The Top 10 Deli Menu Design Ideas (2024)

Coming up with new deli menu ideas seems like a piece of cake. After all, you just need to pick an ingredient and slap it between two pieces of bread, right?

Oh, if only it were that simple. Developing new deli ideas for your cafe takes careful thought and consideration. As a deli owner, you must balance traditional staples with original ideas, as well as ensure that all your recipes are both popular and profitable.

There’s no perfect menu design to suit your deli business plan. Meeting customer expectations while satisfying your business needs is easier said than done. But don’t worry, we've put together a solid list of ideas to help you get the most out of your new deli menu.

In this guide, I’ll show you a variety of recipes and menu designs that you can draw inspiration from to create your own deli menu. From the classic grilled cheese sandwich to daring homemade potato chips with chipotle pepper seasoning, there’s a neverending world of deli menu ideas out there.

What’s in This Guide?

• How to Create a Popular & Profitable Deli Menu

• Deli Menu Ideas, Dishes & Designs

• Complement Your Deli Menu with Restaurant Tech

• FAQs

How to Create a Popular & Profitable Deli Menu

The goal with deli menu curation is to come up with ideas that people want while also boosting your bottom line.

When redesigning or opening a deli, there will be several items that everyone expects you to have on your deli menu. Sandwiches are a must, as are soups and salads. Once you check those essential boxes, though, the world is your oyster.

We’re talking entrees, classic and innovative sides, baked goods, drinks, and beyond. You can have a lot of fun with sandwiches and salad ideas, incorporating ingredients like corned beef, roasted red peppers, fresh basil, and provolone cheese. There are also so many combinations you can make using local and seasonal ingredients, not to mention all the unique cuisines you can draw inspiration from.

To help you stay profitable while injecting fun and creativity into your deli menu items, we've listed three things you should always remember:

1. Master the Basics

It’s safe to say that most of your first-time customers will be after a sandwich or another deli staple. While you definitely want to add your unique flair to the menu, your deli must be rooted in exceptional sandwich-making. There will always be those customers who request simple staples, like pastrami on rye or an egg salad sandwich.

To guarantee sandwich success, make sure you’ve locked in your process. Remember: different cheeses, meats, veg, and sauces need to harmonize in flavor, no matter how classic or unique the sandwich is. 

Then, there’s the conversation about bread. Heftier sandwiches might require heartier white bread, while lighter filling may go perfectly with thinly sliced wafer bread. Be disciplined when stacking ingredients, too - customers don’t want their sandwiches spilling onto their laps or plates after the first bite.

This advice applies to both your staples and your original creations. If you want to serve a funky fresh take on potato salad, it’s probably best to make a classic first.

2. Explore Modifiers and Add-Ons

Even though you’ve crafted your menu items to perfection, don’t overlook offering modifiers and add-ons at an additional cost.

Extra cheese, meats, and produce may help push your margins up a bit (this is especially true for condiments like extra sauces and pickles). These are typically low-cost, high-margin items that are in popular demand.

It’s important to strike a certain balance with your sandwich customization. You don’t want to be known as that one deli that hikes up prices on small add-ons. One way to counter this is to check out the modifier costs of delis in your area and price your add-ons in a competitive range.

3. Track Your Costs

All your deli menu ideas, from hot ham sandwiches to brown sugar-glazed bagels, must contribute to your target profitability. You have to control and monitor your costs if you want to become a sustainable deli. 

Successful restaurant cost control requires a strong data foundation and systems that make it easy to calculate costs consistently. For example, invoice processing automation is excellent for tracking food costs, while restaurant-specific employee payroll systems are great for monitoring labor costs. 

Systems like these help you track your costs and allow you to spot trends and make quick adjustments to recipes, ingredients, portions, staffing, and prices. But, again, there has to be a balance here. 

Too much focus on profitability could leave you with the highest prices (and worse, the most boring menu) in town. This is where you can get creative with your new deli menu ideas, finding ways to offer items customers love at a price that appeals to your profits.

Deli Menu Ideas, Dishes & Designs for Inspiration

Now you know how to maximize your chances of deli success, let’s take a look at some examples of creative deli ideas! Here are five examples of real-world delis that bring something unique and innovative to the table, from easy takeouts to unusual cuisines.

Grab and Go for the Win!

