Server Blog | Servcast

Build A Better Breakfast Sandwich

Culinary, Industry Trends, Serving Solutions
2023.03.16

Sandwich consumption has remained steady and overall increased within the past couple of years,¹ according to Gerald Oksanen, project manager at Datassential. Sandwiches are popular throughout the day with the breakfast daypart becoming a delicious destination for growth. In fact, forty-five percent of consumers ranked breakfast sandwiches as one of their favorite breakfast items.²

Breakfast sandwiches can work across all segments and satisfy consumers’ dining preferences – perfect as a quick meal while dining in, a great grab-and-go item for guests on the go, and a hearty hand-held option to enjoy while commuting. Adding breakfast sandwiches to your menu or elevating your existing sandwich lineup requires minimal labor or investment, especially with easy-to-use equipment that increases speed of service and provides consistency and accuracy both back-and-front of house.

Here are some creative ways to build a better breakfast sandwich while boosting efficiencies in your operation:

Get Carried Away

What’s on the outside matters just as much as what’s on the inside, for breakfast sandwiches anyway. There is a variety of sandwich carriers to consider that work perfectly for breakfast. Bagels, English muffins, and croissants are more traditional breakfast sandwich carriers that hold up well during drive-thru and in grab-and-go cases, and most likely, you’re already purchasing these staples for other menu items and dayparts. Yet, getting creative with your carriers can appeal to guests looking to beat breakfast boredom:

• Flatbreads are the perfect foundation for layering on flavor. Create a signature breakfast pizza with scrambled eggs, crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, and diced onions and mushrooms. Consider offering a plant-based option by using meat and dairy alternatives to appeal to plant-forward consumers.   
• Donuts offer a unique carrier for sweet-savory lovers. Add a thick, juicy sausage patty, a slice of sharp cheddar cheese, and a slightly runny fried egg between two glazed donut halves and give guests a flavorful explosion in every bite.
• With the current chicken and waffle craze happening in foodservice, waffles have experienced a resurgence in popularity and their sturdiness provides solid support when building breakfast sandwiches. Take your own twist on this trending favorite by coating chicken tenders with a candied-peppered breading for a sweet kick of flavor. Layer each waffle and chicken half with a crunchy slaw-and-maple-and-brown sugar mixture before adding the second buttery waffle half on top.

Prepping and holding ingredients beforehand can save time and allow for increased efficiency during peak traffic times along with orders out the door. Keep chopped tomatoes, onions, shredded cheese, prepared slaw, and more chilled and ready to grab with cold stations. Drop-in stainless-steel units are insulated to prevent condensation buildup when chilling and hold three 1/6-size steam table pans. The clear lid allows for easy ingredient identification and makes checking topping levels quick and easy. With the convenient stay-open hinged lid, staff can efficiently build multiple breakfast sandwiches at one time.

For a smaller footprint option with big impact back of house, mini stations provide a smart, convenient way to keep additional toppings prepped and on hand. Use clear ½-oz serving spoons to reduce waste and easily add delicious toppings without the fuss.

Satisfy with Sassy Sauces

Take your breakfast sandwiches to the next level and differentiate yourself from the place down the street by innovating with flavorful sauces. These saucy ideas can add a tasty twist to your menu or inspire you to craft your own signature breakfast sauces:

• Nashville hot sauce over chicken or scrambled egg-based sandwiches add a delicious heat to your morning menu
• Red pepper hollandaise gives a playful kick to eggs benedict sandwiches
• Maple butter sauce made with real maple syrup, butter, and cream brings rich, warm flavor over waffle or donut carriers
• Garlic aioli on toasted brioche complements the savory flavor of egg and breakfast proteins
• House-made goat cheese crema delivers an elegant finish to upscale breakfast sandwiches

Organize and hold all your sauces neatly with countertop squeeze bottle holders and stations. These stainless-steel holders keep bottles up to 10º F colder than holding in pans and their open frame design allows for air to circulate below while the top helps keep cold air from escaping. For warm finishing sauces, use high-density squeeze bottles for low-temperature heating inside our IntelliServ® Food Pan Warmer. Its digital temperature control ensures accurate holding of delicate sauces so they’re the perfect temp and ready for topping your breakfast sandwiches.

For more breakfast and sauce ideas, read our blogs: How to Create a House Sauce Station and Big Menu Items Boost Breakfast Dining.

 

^{1 Sandwich Offerings Get Creative, CStore Decisions.com, March 23, 2022}

^{2 Customers Crave Breakfast Sandwiches, Survey Says, QSR.com}