Gimme Pastrami on Rye with Russian Dressing

When I was a kid, my family lived in New York. As anyone who grew up in NYC knows, one of the great foods of the city is delicatessen or deli.

Now I’m not sure what your favorite deli menu item is, but my favorite is pastrami on rye with Russian dressing on the side. Some folks are mustard kind of folks, but make mine Russian dressing, and lots of it.

Last week I had the opportunity to go to NYC on business, and one of the most important stops, besides my client, was a deli. Not just any deli though, one of the great landmark Manhattan establishments.

For a couple of weeks before my trip I was telling friends that, in the absence of great quality deli in Orange County, this had become a high priority stop.

My expectations and anticipations were high.

Having arrived in NYC at about 6:30, and after a glass of the grape, it was time for the moment about which I had been salivating for weeks.

On 7th Avenue, in the mid 50’s and within 2 blocks of one another, are two of the great delicatessens in the city. Stage Deli and Carnegie Deli have been churning out phenomenal food for decades. Famous films have had their most memorable scenes filmed in the dining room of these delis – think When Harry Met Sally Broadway Danny Rose.

I approached the Stage Deli counter, eager to place my order.

“Pastrami on rye with Russian dressing on the side, to go please,” I said.

Moments later a bag appeared on the counter.

“Russian dressing in the bag?” I confirmed with the counterman.

“Absolutely, two packets!”he assured me.

On the way back to the hotel to consume this wonderful tower of goodness I kept thinking, “He said packet; since when does a NYC deli serve Russian dressing in a packet?”

Once in my room, I unwrapped the object of my culinary desire. My eyes met a tower of pastrami, on rye, with two packets of Kraft Thousand Island dressing.

Wait, KRAFT THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING?! (sorry to yell)

My experience was shot. The entire meal was relegated to just another sandwich in just another city.

The experience that I had expected and eagerly anticipated was now damaged beyond repair.

My guess is that using Kraft Thousand Island dressing allows Stage Deli to save money, curb waste, and deliver a more efficient “to go” process. I’d even be willing to bet that this change to Kraft packets was made within the last 18 months as business slowed due to the recession.

And that’s where it jumped the rails.

In a pursuit of cost savings and efficiency, the very core of the product had been compromised.

Would there be brand damage if Four Seasons Hotels replaced L’Occitane toiletries with Dial?

Yet bet there would be.

What about your product, your business, your brand?

Have the events of the last 18 months and the need to streamline, cost cut, and reinvent your product done harm to the very core of your perceived value in the marketplace?

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