Grilled cheese, chicken and turkey rule the sandwich category, according to a recent survey.
The poll of 2,000 general population Americans revealed their favorite sandwiches, how preferences vary and even some secret sandwich hacks.
According to the results, Americans’ favorite sandwiches are: Grilled cheese (42%), chicken (40%), turkey (30%) ham (27%) tuna (24%), egg (21%), PB&J (21%) and meatball sandwiches (19%).
Commissioned by Buddig in honor of National Sandwich Day on Nov. 3 and conducted by Talker Research, the survey found that sandwiches make up 30% of Americans’ diets, on average.
In fact, nearly half (46%) divulged that they could live on sandwiches alone for the rest of their lives.
Americans eat, on average, six sandwiches per week and it takes people 10 minutes, on average, to assemble the perfect sub.
Fifty-eight percent of respondents said they’re “sandwich pragmatists,“ and care more about making a sandwich quickly than making it “just right.” As long as they have most of what they want in a sandwich, they’re satisfied.
In contrast, 42% are “sandwich chefs.” They like to take their time crafting the perfect sandwich. To them, it’s vital to have all the right ingredients. If they don’t have every element and ingredient they want in a sandwich, they’ll be disappointed.
Getting to the heart of a flawless sandwich, respondents said high-quality meat (64%), airy bread (55%), using all the right condiments (54%) and fresh veggies (40%) are most critical.
And three-fourths (74%) said they always keep the ingredients to make a sandwich on hand, so they can make a quick sandwich in a jiffy.
However, 40% reported that they’ve scaled down their sandwiches in general, using fewer ingredients to make them go further, due to rising grocery prices.
“In a value-driven economy, consumers are looking to stretch their dollars when grocery shopping and planning meals,” said Ben Buddig, fourth generation owner at Carl Buddig and Company. “Lunchmeat delivers a good source of protein and we’re proud to offer affordable options for budget-conscious families.”
Most (68%) opt to toast the bread when making a sandwich and a fifth (19%) still like to cut off the crust.
Thirty-two percent cut their sandwiches into rectangles, 35% cut them into triangles and 33% prefer their sandwiches whole and uncut.
Untoasted lovers are most likely to eat sandwiches whole (44%) and toasted lovers are most likely to cut their sandwiches in triangles (37%).
However, those who prefer to toast their bread eat more sandwiches in general, compared to those who prefer untoasted bread (32% vs. 24%).
The majority (60%) said sandwiches are a staple in their diet. Popular reasons for this include that you can eat them hot or cold (54%), it’s easy to switch out ingredients so you don’t tire of eating the same type of sandwich (43%) and that sandwiches don’t require any cooking (42%).
Though nearly half (46%) said it’s just because they taste amazing.
And while sandwiches may seem like simple, straightforward fare, many are taking them to the next level.
Thirty percent have a secret sandwich recipe and, interestingly, meatball (39%) and chicken sandwich lovers (32%) are most likely to have a secret formula or trick up their sleeves.
Luckily, respondents were generous enough to share some of their secrets such as adding chips inside for an extra crunch and marinating the meat overnight.
Other interesting additions include baked bananas, jalapeno jelly, cinnamon and even raisins. And many simply agreed, it’s all about having enough of the right sauce.
“For National Sandwich Day on Nov. 3, we wanted to get to the heart of America’s love of sandwiches,” said Buddig. “And whether Americans prefer toasted bread to untoasted, triangles to rectangles or grilled cheese to ham, results show that sandwiches really are a major menu staple that are here to stay.”
AMERICA’S FAVORITE SANDWICHES
Grilled cheese sandwiches – 42%Chicken sandwiches – 40%Turkey sandwiches – 30%Ham sandwiches – 27%Tuna sandwiches – 24%Egg sandwiches – 21%PB&J sandwiches – 21%Meatball sandwiches – 19%
Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans evenly split by region; the survey was commissioned by Buddig and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Sept. 25 and Sept. 30, 2024.
We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentiveProgrammatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in
Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.
Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.
Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.
Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speedersOpen ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant textBots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify botsDuplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.
