When I eat lunch out these days, I mostly go to places with <$10 sandwiches.

Where can you get a sandwich within 2 miles of downtown that has the proportions of Goose for under $10?

Goose Deli serves a hefty sandwich - stuffed with ingredients. $11-13 for a large sandwich prepared with fresh ingredients is competitive with the following:

Firehouse Subs
Potbelly Sandwich Shop
The Mule
City Bites
Hobby's Hoagies (my personal favorite)
Jimmy Johns
Pickleman's
Jersey Mike's

If I had to make a counterargument I'd point to Neptune's and Lees - both of which seem to be cheaper. However, their real estate and ingredient sourcing are also likely a lot different. Neptune's Subs is ~$2 cheaper. I would argue that quality is noticeably different. Lees Sandwiches is the most affordable, saving you ~$3 if you built out an actual 12" sub, which will have a lot less meat and ingredients.

The days of $6 subs at Someplace Else are long gone. This forum lauded Scottie's Deli for it's delicious, traditional style sandwiches and then moaned when it went out of business, blaming costs.
I swear some of the posters on this site are living in 2025 while their wallet is is carrying cash printed in 2007.

Attached is a picture from Yelp showing a combo meal from Neptunes purchased for $16.19400

Where can you get a sandwich within 2 miles of downtown that has the proportions of Goose for under $10?

Goose Deli serves a hefty sandwich - stuffed with ingredients. $11-13 for a large sandwich prepared with fresh ingredients is competitive with the following:

Firehouse Subs
Potbelly Sandwich Shop
The Mule
City Bites
Hobby's Hoagies (my personal favorite)
Jimmy Johns
Pickleman's
Jersey Mike's

If I had to make a counterargument I'd point to Neptune's and Lees - both of which seem to be cheaper. However, their real estate and ingredient sourcing are also likely a lot different. Neptune's Subs is ~$2 cheaper. I would argue that quality is noticeably different. Lees Sandwiches is the most affordable, saving you ~$3 if you built out an actual 12" sub, which will have a lot less meat and ingredients.

The days of $6 subs at Someplace Else are long gone. This forum lauded Scottie's Deli for it's delicious, traditional style sandwiches and then moaned when it went out of business, blaming costs.
I swear some of the posters on this site are living in 2025 while their wallet is is carrying cash printed in 2007.

Attached is a picture from Yelp showing a combo meal from Neptunes purchased for $16.19400I would not describe the sandwich I received at The Goose as "hefty." Not even close, and it DEFINITELY wasn't a 12" sub. Maybe 7" or 8". The one you show above from Neptune appears to be at least 50% larger than what I was served at The Goose, if not more.

The tea pictured would come with free refills. The 8 oz. bottle of Diet Coke we received did not. The chips were comparable to the Neptune pic, I will give you that.

And does Neptune request tips for counter service, by the way?

I felt the prices we were charged at The Goose were high even before the tip. I doubt I would have been back regardless of the additional 20%.

But let's say I worked across the street and had the potential of being a regular at the joint, and decided that I wasn't going to tip for counter service. Does anyone think that doing so would NOT affect the service I received on future visits? If so, I have a bridge in New York City I'd like to sell you.

so does this mean when you order a beer at a bar you don't tip? because that's essentially just "counter-service" at that point is it not?

i'm not going to sit here and argue that people making $12/hr or whatever do or don't deserve my tip. who gives a **** if they just walked my food to me. if my tip can help someone pay their electric bill or buy a tank of gas, i really don't care beyond that.

and fwiw i do tip my dry cleaners and i gave cash to our mailperson for xmas this year--sorry that wasn't the gotcha yall thought it was

Tipping bartenders has been the accepted practice since the dawn of time, so a bad example. And they make your drink to your specifications which often involves a fair amount of knowledge and skill and then bring it to you; not just a few punches on a tablet that takes zero expertise.

Nobody is trying to play 'gotcha', merely explaining the cultural norms and how suddenly, inexplicably, some are trying to change this for one very specific type of worker who is no different than thousands of other professions, many of which are paid even less.

It just doesn't follow any common sense. It has nothing to do with empathy.


BTW, if you gave cash to your mailman, I'm sure you asked this person to divide it among the many different people who work a single mail route in a year. Easily 10-12 different people have delivered mail to my house this year. And I'm sure you are tipping them every time they deliver mail?

Where can you get a sandwich within 2 miles of downtown that has the proportions of Goose for under $10?

Not a sandwich, but I often go to Tropical Cafe and get one of their yogurt meals. I don't' get a drink with those.

I don't get foot long sandwiches. That's too much for me for lunch. You can get a 6" at Neptune's for under $10.

Lee's Sandwiches has amazing values as well. Their things are all on foot long subs full of some great veggies and 12" long on fresh baguettes.

I personally can't compare to Goose as I haven't yet been there. I don't know how "hefty" their situation is, but I'm not necessarily looking for a sandwich so full of ingredients that I have to knife-and-fork it.

