Three national chains are putting a turkey sandwich in front of customers as Thanksgiving approaches. Starbucks refreshed its Turkey & Stuffing Sandwich on Nov. 5, Cracker Barrel added a Country Fried Turkey Sandwich to its holiday menu, and Firehouse Subs brought back its Thanksgiving Turkey Sub at $11.19.
Each one borrows from the big holiday plate, with turkey as the anchor and cranberry, gravy or stuffing alongside. Here is how the three compare, and what else each chain is selling this season.
Starbucks refreshes its Turkey & Stuffing Sandwich
The coffee chain’s holiday menu returned on Thursday, Nov. 5. Its Turkey & Stuffing Sandwich is not new, but it has been rebuilt on a new baguette baked with cranberries in the dough, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.
The sandwich shares the case with a new Braised Short Rib Grilled Cheese made with cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan and caramelized onion jam on sourdough. Returning bakery items include the Cranberry Bliss Bar, the Snowman Cookie and the Sugar Plum Danish, and a new Bearista Cake Pop joins them.
Stuffing is the side that gives the sandwich its name. Wikipedia’s article on stuffing describes it as a mixture of herbs and a starch such as bread, and says the earliest written evidence is the Roman cookbook De Re Coquinaria by Apicius. Typical American versions use breadcrumbs, onion, celery and sage.
Anyone building a holiday coffee routine at home can find ideas in a collection of coffee bar setups, and 20 kitchen tricks for home cooks covers everyday shortcuts.
Another look at the season at home is a list of Thanksgiving traditions from the 1950s that have faded.
Cracker Barrel puts its fried turkey on a bun
Cracker Barrel’s holiday menu began on Oct. 20, and the new Country Fried Turkey Sandwich is part of it. The sandwich pairs a crispy turkey tenderloin with gravy and cranberry relish on a toasted bun, according to Nation’s Restaurant News.
It is a sandwich version of the chain’s returning Country Fried Turkey plate, which serves breaded turkey tenderloins with herbed pan gravy, country sides and cranberry relish. The chain is also taking pre-orders for Thanksgiving dinners, with pickup on Nov. 21 through Nov. 29.
The classic sides that usually share the plate with turkey are the subject of a rundown of Thanksgiving side dishes found on most American tables.
Firehouse Subs brings back its Thanksgiving Turkey Sub
Firehouse Subs has put its Thanksgiving Turkey Sub back on the menu at $11.19. The item is a returning one, and Food Republic says it sold out last year. The article does not list the ingredients and gives no start or end date, only the tie to the holiday.
A new Pecan Pie Bar, baked daily at each location, is sold beside it for $3.29. Together they make a lunch that echoes the holiday table, with turkey first and pecan pie to finish.
Shoppers who track what groceries and meals cost this year can compare with a list of things that are actually getting cheaper.
The chain began in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1994, founded by brothers Chris and Robin Sorensen, who were both firefighters, according to Wikipedia. It now has more than 1,200 locations and has been owned by Restaurant Brands International since December 2021.
The three sandwiches side by side
- Starbucks: Turkey & Stuffing Sandwich, refreshed on Nov. 5 with a cranberry baguette. No price was given in the trade report.
- Cracker Barrel: Country Fried Turkey Sandwich, new this season, with tenderloin, gravy and cranberry relish on a toasted bun.
- Firehouse Subs: Thanksgiving Turkey Sub, returning at $11.19, with a Pecan Pie Bar at $3.29.
The common thread is cranberry. Two of the three use it directly, in the baguette dough at Starbucks and in the relish at Cracker Barrel, and it is a staple of the holiday plate. The difference is the format: baguette, bun or sub roll.
Desserts and drinks that go with them
Pie is the other half of the seasonal pitch. Starbucks sells Mini Pies at $2.95 each in Apple Crumble, Pecan and Pumpkin flavors, according to Food Republic. Firehouse Subs offers the Pecan Pie Bar, and Cracker Barrel sells whole holiday pies for about $14.49 in pumpkin, pecan, chocolate pecan and cinnamon roll.
Starbucks also launched new tiramisu-inspired drinks, with the Tiramisu Velvet Latte and Cold Brew topped with mascarpone cold foam and cocoa. Its returning drinks include the Peppermint Mocha, Sugar Cookie Latte, Caramel Brulée Latte and Gingerbread Chai. Red Cup Day follows on Nov. 17.
A holiday sandwich as a lunch shortcut
At $11.19, the Firehouse sub is priced like a full lunch. Holiday items often carry a premium, and a sandwich is easier than cooking a turkey, so these menus aim at diners who want the flavor without the work.
The sandwich format also fits how people eat during the holiday stretch: on the go, between errands and gatherings, when a full sit-down meal is not practical. Turning the whole plate into something that can be eaten with two hands is the idea all three chains share.
Leftover turkey is the traditional answer to the question these chains are answering. A sandwich with stuffing, gravy and cranberry is a familiar way to use the bird in the days after the holiday, and the chains are selling that same combination before and during it.
For diners, the choice comes down to timing and taste. Starbucks has the refreshed baguette, Cracker Barrel has the fried tenderloin and Firehouse has the returning sub, and all three are on menus now as the Thanksgiving season gets under way.
This article was produced with AI assistance and edited for accuracy against the sources linked above.
Image: Harrison Keely – CC BY 4.0/Wikimedia Commons
