Filling the ever-gaping maw of the internet’s content machine means us mediafolk get seduced into writing about the most asinine “holidays” possible.
![sandwich stats](https://20627419.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/20627419/hubfs/The%20Hustle/Assets/Images/224384033-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Sandwich_20231102221623.webp?width=595&height=400&name=224384033-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Sandwich_20231102221623.webp)
Not only are all of these holidays actually recognized by someone or something, they all fall in the first half of this month:
- National Pizza with the Works Except Anchovies Day
- National Spicy Hermit Cookie Day
- National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day
- National Broadcast Traffic Professional’s Day
- National Canine Lymphoma Awareness Day
- National Bittersweet Chocolate with Almonds Day
Alas, it’s with the deepest discontent that we fall victim to today’s National Sandwich Day.
In our defense…
There’s a sensible reason for this observance: this November marks the 305th birthday of British nobleman John Montagu, the fourth Earl of Sandwich — and namesake of the sandwich.
And there are legit business reasons to fete sandwiches right now:
- The munching icon remains the dominant food of the working world — a whopping 95% of workers claim to eat at least one sandwich per week.
- McDonald’s announced this week that its McCrispy sandwich has grown into its own $1B global brand.
- But $1B is just a drop in the bucket — we’re only weeks removed from private equity firm Roark Capital dropping $9.6B on sandwich king Subway (the same company that spent a rumored $3B to acquire rival Jimmy John’s a few years prior).
- The rest of the sub market also has some zing: Potbelly’s pandemic recovery plan includes 2k new locations, and Jersey Mike’s has expanded to all 50 states.
- We also just covered the $2.4B (and fast-growing) US market for breakfast sandwiches.
It’s a great time to sling sandwiches, and reminds us to never forget the true meaning of this holiday: making tons and tons of cash.
BTW: Maybe it can also be about togetherness? The harsh origins of the 6-foot sub suggest the sandwich community needs healing.
- The first novelty sub on record weighed 22 pounds, sold for the modern equivalent of $285 — and tore apart a family for over three decades, per Tasting Table.