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By Melanie Klein
Arizona Daily Wildcat
October 30, 1996
To wait or not to wait? To weigh or not to weigh? These are the questions students debate as they crowd into the Memorial Student Union trying to appease their growling stomachs.Those who make frequent stops at the Sidewalk Deli have a choice of purchasing a sandwich for a base price while those who prefer the Fiddlee Fig's "build-your-own sandwich" bar can buy it by the pound.
Jennifer Makowsky, creative writing senior, said she prefers the Fig's "build-your-own-sandwich" bar because it's quicker.
The Deli "seems like too much work" she said.
Mary Taylor, a junior majoring in English literature, said, "The lines are too long in the Fig and the sandwiches weigh a lot."
Although Makowsky and Taylor had differing opinions about which was the fastest place to grab lunch, both said they were willing to pay a little more for a sandwich to save time.
"Time is money," said Dan Adams, director of the Student Union. "If students run into a long line they may decide not to eat there.
"Don't let the lines scare you," he added. "They move pretty fast."
To compare price differences between a sandwich bought at base price or by weight, the Arizona Daily Wildcat purchased a variety of sandwiches from the Sidewalk Deli and the Fiddlee Fig.
At the Deli, a ham sandwich with provolone cheese on marbled rye cost $3.29. The same sandwich cost $3.86 when weighed at the Fiddlee Fig. That's a difference of 57 cents, enough for a soda from a vending machine.
A tuna salad sandwich with pepper jack cheese on a Kaiser roll cost $3.29. At the Fiddlee Fig, the sandwich cost 65 cents more when weighed. Additionally, sandwiches at the Sidewalk Deli come with a free pickle wedge.
"It's cheaper for me to buy by the pound because I don't eat as much," said Jennifer Proctor, family studies sophomore, who thinks both outlets take about as much time.
The Deli's vegetarian vita sandwiches goes for $2.10. The same sandwich, which can be made by using the sandwich bar and the salad bar, weighed in at $3.06 at the Fiddlee Fig.
But sometimes buying a sandwich by the pound can be the least expensive choice.
A smoked turkey and havarti cheese sandwich on an onion roll weighed in at $2.94 at the Fiddlee Fig. At the Deli, it cost $3.29.
"The base price is better for me because I think I eat a medium amount of food," said Amy Armstrong, communications junior.
"I would still pay more (for a sandwich) if it meant a shorter line," Armstrong said.
Mary Lou Hall, supervisor of the Sidewalk Deli, U-Mart and "A" Place, said, "The idea behind the Deli is to give students the best quality of food with the fastest service possible."
She said using the paper bags as order sheets cuts down on paper use and students can take as long as they want deciding without holding up other patrons.
The Union is always concerned with providing students a wide variety of food options and locations, Adams said.
On Oct. 21, the Deli served 650 patrons, which totaled $2,330 in sales. On the same day, the Fiddlee Fig sandwich bar brought in $764. The number of patrons who used the sandwich bar was not known.
"The deli gets a whole different type of clientele than those who go to the other units in the Union," Hall said.
The Deli is modeled after East Coast delis and serves only Boar's Head meats and cheeses, a high-quality name brand, she said.
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