The High Cost of Deli! Why so High?

[mish]

Picked up a few sandwiches and a potato knish, and the bill came to $43.

What I took out was - two brisket sammiches, chopped liver sammich & a knish. It came with way too many pickles, tiny cup of potato/bland salad & tiny cup of bland coleslaw - no dressing - basically shredded cabbage.

My question/feeling is the price for deli is too high. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind paying the price for good food...but Why so high for a sammich?

My experience with NY & LA delis, is that the sandwiches are over-stuffed. I can't eat more than half. So why not make a normal size sammich and charge half the price?

Are we paying for the 'name', Art's, Jerry's Famous?

Any thoughts?

 

[GB]

Any thoughts?

Yeah I have a thought...you are getting ripped off! That is a ridiculous amount of money for what you got IMO.

 

[Andy M.]

Does your deli offer half sandwiches? Many do, making that a good option for the smaller appetite.

That being said, that's a lot of money for three sandwiches and a knish.

 

[mish]

Thanks GB & Andy. Each sandwich (at Jerry's - yep I'm gonna mention their name), cost $12.45 - outrageous, imo... & they're not alone. All the delis charge ridiculous prices for a sandwich.

One of the Jerry's here, is frequented by celebs. People hang around & shmooze while 'star' gazing. When did a meat sandwich turn into a deli delicacy. If you want a slice of chocolate cake, the price is probably comparable to what I recall at Sardi's? years ago.

Wow. Just wondered why.

 

[Hopz]

Why? You want to know why?... because people pay it, that's why.

Just like dogs... why do they ... oh never mind, you get the point.

 

[Erik]

Just as bad...crap like Quizno's it's $9.00 for the good sandwiches.
Inflation...ever price GOOD deli meat in the store??? You need to get a secured personal loan!!!

 

[mish]

Why? You want to know why?... because people pay it, that's why.

Just like dogs... why do they ... oh never mind, you get the point.

I hear ya Hopz. You're right on the money.

 

[Andy M.]

The celebs drive up the prices.

Can you shop elsewhere?

 

[mish]

Just as bad...crap like Quizno's it's $9.00 for the good sandwiches.
Inflation...ever price GOOD deli meat in the store??? You need to get a secured personal loan!!!

Erik, never ate at a Quizno's, but for $9 bucks maybe they should throw in their cap.

Subway is the pits, imo. Don't think there's actually any real deli meat in those sammiches... and the smell of the place makes me queezy.

 

[GB]

and the smell of the place makes me queezy.

I am so glad I am not alone in that Mish. Our video store is right next to a Subway shop and I have to hold my breath when I walk into the video store cause that smell just hits you right in the face. I find it revolting.

 

[Sugar N' Spice]

Wow! I just got an italian sub from the deli down the street for only $5.75. And it was yummy!

 

[BreezyCooking]

Although I haven't bought more than bagels there yet, we have a new "Taste of New York" deli/bagel shop here, & their sandwiches are outrageously priced - like $12 to $18 each. They do say that there's a pound or more of meat per sandwich &, if requested, they'll include extra bread (I guess so you can make a 2nd sandwich out of it). I have a feeling they might not make out here - this simply isn't the area for $18 sandwiches.

 

[Gretchen]

Location, location, location = overprice, gouging. Just say no.

 

[mish]

Although I haven't bought more than bagels there yet, we have a new "Taste of New York" deli/bagel shop here, & their sandwiches are outrageously priced - like $12 to $18 each. They do say that there's a pound or more of meat per sandwich &, if requested, they'll include extra bread (I guess so you can make a 2nd sandwich out of it). I have a feeling they might not make out here - this simply isn't the area for $18 sandwiches.

Wow. That's a lotta dough, breezy.

What also came to mind is Arby's. Is it really roast beef? Doesn't taste like it - and it's grey.

I think with any negative, there's a positive solution. What I'd like to see, if I could re deli/sammiches - start a biz with homemade brisket/pastrami/corned beef sammiches with homemade potato/pasta salads etc. - not a bag o chips - at a reasonable price.

I think there's a market out there for home made good sammiches, without paying $12-18. Mentioned some time ago 'bout an Italian deli I loved. The sandwiches were amazing, with fresh cans o tuna, Italian subs, meatballs, eggplant - all home made.

Food for thought.

 

[kadesma]

Wow. That's a lotta dough, breezy.

What also came to mind is Arby's. Is it really roast beef? Doesn't taste like it - and it's grey.

I think with any negative, there's a positive solution. What I'd like to see, if I could re deli/sammiches - start a biz with homemade brisket/pastrami/corned beef sammiches with homemade potato/pasta salads etc. - not a bag o chips - at a reasonable price.

I think there's a market out there for home made good sammiches, without paying $12-18. Mentioned some time ago 'bout an Italian deli I loved. The sandwiches were amazing, with fresh cans o tuna, Italian subs, meatballs, eggplant - all home made.

Food for thought.

A pound of meat in a sammie? Plueeze, then all you read is that we americans are over weight!!! I'd rather buy the deli meat and fixings, and do my own..You can at least pick the amount you want, plus even though it is expensive, the flavor is wonderful and it's not been sitting in a tray all day pre-sliced and waiting. Fresh lettuce, onion, tomato, dressing and some wonderful homemade or bakery bread is worth the time andif you choose carefully not as expensive. Heck even if the cost was to be equal, homemade is well worth the trouble..I do think though that balking at the price might help over time..I did it not to long ago, ordered 4 loaves of bread, bill 25 bucks, I told them to keep it I wasn't paying that when I could have made it for a lot less and even store bread as high as it's gotten was cheaper, I know but not as nice They, looked surprised, but I got that bread for 3 dollars a loaf! Good post Mish.
kadesma