Many deli menu items can be prepared in advance. You can use this to your advantage by pre-packing to-go versions of your top-selling items, from cream cheese and red onion bagels to sloppy joes to green salads with juicy tomatoes. 

This will help keep your lines moving while allowing customers to rest easy knowing they can get in and out of your deli quickly. Your grab-and-go options may also be a low-risk opportunity to test out some new menu ideas.

One perfect example is Newk’s Eatery, a popular deli chain across the Southern States. They keep their fridges stocked with tons of tasty grab-and-go options.

Offer Deli Trays & Other Catering Options

If you have enough space to make salads and sandwiches, you can offer catering options like deli trays. Catering can be a great way to get more profits from your food if you properly structure your strategy. Once you know quantities and prices, you can work to achieve a targeted profit margin by controlling your catering costs.

Another perk of catering is its marketing potential. For every catering order, you’re reaching numerous potential customers. So, if your deli has amazing catering options, it can only be a good thing for your business.

Jack’s Deli and Restaurant in Cleveland, Ohio, has a range of exceptional catering options provided on deli trays. These items look delicious and help the deli reach more customers.

Breakfast Deserves a Spot on Your Menu

It’s easy to see the word “deli” and only think about lunch items. That doesn’t have to be the case. Don’t lock yourself in lunch-only deli jail — there’s a whole delicious, popular, and profitable world of breakfast waiting to be part of your menu. Just make sure to check out your competition before you list new hours and items for a breakfast crowd.

A fine example of breakfast deli food comes from Leven Deli Co. in Denver, Colorado. They don’t just blend breakfast into their deli operations — they do happy hours, catering, and a retail market. If you’re based in Denver, you can even order from Leven online.

Explore Outside the Breads and Spreads

There’s nothing wrong with classic bread-and-spread sandwiches. But to be successful, you can’t be afraid to expand your menu beyond them.

A great way to do this is by taking some inspiration from your local area. By testing a few appetizers and entrees as specials, you can gauge customers’ interest in new menu items while also giving folks an extra reason to eat at your deli. Trust me, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results.

Redbud Deli in Morristown, TN, features an entree list that includes multiple grits dishes, meatloaf, and their famous “Carolina Pork Pile”.

Refine the Classics

Innovations are great, but you just can’t beat a classic. Everyone has that one sandwich that’s their go-to, that one filling that they can’t stop craving. Funky flavors and interesting twists absolutely belong on your deli menu, but so do the traditional items that everyone loves and expects. 

Make sure your deli menu is balanced. Cool new items shouldn’t overshadow the classics. And, if you’re doing the classics, make sure you’re doing them well.

The menu at Murray’s Deli in Midland, Texas, is a great example of hitting the classics hard while also adding some local and personal flare.

FAQs

What should be in a deli?

You have to blend classics with innovations when designing your deli menu. Your customers will expect you to have beloved ingredients like pastrami, ham, quality cheeses, white bread, red onions, chives, and cream cheese. But you’ll also want to add your own unique flair to the menu, such as offering numerous types of artisanal bread or meats from around the world.

What makes a good deli menu?

Naturally, the quality of ingredients is a high-ranking factor in what makes a good deli menu. Salad ingredients should be sourced fresh, and meats and cheeses are best when bought locally. Also, offering a variety of food that caters to numerous dietary restrictions and food allergies is another great way to improve your deli menu.

How can I make my deli successful?

Great food at competitive prices is what most people look for when choosing a deli to buy from. That doesn’t mean you should always offer cheap food, but your items should be worth what you charge for them. Create a deli menu from scratch and come up with a signature item to make your deli stand out from the competition.

Complement Your Deli Menu with Restaurant Tech

Whether you’re a brand-new deli looking for ideas for your first menu or a long-time café business just looking to jazz things up, the possibilities are endless. Just be sure you approach your food styling with diligence and intentionality, striking a successful balance between popularity and profitability. That way, you, your employees, and your customers all win!

And to give your new deli menu ideas the best chance of success, you need the right kind of equipment. Toast restaurant tech will help you create a thriving deli. Self-ordering kiosks will help you serve customers more smoothly, while kitchen display systems can speed up cooking time.

Give Toast a try and request a demo to see how your deli can benefit from our streamlined tech.

Related Deli Resources

• How to Open a Deli

• Deli Equipment

• Deli Business Names

• Best Deli Websites