 | ||
Sanduchef is a Venezuelan fast food chain that serves mainly sandwiches. Its name is a word game that combines the Spanish word for sandwich (“Sanduche”) and the word “Chef”. It was started in 2012 in Caracas, Venezuela and has since expanded into 3 locations. Along with Ávila Burger, Sanduchef is part of the few restaurant chains that have managed to survive the current Venezuelan socio-economic crisis and become widely successful. Its menu is known for high quality “gourmet” ingredients. All of its sandwiches include arugula, baked tomatoes and oregano vinaigrette. It became known for its truffled french fries, which drove its rise in popularity. The restaurant also stands out for its attention to detail and its design consistency throughout the entire experience.
Contents
Original Location
The restaurant opened its first venue in 2012 in the Caracas neighborhood called “Los Palos Grandes”. More specifically at the Andrés Bello Avenue, between the 2nd and 3rd transversals. The location features 7 tables, seating 4 each, and a bar with an extra 7 single seats. This small restaurant quickly became busy during lunchtime and dinner time, both during week days and the weekends, with lines sometimes so long they even went outside the venue.
Subsequent Locations
Enjoying a success streak of 3 years, Sanduchef has since opened 2 other restaurant locations. The first is also in Caracas, in the neighborhood called “Valle Arriba”. It is located at the Valle Arriba Market Center Shopping Center. This venue features the signature Sanduchef logo and orange design as well as considerably more tables than its original location.
The second venue is located on the Venezuelan island of Margarita, known as a popular tourist attraction and a great travel spot for Venezuelans. It is located at the Costa Azul Shopping Center.
Menu
Although the menu has changed over the three years the restaurant has been opened, most of the sandwiches have remained the same. The menu currently features 12 sandwiches and 6 salads. During the mornings, the restaurant offers the 2 special breakfast sandwiches and 3 different variations of the classic Venezuelan arepa with the Sanduchef twist. There is also a wide variety of desserts available.
Most notable sandwiches still on the menu are:
Since 2013, the restaurant chain has offered a special sandwich that is only available for three months. During the 2014 Brazil World Cup, it was a soccer themed sandwich with Brazilian ingredients.
Social Media Accounts
The chain has also been known for its ample use of social media websites to promote itself. Its Twitter account, @Sanduchef, currently has almost 19,000 followers and tweets regularly. It has been one of the first restaurants in Caracas to feature the Foursquare “Check-In” sticker at its door of its first location. It didn’t, however, offer any special promotions to its mayors or top users.