Sandwich Of The Week: Schlotzsky's The Original

Back in 1971, Don and Dolores Dissman founded the original Schlotzsky's in Austin, where the chain's national headquarters are located to this day. Ten years later, the franchise had grown to 100 outposts; the restaurant's reach peaked in 2001 when 759 stores were in operation across the country, but today there are still more than 350 open nationwide.

When the Dissmans opened the doors to the very first store over 40 years ago, the menu was made up of just one sandwich: The Original. This is not just any sandwich, however – it's a medley of three meets and three cheeses on a bun that's baked in house at each of the chain's locations. Slices of lean smoked ham, Genoa salami, cotto salami, melted cheddar, mozzarella, and Parmesan are layered between two halves of a sourdough bun, along with black olives, red onion, lettuce, tomato, mustard, and their special house dressing to make one very flavorful sandwich.

On Tuesday, October 7, Schlotzsky's is giving away a small The Original with the purchase of a medium-sized drink and chips. Gluten intolerant? No problem – they're also introducing Udi's Gluten Free buns as a menu alternative. There's no coupon necessary, as this is the restaurant's way of saying "thank you" to their loyal customers, which is why it's our Sandwich of the Week.

Kate Kolenda is the Restaurant/City Guide Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @BeefWerky and @theconversant.