And we are --->here<--- on Hobby's.. those grease bombs are amazing.. but maybe 4x per year.

And does Neptune request tips for counter service, by the way?

Yes, but IIRC, they have a 10% option.

Value is relative and pretty subjective so I don't take issue with what Goose's sandwiches cost - I liked mine and now just accept that everything is expensive today.

I just don't appreciate the tipping element for counter service, particularly prior to actually being served anything.

^ and that criticism isn't unique to The Goose and hasn't kept me from returning...I just quit tipping prior to service and think it's tacky anytime it comes up.

I won't tip at the counter when paying at Johnnies (they make you select a tip or no tip on the tablet) but I do leave a couple of dollars on the table for the lady that cleans the tables. It just seems like a thankless job to have to clean up after people and I doubt very many people leave anything for her. At Swadleys it is counter ordering and paying and their tablet asks for a tip or no tip. I won't tip there at the counter but we give $5 to the person that gets our drinks and BBQ sauces and checks on us while we are eating and asks if we need anything. Those are the only two counter service places that I can think of where I leave any kind of tip.

Tried the place today. Really good sandwich, really good chips. Not a bad value at $11.

I was disappointed that from left to right, my tipping options were 30%, 25%, 20%, or "custom" at the counter.

Now for that, I never had an offer of a refill on my drink--I don't think they do that-- and someone did bring me my food from the kitchen.

Very friendly service though, but 30% for counter service is ridiculous.

honestly all these responses are a huge bummer to me. even if someone is making higher than minimum wage, it is still likely not a "living wage." a couple bucks per customer makes a HUGE difference to them. if i can afford to eat out, i can afford to tip where i don't HAVE to, and as someone who worked in customer service for literal years, i will always choose to tip. even for counter-service.

I really hate this term "living wage". If the government got out of taxing us to death, insurance, cost of living, we'd all be better off. Really, what has the government done that improves our lives? Everything they put their fingers in they screw up. Where does all our tax money go?

I really hate this term "living wage". If the government got out of taxing us to death, insurance, cost of living, we'd all be better off. Really, what has the government done that improves our lives? Everything they put their fingers in they screw up. Where does all our tax money go?

It comes off as pretty disingenuous, and almost an admission that an employer knows they aren't paying their workers enough when they admit to relying on customers to pay extra to ensure their employees earn a living wage.

It'll be difficult to impossible to quantify how many customers you run off by having 30% tipping as on option on your POS screen, but it's going to run lots of customers off.

But that said, "where does our tax money go" is a question I had a smartass retort for, but it seemed too political. In sum, Google is your friend, this is not secret information.

But almost everyone works in customer service in one way or another; the U.S. is a service-based economy after all.

Do you tip your Amazon delivery driver? Your mailman? How about the checker at a grocery store or Target? The person that hands you your dry-cleaning? Someone at a retail store? The person who answers your call? The receptionist at your doctor's office? Most of these people don't make much more than minimum wage.

Heck, tipping someone at Braum's would make more sense than a typical counter-service restaurant. That person takes your order, often makes your food while you are waiting, asks all types of questions and customizes your order and THEN rings you up.

As a society, we decided very long ago that when you sit down and are waited on, that is a service that should be tipped, assuming they do a good job. We also decided that when a customer stands in line and gets help from someone behind a counter, that is not worthy of a gratuity. There are thousands of these professions outside of restaurants.

Honestly, the one and only reason counter-service restaurants have implemented this practice is they have these new point-of-sale devices that allow them to prompt the customer for a tip. You almost never saw a tip line on a credit card slip you were asked to sign. But now there is the new swivel tablet or a screen facing the customer, so it's just been added in although absolutely zero has changed otherwise.

and i will add that the company that provides the swivel screen and service usually gets paid on a % of the total transaction .. (so it is very much in their interest to make that transaction as large as possible)

^

Yeah, there are a handful of these newish point-of-sale companies and when their hardware and software started to be implemented, you suddenly started seeing the tipping prompts at the counter.

As I said, absolutely nothing else has changed -- certainly not the service -- other than the tech.


And BTW, sneakily 20% has become the *minimum* tip everywhere you go. We all know it was 15% until relatively recently, and that was the high end reserved for really good service.

There has been a continual creep in percentages and places asking for tips. Where does this end?

You can select $0 with custom tip. I do that at sit down full service restaurants that have the pay kiosk on the table then give the waiter a cash tip. It's amazing the thanks we get giving them cash. If my tip is going to be $15 or less I always tip in cash. Even if the waiter takes the payment I $0 tip on the paper receipt and give them cash.

We all know it was 15% until relatively recently, and that was the high end reserved for really good service.

There has been a continual creep in percentages and places asking for tips. Where does this end?

Yeah, kind of hard to claim this is because of inflation when prices at restauraunts seem to have almost doubled in the last few years.

^

Yeah, there are a handful of these newish point-of-sale companies and when their hardware and software started to be implemented, you suddenly started seeing the tipping prompts at the counter.

