Potbelly sandwiches are born!
Potbelly started in 1977 when a little antique store on Lincoln
Avenue in Chicago started selling toasted sandwiches (right along with
vintage stoves, old books and other knick knacks) to boost business. The
same care and attention used to select our antiques went into the
recipes and menu preparation. Meats and cheeses were sliced in the
store every day. The bread finished its baking as the
sandwich came out of the oven, making it perfectly toasted on the
outside and soft and warm on the inside. Fresh, crisp vegetables and
condiments topped them for a tasty sandwich like no other. And
folks could add an old-fashioned, real ice cream milkshake that
was hand dipped especially for them. We still do things exactly the same
way today. For over 30 years we have maintained this distinctive
homemade quality and pride in our food that made our first
store on Lincoln Avenue a local favorite.
As you would expect, our passion for great food helped us develop a huge
following of loyal Potbelly fans. Sandwiches like "A Wreck" made with Black
Angus roast beef, old world salami, oven roasted turkey breast, hickory smoked
ham and melted Swiss Cheese, have put an end to the antiques part
of the business (although all our stores still have a bunch of antiques around
and books to read). The chicken salad in our Chicken Salad Sandwich is
handmade every day. Our Italian Sandwich has four Italian meats -
authentic capicola, mortadella, salami, and pepperoni. The meatballs in
our Meatball Sandwich are covered with rich marinara sauce and
provolone. It's straight forward, great tasting, wholesome, comfort food.
But we have more than just great sandwiches. We have two big new salads, the
Uptown and Farmhouse. Both are freshly made with all-natural grilled chicken
breast and loaded with flavorful ingredients like grapes,
hard-boiled egg, candied walnuts and bacon all on a fresh salad mix. All of our
soups are loaded with vegetables and other tasty stuff. And the
Chili is super-meaty - just like Mom's.
We are also famous for our sweets like cookies baked fresh throughout the
day. We take the time to make sure that each hand dipped milkshake, malt,
and smoothie comes with a cute little butter cookie on the straw. Our
ice cream sandwiches don't come out of a wrapper, but are made right before your
eyes by layering real ice cream between two of our outrageous
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Our beverage cooler holds some of the usual favorites plus other
fun, hard-to-find drinks that you won't see everywhere.
We truly appreciate every customer who comes in to visit us. We recognize that everyone
is an individual with unique tastes, likes, and eating styles - including a desire to eat well.
At Potbelly, you get the chance to create the sandwich or other item the way you want to have it.
You can get "Thin-Cut" bread (we remove 1/3 of the bread), leave off the mayo, or load up on
lettuce, or tomatoes, or sliced pickle, or our unique Potbelly Hot Peppers ... it is up to you.
The choices are endless. We don't start making your food until you place your order ... so
you can let your mood determine what you order.
From their very first visit customers are often hooked (some have even been
known to experience intense cravings the very next day). It doesn't take long
before Potbelly fans have a favorite sandwich or salad they refer to thereafter
as "My Potbelly".