Competition

So, I have been talking with a lot of folks in the Houston area about my sandwich hangout idea and they all have some places in mind that I absolutely must try. The establishment that comes up most often is Kenny and Ziggy's.

I figured, what better way to understand what I want to do and how I want to do it is to see how others have been doing it well. So, today I went to check it out. First off, this place is much larger than I imagined. When I imagine a deli, I imagine limited space. This place is huge. There are at least 4 different divided seating sections. Even with hardwood floors and diner-style seating, you still notice that this place is huge. Although they do have a deli counter, you have to get past the hostess. I didn't know delis had hostesses.

It does have a New York City feel though, exactly as they want it to. There are a ton of servers dressed nicely that swoop in and respond quickly (this is never a bad thing). The place is immaculate; I mean, I expect this place in downtown New York City.

The food, to change gears quickly, is awesome. I had a pastrami and corned beef triple decker sandwich. This is rye bread + coleslaw + pastrami + rye bread + corned beef + rye bread, measuing 5 inches in height. Also, instead of bread or crackers, the free appetizer is 2 dill pickles (I'm hoping they're homemade). The food is awesome and from what I understand, all of the stuff is homemade.

Truly, this place is as good as advertised. Am I worried or disheartened?
No. I am not.
As good as this place is, I think the place I have in mind has a different niche in the "great deli sandwich" mix. First of all, I spent $30 for a sandwich (albeit huge, probably 2 sandwiches), 2 sides and a beer. I was by myself!
The beer was a Shiner Bock; a good beer at a fair price $3.75. I can't complain too much. Next, the sandwich was almost $16 on its own including 1 side (coleslaw, potato salad or macaroni salad). To give some perspective, the sandwich was 5 inches tall: 2 inches of pastrami, 2 inches of corned beef, 3 slices of rye and a small layer of coleslaw. Then, being who I am, I ordered an additional side simply so that I could try both the coleslaw and the potato salad. So truly, $30 for 2 sandwiches, 2 sides and 1 beer + tip. I guess it adds up fair but when I repeat $30 for myself for dinner, it seems a little steep.

An aside: The 2 side order goes back to a precedent that my dad established that has been slightly tweaked. If my dad sees french onion soup on a menu, he orders it. If it's good, it's a sign that the restaurant is doing something right. I tend to agree with that; while he uses french onion soup, I use coleslaw and potato salad as my litmus for a good sandwich joint. Let's not kid ourselves here, anyone can make a sandwich that people will like. I mean, Subway, yes Subway, has the most franchises in the United States. I remember this from a Marketing class in 2003 (hooray, Iowa State education). I think most of the people reading this will agree that Subway sandwiches are not on their top 5 list. However, this same group cannot deny that they haven't purchased a subway sandwich, because they aren't awful. What I'm trying to get at is the fact that people don't always need the best sandwiches; they just need something they can tolerate and eat quickly. For heavan's sake, take a look at their new jingle: "5, 5 dollar, 5 dollar foot-long". They aren't even pushing healthiness anymore; they're just pushing "cheap". For me, if they don't offer coleslaw or potato salad as sides, skip the place.

-- that was a really long aside..... sorry. --

To get back to the point, Let me explain -- No, there is too much. Let me sum up (Michelle, that's a little Princess Bride for you).
Kenny and Ziggy's...
1. is huge
2. has great food
3. cost more than I would have expected but wasn't unreasonable
4. Am I worried? No.

What I learned from my experience at Kenny and Ziggy's is:
1. I want to have a smaller place with a more "local/regular" feel.
-It kinda had a little bit of a Hard Rock Cafe or Times Square location feel where they don't give a crap who you are but still treat you well.
- I want my place to feel like a local stop. Maybe I'll sacrifice some volume for the opportunity to absorb myself into a neighborhood.
2. It's obvious when food is made well.
- It's in the first bite. There is beef from Subway, beef from your grocery store and then there is beef from those that do it best.
- Be proud of what you do best. Kenny and Ziggy's tells you what they make in house. If it's not written in the menu like the pastrami or corned beef "we make it here" statements, it's in the more subtle pickle-starter actions.
3. People will pay a lot for good food.
- While suprised at the total bill, I still rationalized it. I'm supposed to know better. That's a lot of money and I still gladly paid for it.
- I may not be able to get away with those prrices, but I don't have to be afraid to price things for what I feel is appropriate.
4. I think that the place I have in mind doesn't compete directly with Kenny and Ziggy's. While I will try and compete with the quality of the food, I don't want to be a big establishment with a large staff like K&Z. I want a smaller, local feel where people don't hesitate to approach the deli counter or jump in a bar stool.

It's official, I now have to try delis everywhere I go because I keep picking up both ideas and influences as well as contrasting/non-competitive aspects to all the places I go to.

I'll keep eating; you keep reading.
-- Rees