Looking for a way to expand your menu selections without increasing your labor? Here’s an idea you might not have considered: Your menu sandwiches; and your menu salads. Why not combine them? Turning your entrée salads into sandwiches gives your customers the best of both worlds, and increases menuing options.

But there are also plenty of other great reasons for turning your salads into sandwiches:

  • They’re light. In warm-weather months, the more light options you can provide your customers, the better.
  • They’re portable. With today’s “no-time-to-stop-for-lunch” customers, having more to-go items on your menu is always a good idea.
  • They’re easy to prepare. You’re already making salads, so there’s really no additional prep needed.
  • They use ingredients you already have on hand. No need to source new items to take up space in the cooler or on your shelves.
  • They’re versatile. Chicken is always popular, but if you’ve got leftover turkey on hand, that’s another perfect option. Got shrimp or tuna? They’ll work, too.

You know by your sales report that entrée salads are popular, and the research bears that out. Caesar salad is a particular favorite – 18% of all salads with proteins are Caesar salads. And the protein used most often on those salads? You guessed it – versatile, economical chicken…used in more than 40% of entrée salads.

So now that you’re convinced you should try turning your salads into sandwiches, let’s see what you can do with them. As we just mentioned, an obvious place to start is a grilled chicken caesar sandwich, with the classic salad ingredients served on a flatbread or in a pita. A cobb salad sandwich takes the American classic and puts it in an easy-to-eat hand-held form; it’s a great way to use up leftover turkey or chicken breast. A greek salad sandwich is tasty enough to be a vegetarian option. You can create your own “salad sandwiches” in no time – to delicious and profitable results. And they’ll give new meaning to salads to go!

This article was compiled by the trend team at Sandwichpro.com.

For more information on sandwich techniques and trends, visit SandwichPro.com.