Soup and sandwich

The soup and sandwich combination meal is common in the United States.^[1][2] Depending on the intended size of the meal, the sandwich might be either half or a whole sandwich, and the soup may be served in either a cup or bowl.^[1] The combination of a grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup is a common example in American cuisine,^[3][4] and has been described as a comfort food.^[5][6]

The soup and sandwich combination became a popular lunch dish in the United States in the 1920s, and remains as a common dish at American luncheonettes and diners.^[7] It was also a common lunch dish in some earlier U.S. department stores that had dining rooms.^[1] In contemporary times, it is sometimes consumed as a light dinner.^[2] Some soup kitchens, outreach organizations and churches routinely provide the dish to the needy.^{[8][9][10][11]}

Some American restaurants specialize in soup and sandwich meals, such as the Panera Bread Company, Hale and Hearty, and Zoup! restaurant chains.^[12][13][14] In September 2016, the fast casual restaurant Panera Bread had a total of 2,024 stores at North American locations, some of which go by different company names.^[15][16] Panera plans to expand its product delivery availability, which began in early 2016, to include 35% to 40% of its store locations by the end of 2017.^[16] In October 2016, Zoup! has a total of 96 stores in the United States, with 93 franchise stores and three company-owned ones.^[14]

The soup and sandwich combination has been mass-produced in the United States and purveyed to consumers on a national level,^[17][18] the Campbell's Souper Combo frozen soup and sandwich meal being one example.^[17][18] Initially, the product realized promising sales revenues, but consumer interest later tapered off, with the initial high sales attributed to consumer curiosity about the new product and "one-off" purchases per this initial interest.^[17] The Souper Combo was a short-lived product, and was eventually discontinued.^[17][19]

The Corner Bistro is a line of mass-produced frozen prepared soup and sandwich meals marketed under the Stouffer's brand.^[19] The sandwiches are manufactured as stuffed melt sandwiches.^[19]

• List of sandwiches
• List of soups
• Food portal