Sandwiches are onsite foodservice's bread and butter. Technomic’s new Category Menu Insights report on sandwiches has the data to translate the trends in all aspects of the sandwich, including the sammie styles showing up everywhere, the best breads, condiments that are “in,” which ones are “out” and more. The report uses Technomic Ignite menu data to analyze sandwich trends across menus.
Some key findings to start: Operators are finding their fusion footing between adapting to reflect modern tastes while honoring tradition; sliders are getting big with their diminutive size and versatility; and chicken sandwich fever is holding steady, but with some changes and hot honey is drizzling its way onto more than just those chicken sandos.
Here are the main sandwich trends identified in the Technomic report; grab a napkin and pull up a chair.
Regional sandwiches intersect with each other
The Technomic researchers found that regional sammies, like that N’Awlins po’boy, “are adopting creative new flavor combinations and preparation methods,” according to the report. Furthermore, “operators are pairing nostalgic flavors from traditional sandwiches with different proteins and breads from other popular cuisines, such as oxtail, bao and Vietnamese rolls, to create unique variations.” Examples include crisscrosses of sandwich culture: Cheeseburger po'boys and Philly cheesesteak bao.
New takes on the classic slider are emerging
Who doesn't like a slider? Technomic’s report found that the answer is “no one.” But seriously, sliders may be uniquely suited to the needs of today’s customer. According to the report, “Sliders combine the best aspects of traditional burgers with the added benefits of portion control, affordability and variety, thus catering to those who are on the go and looking for smaller portion sizes.”
Sliders are showing up more now for breakfast as well, in sweet French toast form and savory steak and cheese sliders. Plus, don't forget the classic grab-and-go breakfast sammie of egg, bacon and cheese, all on a slider bun or three.
Chicken sandwiches continue their reign of crispiness
“The beloved chicken sandwich remains one of the top picks among consumers, especially for lunch,” according to the report. Operators are doing the most, still as well, to maximize this chicken sandwich love with bold flavors like honey Buffalo, yuzu and buttermilk aioli. “Beyond funky sauces, operators spice up the fan favorite with toppings like blue cheese, housemade pickles and a variety of unique buns, such as sesame potato.”
Hot honey is the collab everyone’s chasing
That spicy-sweet flavor vibe seems to be really settling in on menus all over, and the report found that while hot honey may have started out as a natural pal for crispy chicken sandwiches, “operators are adding it to sandwiches featuring pork, beef and other proteins. They also utilize hot honey as a side, condiment or dip to accompany a variety of menu offerings.” Technomic spotted hot honey on pulled pork sandwiches and BLTs, among others.
Breads that are rising
The report found the fastest-growing sandwich breads for the dayparts. At breakfast, the breads at the top are biscuits, tortillas, bagels and croissants. Toast and English muffins are growing fast. For lunch, the top sandwich breads are the classic bun, wraps, brioche, sourdough and tortillas. Fastest-growing sandwich breads include spinach wraps, Italian bread, whole-wheat bread and pita bread. For dinner, the bun is number one again, followed by wraps, brioche and sourdough. Dinner sandwich breads to watch: Spinach wrap, Italian bread and pita.
Spicy mayo and more
While spread stalwarts mayo, mustard and ranch are at the top of their game, the sandwich condiments growing the fastest include spicy mayo, bacon jam, fruit jams, garlic aioli and chili sauce. Condiments that are declining include giardiniera (sorry, Chicago!), chipotle aioli, balsamic and Dijon.
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