3 minute read

St. Patrick’s Day is more than a holiday. It’s a timely menu opportunity built for deep flavors, comfort food nostalgia and craveable LTOs. Here’s how you can tap into the power of deli icons like corned beef and pastrami this March.

The Reuben Is a Menu MVP

Every March, diners look for satisfying, established flavors and the Reuben sandwich consistently delivers. It’s hot, melty and indulgent, built from simple components with wide appeal.

The Reuben is a classic deli sandwich, often traced to a New York deli or a hotel in Omaha. But its use of corned beef and its cozy, deli-style format make it a seasonal staple for St. Patrick’s Day menus.

From corner diners to national chains, the Reuben is one of the most recognized and reliable limited-time offers for March and a strong performer across generations.

Corned Beef Owns the Holiday

Corned beef has a strong connection to St. Patrick’s Day, especially in Irish-American food culture. It’s not a traditional Irish dish, but it became the go-to for March menus in the U.S.

According to Tastewise social insights, corned beef dishes consistently trend in online conversation around St. Patrick’s Day, with diners looking for both classic and creative formats.

If you’re building a seasonal special, corned beef works well in:

• Comfort food–driven LTOs
• Reubens and melts
• Breakfast hashes and burritos
• Irish-inspired bowls or platters

Pastrami Brings the Twist

Like corned beef, pastrami is a longtime deli staple with strong roots in American sandwich culture. Its spice-rubbed crust, smoky flavor and visual appeal give it a differentiated edge, especially in builds where guests want something familiar but craveable.

Pastrami isn’t tied to the holiday in the same way, but that’s what makes it a smart way to stand out. It brings depth to menus that already feature classic comfort foods and performs well in:

• Handhelds and patty melts
• Shareable fries or flatbreads
• BBQ-inspired mashups or fusion builds

Use pastrami to give your Reuben a twist, or feature it as a standalone LTO that speaks to guests looking for rich flavor and deli nostalgia.

Corned Beef vs Pastrami: Same Cut, Different Impact

While corned beef and pastrami both start with cured beef, their prep, texture and flavor take them in different directions on the plate. Here’s a quick breakdown to help decide which works best for your menu:

But one thing they share? Labor. Both are time- and skill-intensive to prepare from scratch, which makes fully cooked, ready-to-use options a smart solution for operators looking to own the moment without tying up the line. With the right product, you can deliver from-scratch flavor without complexity.

5 Build Ideas That Deliver in March

These ideas make both proteins work harder across formats and dayparts:

1. Classic Reuben: Corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and thousand island dressing on grilled rye
2. Pastrami Reuben Melt: Pastrami, Swiss, grilled sauerkraut and horseradish mayo on marble rye, pressed until golden
3. Corned Beef Breakfast Burrito: Scrambled eggs, corned beef, roasted potatoes and cheddar with horseradish crema in a grilled tortilla

4. Pastrami Pub Fries: Fries topped with beer cheese sauce, chopped pastrami, scallions, pickles and spicy mustard drizzle
5. The Rachel: A popular alternative to the classic Reuben with ingredients you might already have on hand featuring smoked turkey, swiss, thousand island dressing and slaw.