CHICAGO Taking a leaf from mega-sized competitors like Subway, 140-unit Potbelly Sandwich Works has debuted made-to-order salads at locations in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Four variations and five dressings currently are offered.
The rollout, which does not yet include Potbelly stores in six other states or the District of Columbia, extends the hot sandwich-focused chain's menu into a new category. "It's taken us 30 years to come up with these salads, so, trust us, they are good," claimed Bryant Keil, chairman and chief executive.
Priced at $5.29, the salads are A Wreck Salad, with three sliced meats, two cheeses, hard-boiled egg, cucumbers and tomatoes; Chicken Salad Salad; Italian Salad and Veggie Salad. Each contains romaine lettuce and croutons, in addition to varied ingredients.
All units of the fast-growing, privately held chain, based here, are company-owned and operated. Potbelly has grown with the help of venture capital from several firms, including Maveron, co-founded by Starbucks' chairman Howard Schultz. Keil has said in the past that he foresees a day when Potbelly could grow to some 3,000-to-4,000 units nationwide.
