After handing someone their sandwich for the hundredth time, I couldn't help but speculate: what drives people back here, week after week? Lunch is the obvious factor, but outside of that, what makes someone choose a sub sandwich over, say, a burger or pizza? Looking at the trends, we (the “sandwich artisans”) are usually able to pin-point the “spontaneous” cravings people get for our food. Here's an easy one: a sunny day. Sunshine, especially in Washington, is reminiscent of picnics, and everyone knows that sandwiches are eaten at picnics. While most people don't pack up the basket and set out, there is still an inclination to go outside and relax, and that's close enough. The funny part is when our customers don't understand why we're so busy. The concept that everyone "feels like" eating a sub at the same time is foreign to them --probably because they're caught up in the middle of it. The phenomena is undeniable though; our numbers spike with the temperatures (no wonder summer is our busy season). The correlation is so strong it could be shown on a graph. So conscious decision or not: if it's a nice day, go buy a deli sandwich.
