A fast-casual sandwich restaurant with over 300 locations throughout the United States, Schlotzsky's is a quirky named restaurant that got its start in 1971 by Don and Dolores Dissmas in Austin, Texas. Its first location was a tiny hole-in-the-wall shop on the eclectic South Congress Avenue. After experiencing some hiccups with franchising and eventually declaring bankruptcy, the restaurants underwent a rebranding where Schlotzsky's added 'Austin Eatery' to its name and revamped many of its restaurants to have a youthful, modern, funky Austin vibe.
When the shop opened it only sold one type of sandwich; a take on a muffaletta with various meats, cheeses, and olives served on freshly baked sourdough bread. Schlotzsky's expanded, and now offers several types of sandwiches, as well as salads, pizzas, calzones, soups, and desserts. In 2015, Schlotzsky's partnered with HealthyDiningFinder.com to offer several menu items under 670 calories. These menu items include sandwiches, pizza, salads, wraps, and a "pick 2 combination."
If it's your first time at Schlotzsky's, we've rounded up the best healthy choices to keep you full and satisfied.
The Best Healthy Menu Items to Order at Schlotzsky's
1. Vegetarian Pizza
Admittedly, pizza isn't the most calorie-conscious food. If you're going to indulge, Schlotzky's veggie pizza has the lowest amount of calories of any other option. The 10-inch pizza can also be made into a flatbread. The pizza is topped with 2 kinds of cheese, marinara sauce, green bell peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, red onions, and black olives.
2. Southwestern Chicken Salad
This salad has fewer than 300 calories, but you wouldn't know it by looking at it. This salad is loaded with grilled chicken, corn and black beans, tomato, romaine lettuce, and field greens, as well as shredded cheddar and mozzarella. It's topped with ranch dressing, which you can get on the side.
3. Fresh Veggie Sandwich
This vegetarian sandwich is loaded with fresh toppings to keep your hunger at bay. Olives, cucumber, tomato, red onion, shredded lettuce, and shredded cheddar cheese are piled high between sourdough bread. It's only 420 calories for a small sandwich.
4. Smoked Turkey Breast Sandwich
Schlotzsky's recently partnered with HealthyDining to offer some healthier menu items with nutritional information included. This sandwich is served with light mayo on toasted sourdough with lettuce and tomato. It clocks in at only 520 calories.
5. The Original
It's the original sandwich that put Schlotsky's on the map and remains their most popular. This sandwich is made with ham, salami, 3 kinds of cheese, onion, lettuce, tomato, mustard, and their signature sauce.
A small clocks in at 570 calories, making it a healthier option for an on-the-go lunch. This sandwich is also part of their Pick 2 combinations, which allows diners to get half a sandwich and soup, salad, or pizza, for under 670 calories.