., Ocean Springs, Mississippi: Featuring beef, lamb, pepper Jack cheese, bacon and comeback sauce on a pita, it was inspired by Glory Bound Gyro co-founder Will Taylor’s trip to the islands of Greece and boasts “an ancient Greek foundation with a heavy southern influence.” Sells for $8.99 and costs $2.52 to make.
Breakfast Cemita, Dove’s Luncheonette, Chicago: This masterpiece is made with green chile-chicken sausage, scrambled eggs, Muenster cheese, crispy fried onions, smoked pepper aoli. And if your mouth isn't watering already, get this: It's served on a Mexican-style bun dipped in maple syrup! Sells for $9 and costs $3 to make.
Additional reading: The secrets of better artisan sandwich recipes and how to market them
Banh Mi Fried Chicken Sandwich, Bodega Food Truck, Teton Village, Wyoming: Marrying American fried chicken with a Vietnamese classic, this signature sandwich features boneless, brined, breaded and fried chicken thigh meat with cucumber, pickles, cilantro and Maggi aioli on a brioche. USA Today described the chicken as “juicy, meaty, very crispy and delicious.” Sells for $10 and costs $2 to make.
Oregon Tuna Steak, RegionAle, Ellicott City, Maryland: This seafood sandwich boasts center-cut yellowfin tuna cured with sugar and salt and cooked sous-vide in olive oil, lemon juice and basil. It’s served on multigrain bread with balsamic Dijonnaise, arugula, tomato and red onions. Sells for $12 and costs $3 to make.
Brothers Grimm, Wolfnights, New York City: This one-of-a-kind signature wrap is made with a spicy chestnut and chili dough and stuffed with grilled chicken, pickled shiitake mushrooms, raisins, pickles, plantain chips, and chipotle aioli. Sells for $8.96 and costs $2.75 to make.
Click here to view the complete list from Restaurant Hospitality.
Still got meat and bread on the brain? Check out the video below, in which Jeff Varasano, owner of Varasano's Pizza in Atlanta, pays homage to the Italian sandwich:
