Consumers eat an average of 3.7 sandwiches per week, which has remained stable over the past few years. However, consumers are now eating a wider variety of sandwiches and sourcing them from a greater variety of locations as they look for new, unique foods, according to the 2016 Sandwich Consumer Trend Report. While burgers are still consumed most often of all sandwich varieties measured, other varieties—including deli salad, breakfast, flatbread and ethnic sandwiches—are gaining on burgers.
"Sandwiches provide an ideal platform for consumers to experiment with new flavors," explains Kelly Weikel, director of consumer insights at Technomic. "To gain share, operators and suppliers must meet growing demand for innovative, better-for-you options."