Grilled Cheese and ?

[cakewalk]

Yes, I guess there's a lot of truth in that. (Sigh.) But what about if this were done like they do felafel in New York? That is, you get your felafel and the toppings are free, but they are served to you from behind the counter as you get your felafel; they're not set up in a salad bar type thing where you can keep going back to get more. Know what I mean? I'm not sure how Glenn's service is -- do you have waitstaff and table service? If so, this won't work.

(Note: I have no experience in the restaurant business, and don't know if people would get greedy because it's free, or decide against taking things they don't want because they're given an option. Personally, I would only go for the pickle -- and then only if it was a half-sour!)

I do not want to get this off topic too much but a quick comment. Some people will take so much of anything if it is free, to the point of ruining whatever they are eating just to get more.

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[KatieLoeb]

I like the carrot-raisin salad suggestion. Nice contrast of flavor, texture and color all in one.

[plattetude]

As one who has dined at Melt (and might I add, "yum"), I'll say that I very much appreciated the salad. It's not dressed, but it's very obviously a salad, and Glenn brings bottles of oil and vinegar for self-dressing.

Based on the variety of chutneys, jams, and other condiments available for the sandwiches themselves, I would suggest that cole slaw might not be the best option as a replacement side. I would think it would fight with a lot of sandwiches one might order.

And offering choices, eh, I'm not sure how cost effective that is in the long run either. Adding more complexity to what can be fairly complex orders (up to three cheeses per sandwich, a dozen or so other add-ins to choose from, two different breads)... Well, I just think there's enough to keep track of. Salad goes with everything (and makes a decadent little meal feel a wee bit healthy too!), and I'd say either take it off the plate altogether or leave it on and bump up the price.

Ultimately, though, I wonder if it's the cost that's nagging, or if it's just the wastefulness, which bumping up the price will certainly not alleviate.

Bottom line, my vote is, status quo works for me.

Christopher

[kitwilliams]

Glad I started reading from the top of the thread instead of simply adding a reply as I'm with the Tomato Soup crowd. Just enough to fill an old-fashioned diner-type coffee cup. It is what comes to mind when you mention grilled cheese.

I really like the chutney idea too!

[ludja]

I like the carrot-raisin salad suggestion.  Nice contrast of flavor, texture and color all in one.

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Not to knock the suggestion, but in the interests of "marketing" this one might be best if it was offered as part of a choice. Perhaps I am in the solid minority, but there may be enough people like me that would not like the raisins in this situation...

Another option on the coleslaw front is to make a non-mayonnaise slaw with more of a tart or maybe even a slightly spice edge (not sweet!) to it. (maybe some fennel, carrots or other vegs in it?). This would be a nice contrast to the sandwich, keeps well and would not be too expensive. I still like the idea of having a choice between salad, slaw or a pickle...

(have no idea how this would affect the economics but the pickle and slaw keep well so maybe it wouldn't be too difficult to juggle inventory...?)

oh... and I do agree that it would be neat to serve tomato soup in a mug (not as a sub for the salad options but as another item you could order). I can't recall if you are serving soup already in the restaurant.

Edited April 6, 2005 by ludja (log)

[chefzadi]

Salad.

Salad.

Salad.

Stick with the Salad. In the long run, it is the most cost effective free side option. It goes with every type of sandwich.

All of the other options mentioned above customers expect to and will pay for.

[NulloModo]

Aside from the salad, which is still a good idea, I do like the idea of adding some pickled sides that could practically last forever, which would cut down on labor time and probably food costs because of next to no spoilage.

A big jar of pickles or kimchee could just be kept in the walk-in almost indefinately, would be very cheap to obtain, and I think the vinegary pickled texture would go really well with the richness of a grilled cheese sandwhich.

[touaregsand]

House fried potato chips, cheap, cheap, cheap but tasty. It would be a cost effective subsitute for the greens or it can even be offered as a free option. You can also sell larger portions as a side.

Also the flavor os chips seasoned with just salt doesn't interfere or compete with the different flavors you have.

And did I mention it's cheap and people like them?

Edited April 7, 2005 by touaregsand (log)

[Rebecca263]

Please, research it and give us a wonderful PICKLE! Half sour and crunchy. Ahhh, with a well made sandwich, yum.

