Dive Brief:
- Potbelly is adding its first steak sandwich to its permanent menu on Monday at participating locations, according to a press release emailed to Restaurant Dive.
- The new toasted sandwich is made with prime rib steak, topped with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions and garlic aioli.
- Fast casual brands have been adding heartier options, particularly dishes incorporating steak, as traffic trouble across the industry pushes brands to compete over different dayparts and occasions.
Dive Insight:
For Potbelly, menu innovation has included other premium protein sandwiches, like the Sweet Heat Pork BBQ and Cubano sandwiches the chain announced late last year.
“Our fans expect a high-quality sandwich experience from us, and when they asked us for a craveable steak sandwich, we made sure we delivered,” Eric Chenel, Potbelly’s director of consumer insights and innovation, said in a statement.
Company-operated same-store sales at the sandwich brand fell 0.3% last year, according to Potbelly’s most recent earnings release. With the brand targeting aggressive unit growth through franchising, strong unit economics will be an important determinant of success in the near future — stagnant unit volumes are unlikely to attract well-capitalized franchisees. In this context, a new protein that is perceived as premium but priced similarly to its core menu could strengthen the brand’s value proposition for consumers.
Then there’s the daypart factor — heavier proteins, like steak, are often associated with dinner. Other fast casuals had looked to draw dinner consumers with steak menu plays in the last year. In May 2024, both Sweetgreen and Cava added the protein to plug gaps in their menus and increase dinner’s daypart mix. Just Salad is also adding heavier dishes to its menu.
