Sandwiches make up around a quarter of convenience stores’ foodservice dollar sales, according to Circana data. And it’s no wonder, since they can use a wide variety of ingredients and come in so many formats.
Total sales of sandwiches, wraps and handhelds at convenience stores reached $6.9 billion in 2024, according to market research company Technomic. In even better news for operators, this figure is projected to grow to $8.6 billion by 2029, representing a compound annual growth rate of 4.5%.
Sandwiches “are king,” said Maurice Lamarche, vice president of retail operations for Tiger Fuel Company in Charlottesville, Virginia, which operates10 The Market c-stores. The chain’s sandwiches use par-baked French bread and are baked daily, which also adds a delicious odor to the store.
Fireside Market opened a food-focused site in October in Slinger, Wisconsin, that offers a range of made-to-order hot sandwiches. An important factor is the freshness cues, said Peter Juzenas, director of operations for Potawatomi Ventures, which owns the chain.
The store has a rotisserie for its pastrami, which is not only fascinating for customers but also shows shoppers that everything’s made in-house.
Variety vs. SKU control
More options isn’t always better when it comes to sandwiches. Tiger Fuel recently reduced its standard lineup of sandwiches, from 25 to 13, to simplify work for foodservice staff and to reduce the number of ingredients the stores need.
However, offering a variety is very important to a sandwich program, said Donna Hood Crecca, senior principal with Technomic. “In fact the majority of c-store prepared food purchasers (78%) prioritize wide variety and selection of items when deciding which c-store to visit.”
That variety, she explains, should include the expected favorites, as well as healthy or better-for-you options, a priority for 56% of people in store, and innovative items, which 53% of shoppers seek.
The sandwich variety that c-stores offer “should also range from indulgent to healthy and from low-cost to high, to provide options for every dietary need and economic demographic,” pointed out Darren Tristano, CEO and founder of consulting firm Foodservice Results.
Getting that variety doesn’t require building from the ground up. Last July, major c-store distributor McLane Company launched a national commissary program to deliver fresh food to convenience stores. Through its Central Eats brand, it’s supplying premade grab-and-go cold items, such as sandwiches, subs, wraps and sliders, with a seven-day shelf-life and no artificial additives. The wholesaler also provides a core assortment of basic sandwiches and LTOs that offer a twist on the classics, especially for younger consumers.
“Retailers are looking for operational ease and to make a certain margin,” said Anne Hughes, product director for kitchen and commissary with McLane. “They want that core assortment to bring in the consumer but consumers are open to trying different flavors and platforms — so we might offer ham and cheese with spicy pickle.”
LTOs keep things interesting
To keep the sandwich program exciting, Tiger Fuel runs a quarterly LTO. It used to have monthly LTOs, but that was too much to keep up with, Lamarche explained.
LTOs are important, pointed out Hood Crecca, who said,. “a trend emerging is consumers increasingly turning to c-stores to source a particular item they’re craving, and craveability is on the rise as a driver of c-store food purchases.”
Because convenience store operators are often looking to reduce SKUs, it makes sense to offer fewer sandwiches with more customization options, Tristano said. But, he added, “LTOs are still very important to stress seasonal ingredients and comfort foods.”
Ideally, LTOs and regional favorites should use the same core ingredients as the standard sandwich lineup to keep SKUs and storage needs down. This could mean a spin on a sandwich is as simple as the addition of a sauce.
“This gives retailers an opportunity to add variety with a familiar and popular item,” Hughes says.
Sales drivers
Technomic data shows that in 2024, made-to-order sandwiches were the most popular sub-category, accounting for 29% of sandwich sales. Sandwiches in the hot case accounted for 28% of sales, while cold, ready-made sandwiches accounted for 19% of sales.
Tiger Fuel offers its sandwiches all day but they’re especially popular between 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.. A lot of shoppers order their sandwiches online, and those are “overwhelmingly” build-your-own. Inside the store, shoppers are more likely to select from the menu.
But breakfast sandwiches “fly out of the stores,” says Nico Robinson, the company’s culinary program manager, and these include biscuits, burritos and tacos.
Sandwiches are also really popular for catering, which is a brisk business for Tiger, in the form of bagged lunches or Signature Sandwich platters which include 10 assorted sandwiches.
Hot items to avoid
While almost anything can be placed between two pieces of bread, there are some ingredients c-stores should avoid. Avocado is going to turn brown and tomatoes make bread soggy. Mayo simply doesn’t hold up well. So Tiger typically doesn’t use these items.
“We want everyone who comes in to have the freshest quality,” Robinson said.
Before launching its Central Eats sandwich brand, McLane ran extensive shelf-life studies and found the order in which sandwich fillings are placed is very important. It examined how to layer meat, for example, to reduce how much moisture it transfers to the bread or tortilla, Hughes pointed out.
Clear packaging is also important, she added, so consumers can see the quality for themselves.
Fireside Market came up with its sandwich program — what it offers, what holds up, the best packaging — by speaking to third party chefs, competitors and potential guests about what works and what doesn’t.
“Quality packaging and sandwich builds engineered for easy, mess-free eating on the go are paramount,” said Hood Crecca. “That’s not easy, considering today’s trends towards decadent toppings and condiments, meat-on-meat and other indulgent and social-media-worthy sandwiches.”