[glenn]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions.

I'm not quite understanding your thought process. If your customers eat the side salad you wouldn't be complaining about the cost for the house? Do you really think that the salad costs you 50 cents?

It absolutely does cost 50 cents or more. I have to include all costs involved, not just the cost of the food. There's waste, storage and other factors to consider. Actually, another reason I'd prefer not to serve salad is we don't have storage space for all the mesclun.

Is the salad there so customers can put lettuce and tomato on the sandwich if they want? If so, just ask them if they want it dressed or not when they order. ....

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No, we offer plenty of toppings including tomato for an extra charge and lettuce for free.

About offering soup - we do have a half sandwich and soup special. Serving soup as a side with every sandwich is not something most people want.

I'd like a bag of chips and a pickle please.

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lol, my informal poll of customers indicates that's what people want. My concern with chips is that it will cut into my french fry biz - I spent a minor fortune on our ventless fryer and need to recoup the costs. Btw, I have to say for frozen fries, you can't get much better than ours especially with the homemade spice topping we use.

I do not want to get this off topic too much but a quick comment. Some people will take so much of anything if it is free, to the point of ruining whatever they are eating just to get more. It is the same sort of mentality that make people totally pig out at a buffet - they have to make sure they eat twice as much as they think the price is worth, to the point of being uncomfortably full, otherwise they are not having a good time. Think about how drunk people get at weddings if someone else is picking up the bar tab. They probably have not been that drunk in years but if the booze is free...........they will drink to the point of vomiting. Good times.

Hah, good point. We offer 3 free toppings - dijon, branston pickles and onions. It's amazing how many people order all 3 regardless of how well it goes with the sandwich.

I agree with the choice suggestion.

3 or 4 simple items.  Your salad, pickles, corn relish, carrot raisin salad, pasta salad, etc.

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good idea but impractical for us. We're struggling for storage space as it is and are looking to cut down on inventory.

...When I’m in grilled cheese mode, I normally don’t really want a salad at all...ketchup or tomato soup for me, but I’m a heathen. If not a dill pickle, how about some kind of vegetable relish? I don’t know what it’s called other than corn relish, but something like that would be a nice tart counterpoint to a sandwich. Of course you’d want one that had some colour in it besides yellow.

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Definitely food for thought, thanks.

60% eat it

20% eat some of it

20% don't touch it

I don't know what the cost of greens is in New Jersey, if it really is that high use less expensive lettuce as a garnish.

Cole Slaw just doesn't look as pretty as a scattering of greens and a tomato. I also don't think cole slaw consumption as a side would be greater than the consumption of greens. As a customer I would expect to pay for coleslaw. Why give something away for free when you can charge for it? It also has to be premade and when it's past it's flavor prime you just have to dump it. Whereas greens can last a bit longer and are already probably used in other sandwiches. If you decide to add other sides in the future on the menu that you charge for you'll get "can I have potato salad instead?" with the assumption that substitutions are allowed free of charge.

Your customers are used to seeing the greens.

Are you doing consistent volume to be able to project how much of a premade item you would have to make? I understand that it's a new business.

Penny wise, pound foolish?

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good points and ones I gave a lot of thought to. While I've only been in biz a short time, I know intuitively that salad is not a wise option for the reasons mentioned. but yes, some customers will be put off when they don't get what they expected - the answer to that is to let every customer know (for a period of time) what the side dish is (and it will be on the menu.)

I think we're gonna go with a mildly spicy cole slaw. Thanks again everyone.

[touaregsand]

I think we're gonna go with a mildly spicy cole slaw. Thanks again everyone.

How much do you think the cole slaw will cost you?

[iheartoffal]

we did grilled cheese "trio" today...little sandwiches with smoked gouda, goat cheese, and gruyere respectively. served them with red beet chips. people seemed to enjoy the combination.

[winesonoma]

Cup of soup.

[CaliPoutine]

Yummy, grilled cheese. What's the name of your restaurant?

For me a grilled cheese isnt a grilled cheese without tomato soup AND some potato chips. In fact, I cant eat a sandwich without some chips.

