New York City: Katz's Deli (July 2004)

My spouse and I have eaten at Katz's Deli several times. Katz's Delicatessen is a kosher style (not kosher) deli that was founded in 1888. It has become popular among locals and tourists alike for its pastrami sandwiches and hot dogs, both of which are widely considered among New York's best. Each week, Katz's serves 10,000 pounds of pastrami, 5,000 pounds of corned beef, 2,000 pounds of salami, and 12,000 hot dogs. In the early part of the twentieth century, the Lower East Side was home to millions of newly immigrated families. This, along with the lack of public and private transportation, forged a solid community such that Katz’s became a focal point for congregating. On Fridays, the neighborhood turned out for franks and beans, a long time Katz tradition. During the peak of the Yiddish theater, the restaurant was frequently full of actors, singers, and comedians from the many theaters on Second Avenue as well as the National Theater on Houston Street. During World War II, the two sons of the owners were both serving their country in the armed forces, and the family tradition of sending food to their sons became sealed as the company slogan "Send A Salami To Your Boy In The Army". Another of the deli's catch phrases is "Katz's, that's all!", which came about when a sign maker asked what to say on the deli's sign, and Harry replied "Katz's, that's all". This was misinterpreted by the sign maker who painted the sign as it stands today on the side of the building. As each customer enters Katz's, a door attendant hands them a printed, numbered ticket. As they receive their  food from various stations/areas throughout the deli (separate for sandwiches/hot dogs/bottled drinks/fountain drinks/etc.), employees compute a running total of the pre-tax bill. If several people's orders are combined on a single ticket, a cashier collects the blank tickets. Katz's has instituted a "lost ticket fee". If a customer loses a ticket, an additional $50 surcharge is added to the bill. The fee's purpose, as stated by the management, is to encourage patrons to go back and find the lost ticket in the hopes of preventing theft (substituting a smaller ticket for a larger one).

I've been bugging my husband for the past few weekends to make the 1.5 hour drive into NYC for a pastrami and swiss on Jewish rye from Katz's! Absolutely the best! There are no real delis where we live, and nothing compares to Katz's pastrami.