The great grab-and-go sandwich showdown
Nowadays, convenience store sandwiches are a popular meal for Shanghai’s harried white collar types. But with so many convenience stores in Shanghai, which one offers the best? In this issue of the Guide, we put four ham-and-egg sandwiches through their paces. How did your favorite stack up?
Tools: A chopping board, a knife and a scale
C-store
Though the proportion of ham and egg is quite high, this sandwich suffered on taste. The bread was noticeably drier than others, while the poached egg inside as a little hard. The vegetables were few and not very fresh. The overall taste is a bit salty.
C-store also features toasts, including French toast and toast with egg and onion. Compared with the sandwiches, they may be the better choice for breakfast.
Name: Ham and egg sandwich
Price: 6.9 yuan (US$1)
Lawson
Lawson’s sandwiches have the most meat, including ham and bacon. With fresh tomatoes, lettuce and boiled eggs, the sandwich has a rich, strong flavor. However, skimpy use of mayonnaise and other condiments make it a little dry.
Salads here are also a highlight. Potato, wheat grass and crab meat salad are all popular among customers, which are priced between 5 to 7 yuan. The brand’s panini’s and hamburgers are also good choices for breakfast and lunch.
Name: Smoked bacon and egg sandwich
Price: 6.9 yuan
7-11
This sandwich has the highest net weight and proportion of meat and egg among those we tested. With a lot of ham and thick poached egg, this could be a good choice for lunch. a smattering of vegetables and salad dressing help give it a light taste. The flavor of the ham and egg mixes well in mouth, and the bread is very soft.
You can pay 3 yuan extra for a can of nestle coffee when you buy a sandwich. Other sandwiches with chicken, salmon and tuna filling are also worth a try. If you like Japanese food, you can also try 7-11’s various onigiri and sushi products.
Name: Ham and egg sandwich
Price: 7.8 yuan (US$1.1)
Family Mart
Though this sandwich has the smallest portion of meat and egg, it tasted surprisingly good. With its cheese, salad dressing and mayonnaise, the sandwich really packed a rich flavor. The eggs were fried, and tasted soft and sweet. However, the sandwich’s small size and lack of meat mean it may not fill your stomach.
Family mart holds regular promotions, and you can buy sandwiches with drinks at a discount. It also stocks less conventional offerings, like its green Tea & red bean sandwich and grape sandwich. There are also various kinds of breads, steamed buns, onigiri and sushi.
Name: Bacon and egg sandwich with cheese
Price: 6.5 yuan
