News

Report: Sandwiches still rule menus, homes

Roughly 79 percent of all adults have eaten a sandwich in the past seven days, according to data published in the all-new Packaged Facts report, "Sandwiches: Market Trends and Opportunities."

July 2, 2015

Few foods are as essential to the American diet as the versatile and ubiquitous sandwich, and research indicates that the sandwich is a staple food across the full spectrum of U.S. adults regardless of gender, age, household income, race or geographic location. Roughly 79 percent of all adults have eaten a sandwich in the past seven days, according to data published in the all-new Packaged Facts report, "Sandwiches: Market Trends and Opportunities."

Sandwiches typically carry a healthier halo than other menu items, such as their burger cousins, which is a factor that has sustained the popularity of sandwiches among parents and other adults who are increasingly seeking healthier food options especially when dining away from home, said David Sprinkle, research director at Packaged Facts.

"In light of consumers' openness to culinary adventure and restaurants' broadening culinary boundaries with menu items ranging from proteins to sauces and flavors, we are not surprised to find that many culinary-forward sandwich components gaining traction on restaurant menus are also making their way into the home," he said.

The at-home sandwich

Despite the proliferation of restaurant choice, making sandwiches at home remains the more prevalent option. About 83 percent of adults said that, in the last week, they have eaten a sandwich made at home, versus 62 percent for sandwiches made outside of the home. Nevertheless, the lines between foodservice sandwiches and their homemade counterparts are blurring as various restaurant-inspired culinary trends are finding their ways into domestic food preparations, the report found.