Delicatessen

:This article is about food stores. For the movie, see Delicatessen (film).

The US delicatessen

The delicatessen as found in the cities of the United States (and occasionally Canada) emphasizes take-out food. It is a boon to the contemporary city dweller with a distaste for chain fast food joints but without time for a sit-down or home-cooked meal. It is meant to be a one-stop in-and-out dining venue for later day meals.

Related Topics:
Fast food - Meal

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A delicatessen is something between a fast-food restaurant and a grocery store. It offers a much wider and fresher menu than chain fast food restaurants, never employing fry machines and always making sandwiches to order.

Related Topics:
Grocery store - Fast food - Restaurants - Sandwich

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A grocery store or supermarket may make its own deli food, or even have a deli within it. Like a market, a delicatessen offers a selection of shelved food, although it is limited. Shelf food is often of the type that is not likely to be kept for more than a day. Produce, when present, is limited in quantity?and often freshness.

Related Topics:
Grocery store - Produce

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Delicatessens vary greatly in size, but are typically not as large as grocery stores. In areas with high rents for retail space, delicatessens are often quite small.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Product base

Every good delicatessen has a solid sandwich menu, all of which are made to order behind the counter. Most have a wide selection of various sandwiches, ranging from clubs to hero, hot to cold, burgers to wraps. The pastrami sandwich is sometimes considered the ultimate criterion of quality in a delicatessen.

Related Topics:
Sandwich - Clubs - Hero - Burgers - Pastrami

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Delicatessens often sell their meats by weight, as cold cuts, and prepare party trays.

Related Topics:
Meats - Cold cut - Party tray

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In addition to made-to-order sandwiches, nearly all delicatessens offer made-to-order green salads. Equally essential is a selection of pre-made?often in house?pasta, potato, chicken, tuna, shrimp, and other variety of "wet" salads, displayed underneath the counter and bought by weight. Pre-cooked chicken, shrimp, or eggplant products, possibly fried or parmigiana style are found frequently, though they do not constitute the mainstay of a delicatessen.

Related Topics:
Salads - Pasta - Potato - Chicken - Tuna - Shrimp - Eggplant - Parmigiana

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In order to provide an opportunity for a complete meal, delicatessens also offer a wide variety of beverages, usually pre-packaged soft drinks, coffee, teas, milk, etc. Chips and similar products are available in some variety, though they rarely rival the selection of small package cookies and snack foods; some pre-packaged, others store-made and cellophane wrapped.

Related Topics:
Meal - Beverages - Soft drinks - Coffee - Teas - Milk - Chips - Cookies - Snack foods

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Alongside these primarily lunch and dinner products, a delicatessen might also offer a number of additional items geared toward the breakfast eater, including baked goods (breakfast pastries, bagels, toast), yogurt, and warm, egg "breakfast sandwiches". Newspapers and small food items such as candy and mints are also usually available for purchase.

Related Topics:
Lunch - Dinner - Breakfast - Pastries - Bagels - Toast - Yogurt - Newspaper - Candy - Mints

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Most delicatessens are run by a regular staff; getting to know them will probably improve your service.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Urban affiliation

The North American delicatessen is skewed towards cities, particularly older cities that are less car-oriented, thus favoring walk-in traffic. The residents of New York City have a particularly close connection to their delis, and many delicatessens outside of New York call themselves "New York Delicatessen," to evoke the emotional appeal of the traditional New York City delicatessen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~