Those who love pickle sandwiches will be especially interested in the creations out of New Jersey-based sandwich shop Elsie's, which assembles bunless sandwiches that replace carbs with giant pickles. Rather than featuring just a small sliver of a pickle as an ingredient on the inside of the sandwich, these unconventional sandwich creations give pickle lovers more of the tangy taste they enjoy.
Naturally, Elsie's has been dubbed the "Home of the Pickle Sandwich" and offers a variety of specialty sandwich creations for pickle fans to try, including gluten-free and keto-friendly options—as well as the ability for guests to build their own pickle sandwich with meat and toppings of their choosing.
In addition to its signature pickle sandwiches, Elsie's also offers sushi-like Roll-Ups, which are also made with pickles.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Pickle-based Sandwiches
- The rise of creative sandwich substitutions may lead to the creation of other unconventional sandwich options.
- Customizable Sandwiches
- The demand for customizable sandwiches may create opportunities for businesses to offer a variety of ingredient substitutes for those with specific dietary needs/preferences.
- Sustainable Ingredients
- The use of more sustainable and locally sourced ingredients may become more popular in sandwich shops as consumers become more conscious of their environmental impact.
Where This Applies
- Fast Casual Restaurants
- Fast casual restaurants can take advantage of the customizable sandwich trend and offer a variety of substitutions for their customers.
- Specialty Food Retailers
- Specialty food retailers can offer a wider variety of unique ingredient substitutes as demand for unconventional sandwiches grows.
- Sustainable Food Producers
- Sustainable food producers can market their products to sandwich shops seeking to use more environmentally friendly ingredients.
