June 09--Potbelly is now selling a barbecue pulled pork sandwich, the latest addition to its menu as the sandwich shop tries to bring in more diners and increase sales.
The Chicago-based company is advertising the "barbeque pulled pork sandwich" on its website, and it was mentioned by Chairman and CEO Aylwin Lewis during a William Blair conference here Tuesday. According to the website, the pulled pork sandwich is available in most Potbelly shops and has 699 calories.
Lewis also said that avocado, added to the menu earlier this year, is doing well. Potbelly charges $1 to have avocado slices added to one of its toasted sandwiches. Potbelly, which does the bulk of its business during lunch hours, also sells bacon for an extra $1.25.
"Right now, bacon and avocado (are) just hot," Lewis said.
In response to a question from the audience, Lewis spoke briefly about McDonald's and its current turnaround effort. He said to "never bet against" the team in Oak Brook, referring to McDonald's. He pointed out how McDonald's has done well before, calling Jim Skinner's tenure from 2004 to 2012 "tremendous." He also said restaurants should only add complexity that really drives their business.
The first quarter, which ended in March, marked Potbelly's strongest comparable-sales showing since the company went public in October 2013. Sales at company-owned shops operating for at least 15 months, or comparable sales, rose 5.4 percent. Analysts, on average, expected quarterly comparable sales to rise 4.7 percent.
While Potbelly still anticipates sales gains this year, it signaled in May that the first-quarter jump would likely be its strongest showing of 2015.
jwohl@tribpub.com