[Jinmyo]

A big jar of pickles or kimchee could just be kept in the walk-in almost indefinately, would be very cheap to obtain, and I think the vinegary pickled texture would go really well with the richness of a grilled cheese sandwhich.

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My favourite accompaniment to grilled cheese is kimchi.

[glenn]

touargesand - my guess is a portion of cole slaw is about 10 cents based on a cost of 60 cents / lb. and 6 servings per pound.

CaliPoutine - Melt in Jersey City (there's a thread on it in the NJ section.)

What is kimchee?

[touaregsand]

Deleted

Link didn't work

Edited April 8, 2005 by touaregsand (log)

[touaregsand]

touargesand - my guess is a portion of cole slaw is about 10 cents based on a cost of 60 cents / lb. and 6 servings per pound.

CaliPoutine - Melt in Jersey City (there's a thread on it in the NJ section.)

What is kimchee?

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This is kimchi

Dunno about serving it at Melt, unless you're planning on opening one in Seoul.

[phaelon56]

You can always ask people if they want the "complimentary green salad" to be included on the plate or not. People who don't customarily eat salad won't expect to pay less for not having it included but most of them may actually tell you to not include it.

Those who typically do eat it will still have it included and a few will continue to leave it partially eaten.

And this is The Melt thread

[ghostrider]

How'd I miss this thread? Anyway, I would want the salad - something fresh & crunchy to contrast with the cheese.

Another good choice is described below.

...how about some kind of vegetable relish? I don’t know what it’s called other than corn relish, but something like that would be a nice tart counterpoint to a sandwich. Of course you’d want one that had some colour in it besides yellow.

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To my taste, coleslaw would not work; I love slaw in certain contexts, but here the notion of a mayo dressing alongside the cheese verges on nauseating. (This may be an idiosyncratic reaction but that's how it strikes me.)

I detest pickles so I'd hate to see a pickle replace the salad.

It seems that you're fated to have a certain % of customers who simply don't want anything fresh & crunchy outside the confines of their sandwiches. I can't think of what to do with them at the moment, beyond Owen's suggestion above.

Edited to add:

Ooops, somehow I scrolled past this last crucial comment:

I think we're gonna go with a mildly spicy cole slaw.

Oh well, you're never gonna please everyone.

Spicy is good though.

Edited April 10, 2005 by ghostrider (log)

[touaregsand]

To my taste, coleslaw would not work; I love slaw in certain contexts, but here the notion of a mayo dressing alongside the cheese verges on nauseating. (This may be an idiosyncratic reaction but that's how it strikes me.)

I don't like the mayo dressing as well. Another option is to dress it with a vinaigrette. I had it like that at La Brea bakery. I also think that people who actually like coleslaw will pay for it.

[ghostrider]

I don't like the mayo dressing as well. Another option is to dress it with a vinaigrette. I had it like that at La Brea bakery.

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Taste-wise, I agree that's a better option. But then is it really coleslaw?

I guess I have to start a new thread if I really want an answer.

[touaregsand]

It can be called cabbage slaw or free shredded thing on the side.

There are ways to play around with different types of preparations for cole slaw that includes mayo and is mildly spicey like Glenn mentioned.

One way that comes to mind is the marinade the slaw first in a vinegar based solution, than add a bit of mayo based dressing with a touch of sriracha or chili oil (I wouldn't use sesame chili oil for obvious reasons). You get layers of flavors that way. Flavor with out too much mayo. And the vinaiger and spice in the slaw will contrast with the cheese sandwiches rather creating a feeling of surfeit that a KFC type slaw would create.

[lcdm]

I like the cole slaw idea. Karpen's deli (long gone in Clifton NJ) used to serve a side of slaw and pickle with their sandwiches. No mayo I think it was dressed with vinegar (maybe a little oil) it was basically grated cabbage and carrots, you could always add a little red cabbage for color. It was refreshing. A corn relish might be nice too. Maybe you can change it based on the season.

[emmapeel]

Yesterday I had a Gyro with a side of a vinaigrette slaw and it was fantastic. There was something in it that I could not identify, but it was very mild slaw, sans carrots. The shreds were extremely fine, and I found that very nice.