Sandwiches are a staple at lunchtime, both in school cafeterias and fast-casual concepts. Make sure your sandwiches can compete with fast-casual style sandwiches by elevating your commodity meats and cheeses with breads.
Create excitement around sandwiches Celebrating National Biscuit Month and National Sandwich Day in your cafeteria is a great way to create excitement around your sandwich offerings.
Deconstructed sandwiches: make it a bowl! Bowls are a big in fast-casual restaurants right now, and many serve variations on the deconstructed sandwich. Arrange sandwich ingredients such as meats, cheeses and veggies in a bowl for instant fast-casual appeal.
Or, capitalize on the Southern comfort food trend and try a biscuit bowl!
Get inspiration from around the country and the world Generation Z (K-12 age right now) is a more multicultural generation than any before and today’s kids look for Latin American or Korean food as often as BBQ or burgers.¹ Fast-casual restaurants recognize this and are offering tried-and-true staples with regional and global twists. Here are some ideas that you can try in your cafeteria.
Pay attention to presentation Don’t forget that presentation is half the battle when encouraging kids to choose school lunch. Use a pretzel instead of a toothpick to hold sandwiches together or wrap to-go sandwiches in attractive paper for typical fast-casual appearance and finish with a sticker.
Lastly, remember to layer sandwich ingredients strategically: putting things like lettuce and less-saucy ingredients toward the outside against your bread will minimize sogginess.
For more great ways to bring fast-casual style to your cafeteria, check out Good Times Café, our one-stop-shop for ideas, tips and free downloadable assets.
¹Fast Casual Industry Analysis 2018 – Cost & Trends, Franchise Help, 2018