Mystery at Jersey Mike's
Okay, so this post has nothing to do with video games, but it is about a pretty weird little real-life event, so read on...
For lunch today, I decided to go down to Jersey Mike's in Brentwood for a tuna sub. For those of you who've never heard of it, Jersey Mike's is a submarine sandwich chain that serves a good product, is known for impeccable customer services and has a sort of late 1950's East Coast flair. And today was no different -- I got a good sandwich and great service.
But it reminded me of what happened at a different Jersey Mike's about two weeks ago:
It was a Tuesday afternoon and my friend Ray, the V.P. of Development at our company drops by my office and says "Jersey Mike's?"
"Sure!", I say, and off we go in his truck.
On the way there he says "I'm really curious to see what happens when we get there."
"Why is that?" I was intrigued.
"Well I went there last week and the power was out, so they couldn't do business. I went back a couple of days later, and they were out of turkey and wheat bread. Who knows what will happen when we get there today?"
We get to the shop and there are only two employees working there (normally there are 3 to 5.) The back kitchen is dark. We walk up and notice that the meat and cheese cooler seems a little light.
Ray orders first asking "So, how is your inventory today?"
"Oh, we're all stocked up!"
Really... sure doesn't look like it...
Ray then places his order "I'll have a regular roasted turkey on whole wheat with swiss cheese."
"We don't have roasted turkey. Just plain turkey." And the guy says it in a way that would make you think they never had roasted turkey. They always had in the past.
"Okay, make it plain turkey then."
The guy then looks at me.
"I'll have a regular #10 on whole wheat with provolone."
The guy looks at the menu board behind him to see what a #10 is. You've gotta be kidding me! I've never seen anyone who works there not know automatically that a #10 is a tuna sub. But here's the kicker:
The guy says, "Uh, you normally have to, uh, request cheese on that sandwich."
Back up a second... Didn't I just say "I'll have a regular #10 on whole wheat with provolone"? For most people, that would count as some form of requesting cheese on my sandwich, would it not?
I couldn't help but laugh as I said "Then consider that to be a request!"
He pulls out this heal of provolone that couldn't have been more than a quarter inch thick and starts slicing it. It's the last of the provolone in the whole store!
He then grabs an even smaller piece of swiss cheese for Ray's sandwich. Seriously, it was already so thin, there was no need to put it on the slicer. I looked in the cold cabinet, and it, too, was the last of the swiss.
"You want anything on that?"
"Light mayonaise, tomatoes and lots of jalepeño peppers."
The guy looks at me like I just threw the Pope off the steeple of St. Michael's Cathedral and then, after a good five seconds of dumbfounded staring, begins making my sandwich.
Okay, so I get to the cash register and get to deal with the other joker.
"Could you make that a combo with a large drink?"
"We don't have large drinks." Now this guy is saying things like I'm crazy... like they never, ever had large drink cups.
I look down at the cup dispenser and, sure enough, the section of the dispenser that would have had large cups was empty. Well, I know for sure they used to have large cups. Heck, I look over at the menu and they are listed there as well.
"I'll take a regular then."
Now, I go over to the drink station, and three of the six fountain drinks are labeled "Out of Order". Not only are they out of cheese, meat and large cups, they are out of half their fountain drinks as well.
We sat down and Ray was absolutely fuming at the bad service, the lack of stock -- the whole experience.
Me? I'm laughing. I'm figuring this place has been bought out and is a front for laundering drug money or something.
We finished our lunch and got up to leave. Just as we get to the door, two men come in, and one of them says "Hey, this is just what I've been craving all morning..."
Ray and I look at each other, both thinking, "Good luck with that!" and took off.
For lunch today, I decided to go down to Jersey Mike's in Brentwood for a tuna sub. For those of you who've never heard of it, Jersey Mike's is a submarine sandwich chain that serves a good product, is known for impeccable customer services and has a sort of late 1950's East Coast flair. And today was no different -- I got a good sandwich and great service.
But it reminded me of what happened at a different Jersey Mike's about two weeks ago:
It was a Tuesday afternoon and my friend Ray, the V.P. of Development at our company drops by my office and says "Jersey Mike's?"
"Sure!", I say, and off we go in his truck.
On the way there he says "I'm really curious to see what happens when we get there."
"Why is that?" I was intrigued.
"Well I went there last week and the power was out, so they couldn't do business. I went back a couple of days later, and they were out of turkey and wheat bread. Who knows what will happen when we get there today?"
We get to the shop and there are only two employees working there (normally there are 3 to 5.) The back kitchen is dark. We walk up and notice that the meat and cheese cooler seems a little light.
Ray orders first asking "So, how is your inventory today?"
"Oh, we're all stocked up!"
Really... sure doesn't look like it...
Ray then places his order "I'll have a regular roasted turkey on whole wheat with swiss cheese."
"We don't have roasted turkey. Just plain turkey." And the guy says it in a way that would make you think they never had roasted turkey. They always had in the past.
"Okay, make it plain turkey then."
The guy then looks at me.
"I'll have a regular #10 on whole wheat with provolone."
The guy looks at the menu board behind him to see what a #10 is. You've gotta be kidding me! I've never seen anyone who works there not know automatically that a #10 is a tuna sub. But here's the kicker:
The guy says, "Uh, you normally have to, uh, request cheese on that sandwich."
Back up a second... Didn't I just say "I'll have a regular #10 on whole wheat with provolone"? For most people, that would count as some form of requesting cheese on my sandwich, would it not?
I couldn't help but laugh as I said "Then consider that to be a request!"
He pulls out this heal of provolone that couldn't have been more than a quarter inch thick and starts slicing it. It's the last of the provolone in the whole store!
He then grabs an even smaller piece of swiss cheese for Ray's sandwich. Seriously, it was already so thin, there was no need to put it on the slicer. I looked in the cold cabinet, and it, too, was the last of the swiss.
"You want anything on that?"
"Light mayonaise, tomatoes and lots of jalepeño peppers."
The guy looks at me like I just threw the Pope off the steeple of St. Michael's Cathedral and then, after a good five seconds of dumbfounded staring, begins making my sandwich.
Okay, so I get to the cash register and get to deal with the other joker.
"Could you make that a combo with a large drink?"
"We don't have large drinks." Now this guy is saying things like I'm crazy... like they never, ever had large drink cups.
I look down at the cup dispenser and, sure enough, the section of the dispenser that would have had large cups was empty. Well, I know for sure they used to have large cups. Heck, I look over at the menu and they are listed there as well.
"I'll take a regular then."
Now, I go over to the drink station, and three of the six fountain drinks are labeled "Out of Order". Not only are they out of cheese, meat and large cups, they are out of half their fountain drinks as well.
We sat down and Ray was absolutely fuming at the bad service, the lack of stock -- the whole experience.
Me? I'm laughing. I'm figuring this place has been bought out and is a front for laundering drug money or something.
We finished our lunch and got up to leave. Just as we get to the door, two men come in, and one of them says "Hey, this is just what I've been craving all morning..."
Ray and I look at each other, both thinking, "Good luck with that!" and took off.
posted by Cold Justice at
3:42 PM
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