Great Food, Appalling "Gatekeeping" by Management
(5 stars for the sandwich and maker, 0 stars for the service)
I’ve always been a fan of the food here, but my recent experience at this location was frankly appalling. I never thought I’d feel bullied over a request to toast a sandwich, but here we are.
The "Toasting" Runaround
I came in wanting a Veggie Lil' John toasted. I know how I like it: bread and cheese toasted first, then the cold toppings added. Simple, right? Apparently not. The cashier (who I believe was the manager) gave me a bizarre, escalating series of excuses:
"We don't toast."
"We only toast specialty sandwiches."
"I can toast it, but only if you upsell to a regular size."
The blatant attempt to gatekeep a toaster behind a price jump was ridiculous. When I asked, "So you're telling me I can only have it toasted if I go larger?" she doubled down and said yes. It felt less like a policy and more like a high-pressure sales tactic.
A Tale of Two Employees:
The contrast in service was jarring:
The Cashier/Manager:
Confrontational, rude, and made me feel like my presence was a burden. There is no reason for a sandwich order to feel like a power struggle.
The Sandwich Maker:
A complete professional. While the manager was busy being difficult, the coworker was already showing her it could be done and started executing my request. She was happy to assist with my "creation" and kept assuring me everything was fine.
The Verdict:
The sandwich was amazing—exactly as I wanted. But I usually don't like spending my hard-earned money where the staff makes me feel like I’m not supposed to be there. Whether this is a franchise or corporate-owned, the "bullying" atmosphere at the register needs to be addressed.
To the sandwich maker:
Thank you for the kindness. To the manager: It’s just a toaster.