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NEWS
WALL STREET JOURNAL |
Burger Lovers
Discover Fancy
Sandwiches
After watching Starbucks build a high-margin empire out
of the humble cup of coffee, fast-food executives began
searching their own kitchens for undiscovered stars.
Now they think they’ve found one: the sandwich.
Lately, small restaurant chains with big ambitions have
been racking up impressive sales by offering upscale
sandwiches as an alternative to burgers. Major sub
sandwich chains hope to win a big following among aging
and increasingly health-conscious baby boomers.
Sales of custom-made sandwiches are rising 15% a year,
much faster than the 3% growth rate for hamburgers and
steaks, says Technomic, a Chicago food-consulting firm.
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The new
sandwich shops treat sandwich-making as an art, building on
fresh breads, produce and quality meats.
A custom sandwich sells for $5.75, about $3 more than for the
typical Big Mac. But the chains can make these prices stick
because of a major shift in the demographics of fast-food
customers. The industry’s traditional diner is male, between
five and 24 years old, and typically short on cash. But now that
youthful segment of the population is expected to grow by only
5% over the next decade, while the 45- to 64-year-old population
will grow about 30%.
A new factor is Americans’ fear of fat. “I don’t even eat
McDonald’s anymore. I’m trying to get away from fatty food,”
says Chandra Brooks, a Washington, D.C., office worker who
recently dined on a Subway sandwich. “I’m tired of just the
burgers and stuff.”
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Dollar Stores Franchise Opportunities
Dollar Stores Franchise Opportunities |
