CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Potbelly Sandwich Shop is launching a new, reworked menu in shops nationwide this week. The revised menu will provide new options, such as pairing a half-sandwich with the customer’s choice of a cup of soup, a side salad or mac & cheese. Customers will also be able to add chips and a drink or milkshake to bundle their meal for a discounted price. Menus will now feature a new item, the “Short Shake,” a smaller version of the famous Potbelly hand-dipped milkshake.
The menu improvements are part of a broader brand turnaround strategy implemented by Alan Johnson, Potbelly CEO, that began 12 months ago. Johnson brought in several new leaders for the company in 2018, including Ryan LaRoche, a Michelin-starred chef who now runs culinary innovation for Potbelly, and Brandon Rhoten, who was brought on to rework the brand’s marketing and consumer offering.
“We’re listening to what customers want and adapting with a more streamlined menu that encourages exploration through the Pick-Your-Pair offering, as well as the ability for customers complete their meal with popular add-on items at an attractive price,” said Brandon Rhoten, chief marketing officer, Potbelly. “All of our fan favorites remain on our menu — like A Wreck® sandwich and Oreo® Shake. We’re thrilled to provide an easier way for customers to experience Potbelly.”
This is the most significant menu change for the brand since introducing two new sandwich sizes, Bigs and Skinnys, a decade ago. The new menu was tested in 58 shops in 2018 and showed encouraging results and improved consumer perception. This will be the first step in menu improvement the brand intends to implement based on extensive customer research conducted in 2018.
“We’ve all had the experience of standing at a restaurant’s menu board in a bit of a panic, unsure of what to order and worried we’re making the restaurant and other customers unhappy by slowing down the line,” added Rhoten. “Our research says we can give customers a more accessible, more casual ordering experience, leaving more time for them to relax and enjoy their lunch, and they’ll reward us with more of their business. This is a rare opportunity in our industry, and we will be taking advantage of it starting in 2019.”
Pick-Your-Pair and Meal Deal
Options for Pick-Your-Pair include pairing a half-sandwich with a cup of soup, a half-salad or a cup of mac & cheese or chili. All of the classic, toasty warm sandwiches on the menu are available for pairing.
In addition, customers can complete their meal and save some money by adding a fountain drink or Short Shake and chips to their sandwich for a Meal Deal at a discounted price.
Short Shakes Now Available
Short Shakes are 10 oz. versions of the classic Potbelly hand-dipped milkshake. All shakes now include whipped cream and a cherry, and customers can get the smaller version of their favorite shake in any flavor year-round. The Short Shake can also be added as part of a Meal Deal for a discounted price.
To find a Potbelly shop in your neighborhood, click here.
About Potbelly Sandwich Shop
Potbelly Corporation is a neighborhood sandwich concept that has been feeding customers’ smiles with warm, toasty sandwiches, signature salads, hand-dipped shakes and other fresh menu items, customized just the way customers want them, for more than 40 years. Potbelly promises Fresh, Fast & Friendly service in an environment that reflects the local neighborhood. Since opening its first shop in Chicago in 1977, Potbelly has expanded to neighborhoods across the country — with more than 400 company-owned shops in the United States. Additionally, Potbelly franchisees operate approximately 50 shops domestically and in the Middle East, Canada and India. For more information, please visit our website at www.potbelly.com.