New proteins are part of permanent menu
Schlotzsky’s has added shrimp and brisket to its permanent menu.
The fast-casual chain started testing shrimp last spring, in response to customer requests for a seafood option.
The Shrimp Original sandwich mixes seasoned and steamed shrimp with cream cheese, chipotle mayonnaise, chipotle pesto, cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, black olives, red onions, lettuce, tomatoes, mustard and Schlotzsky’s signature sauce, and is served on sourdough bread.
“It did
probably double or triple what we expected it to do [in terms of sales],” Schlotzsky’s president Kelly Roddy said.
Then the chain also included shrimp in a new line of mac-and-cheese entrées called “Macs,” a new formulation of the pasta first introduced in March 2015.
The shrimp tested well both in the sandwich and in the mac-and-cheese, Roddy said, "and then we immediately tested it on the flatbread."
Meanwhile, the brisket played on Schlotzsky’s heritage as a company based in Austin, Texas, Roddy said.
“Brisket is one of the things that people actually seek out when they come to Austin, so why not bring that to Schlotzsky’s everywhere?” he said. “This is high-quality brisket, just like you’d get at Franklin’s in Austin, that you’d stand in line for an hour for,” he said, referring to Franklin Barbecue, which has a cult following.
The Shrimp Original sandwich. Photo: Schlotzsky's
The brisket, which is braised by one of Schlotzsky’s protein vendors, began a test in the summer, and then rolled out as a Mac limited-time offer in October.
Brisket is also available through February on a Spicy Brisket Flatbread with pesto, jalapeño chips, Swiss cheese, hot sauce, blue cheese dressing and basil, as well as on an Italian Shrimp & Brisket Flatbread with Italian dressing, cream sauce, balsamic glaze, mozzarella, roasted red peppers and barbecue sauce.
The Shrimp Original will be brought back for Lent, which begins on March 1, as will the Shrimply the Best Mac and a new flatbread. Shrimp will also be available in salads this summer, Roddy said.
The Smokey Brisketeer Mac. Photo: Schlotzsky's
“It’s going to be a regular part of our menu from now on,” he added.
So is brisket, he said, which will be featured in a new line of sandwiches starting later in February.
Schlotzsky’s is a subsidiary of Focus Brands Inc., based in Atlanta, and has 362 units.
Contact Bret Thorn at [email protected]
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