US Sandwiches, Subs and Wraps Market Report 2025

90% of consumers have purchased a sandwich, sub or wrap away from home over the last 12 months, underscoring the appeal of their convenience, variety and versatility. Younger generations and men emerge as primary drivers of growth, with most either maintaining or increasing consumption compared to last year. Fast food establishments are ordered from most often, but fast casual and grocery-prepared options are gaining traction for their elevated quality and competitive value.

Economic uncertainty is shaping consumer choices, putting pressure on restaurants to ensure value is clearly conveyed. Despite challenges like perceived health risks with processed meats and inflationary prices, interest in premium proteins, unique breads and bold toppings presents exciting opportunities for innovation. Social media further influences consumer behavior, offering platforms for discovery and engagement.

This report looks at the following areas:

AFH sandwiches thrive on convenience, variety and versatility, but with rising costs impacting dining out, operators are tasked with proving affordability.

Pooja Lal, Research Analyst

Market Definitions

This Report examines consumer attitudes and dining behavior, market, menu and culinary trends in sandwich, sub and wrap shops in the LSR (limited-service restaurant) segment. LSRs include both QSRs (quick-service restaurants), or fast food and fast casual restaurants, and only LSRs are covered in this Report. However, due to the cross-segment nature of sandwiches, many of the insights regarding LSR sandwiches are also applicable to FSRs (full-service restaurants).

This Report focuses on both sandwich-specific chains (eg Subway, Arby’s, Quiznos) as well as bakery café restaurants (eg Panera Bread) due to the fact that bakery café restaurants often feature a large sandwich menu.