One of the key allures of a good sandwich is its ease of preparation, allowing you to make it at home in minutes for the best on-the-go lunch any day of the week. While we are certainly not above grabbing an Italian sub from a good local deli or sandwich chain for the tasty convenience, we have to ask if sandwiches on full-out restaurant menus are worth the often elevated price tag? The short answer is: maybe. Restaurant sandwiches almost always cost significantly more than slapping some bread, cheese, veggies, and meat together at home. In fact, a smashed chickpea or reuben sandwich can run you as much as $12 to $20 per sandwich on some menus. But whether it makes sense to order one comes down to how special the sandwich is, as well as what else is offered on the menu.
While restaurant sandwiches can be a hit-or-miss item based on their price, quality, and complexity of preparation, there are a few factors to help you decide if they’re worth it. It helps to take into account the culinary ingenuity, uniqueness, and effort, the integrity of ingredients and the bread, as well as if the sandwich is culturally or regionally-specific. Sure, bread and meat is as simple as it gets, but if the components are done right it could be a far better experience than your average turkey sandwich.
Specialty sandwiches could be worth it
When differentiating a worthy sandwich from one that’s just outright expensive, you can look for standout culinary aspects. For instance, up-charged classics like the BLT or avocado toast may not be worth it since you could easily make these simple sandwiches for a margin of the price. The same goes for run-of-the-mill breakfast sandwiches on store-bought bread or English muffins. Unless the restaurant is known to make these items well, you’re better off ordering something else or making it yourself.
However, if there are special ingredients, unique flavors, or preparation methods, ordering a sandwich makes sense. Something like an authentic Cuban sandwich with marinated pork, mustard, pickles, and grilled bread will probably leave a lasting impression. Though, this type of sandwich could cost $18 at a restaurant, this and other regional-specific sandwiches like tofu bahn mi or a Nashville hot chicken with pimento cheese, hold value in their specialty.
Then there’s novelty. A sandwich with raclette takes on a new light compared to an average turkey sub with Swiss. A grilled cheese with smoked brisket might be worth the extra penny. All things considered, there are just some occasions that call for a sandwich. Take a specialty bagel sandwich with smoked salmon, capers, and cream cheese. Sure, you could buy and assemble the ingredients for less — but sometimes, ordering this type of special restaurant sandwich just hits differently.