As I said, absolutely nothing else has changed -- certainly not the service -- other than the tech.


And BTW, sneakily 20% has become the *minimum* tip everywhere you go. We all know it was 15% until relatively recently, and that was the high end reserved for really good service.

There has been a continual creep in percentages and places asking for tips. Where does this end?

very much this ... pretty much my entire life it was 15% standard 20% for "good service" or more if you so choose ..

It comes off as pretty disingenuous, and almost an admission that an employer knows they aren't paying their workers enough when they admit to relying on customers to pay extra to ensure their employees earn a living wage.

It'll be difficult to impossible to quantify how many customers you run off by having 30% tipping as on option on your POS screen, but it's going to run lots of customers off.

But that said, "where does our tax money go" is a question I had a smartass retort for, but it seemed too political. In sum, Google is your friend, this is not secret information.

Yeah, that was a rather off the cuff comment I had out of a bit of frustration with social flows. I'll dial it back.

Fox and Rye in Edmond is the first place I've been in recently that DIDN'T have the tip option. I even asked about it, because I was surprised. The lady working (could have been the owner, I don't know) told me 'we pay a living wage here, so we don't ask for tips.' It's a place I'm ashamed to say I haven't been back to as frequently as I should, because I support that kind of business plan.

Fox and Rye in Edmond is the first place I've been in recently that DIDN'T have the tip option. I even asked about it, because I was surprised. The lady working (could have been the owner, I don't know) told me 'we pay a living wage here, so we don't ask for tips.' It's a place I'm ashamed to say I haven't been back to as frequently as I should, because I support that kind of business plan.

Yeah but, what is a living wage? How do you define "living wage"? By who's standards? If a person has 4 children and a spouse who can't work for whatever reason, does the "living wage" mean the same for them than a young person living at home with little to no responsibilities? I would rather focus on economic pressures and why it costs so much more to live that it used to in the past (pre-1990s). Something is wrong in the system.

^

At no time in our history has a single-wage earner been able to support a family of six working at a counter-service restaurant.

There are plenty of other more highly-paid jobs that don't require college: construction, various trades (all in need), medical care of various types, call centers, distribution, even working in an Amazon warehouse pays around $20/hour in OKC, which equates to over $40K a year plus benefits. Amazon will even pay your college tuition.

^

At no time in our history has a single-wage earner been able to support a family of six working at a counter-service restaurant.

There are plenty of other more highly-paid jobs that don't require college: construction, various trades (all in need), medical care of various types, call centers, distribution, even working in an Amazon warehouse pays around $20/hour in OKC, which equates to over $40K a year plus benefits. Amazon will even pay your college tuition.

had several friends in college work at UPS for, at the time, more then double min wage and UPS paid for their tuition ..

lol didn't mean to start a whole thing here.

really just meant to say customer service is a thankless job, increasingly so today because everyone went insane after covid, so i tip a few bucks anytime i am presented the option. clearly you all are under no obligation to tip. it's not required! but i do think if you're able to drop $13 on a sandwich then what is another $2.50 to you?

truly i wish every employer paid their employees $22/hr or whatever ups is paying. i also agree that it should not fall to the consumer! but! that's not the world we live in so i will tack on a couple bucks to the person taking my sandwich order.

I read this morning that OKC has the second lowest unemployment rate in the US, which is around 2%. The free market makes it seem that any able-bodied adult can make $15-20 an hour. How can it be possible a large part of the adult population is making under $15?

I read this morning that OKC has the second lowest unemployment rate in the US, which is around 2%. The free market makes it seem that any able-bodied adult can make $15-20 an hour. How can it be possible a large part of the adult population is making under $15?

1 in 12 Oklahoma adults is a felon. That can be a major barrier to getting a decent job if you are unwilling or unable to work in certain fields. That is not the entire story, but it most certainly helps exacerbate the issue.

lol didn't mean to start a whole thing here.

really just meant to say customer service is a thankless job, increasingly so today because everyone went insane after covid, so i tip a few bucks anytime i am presented the option. clearly you all are under no obligation to tip. it's not required! but i do think if you're able to drop $13 on a sandwich then what is another $2.50 to you?

truly i wish every employer paid their employees $22/hr or whatever ups is paying. i also agree that it should not fall to the consumer! but! that's not the world we live in so i will tack on a couple bucks to the person taking my sandwich order.

if you take an order at the counter and then someone picks up the food at the counter you are not in customer service ..

Most chains are going to replace those counter service personal with AI driven POS systems in 10 - 20 years (That's a conservative number, could be a lot faster). Also, If we ever get the legality of autonomous driving sorted out - that will be the end of the delivery driver gig economy.

AI going to bring massive changes to the economy. Its going to be a painful transition period as we figure out how to better use our human strengths. People need to ask themselves "How easy is it for my job to automated?" Right now being the underpaid human is the only thing that keeps people competitive to the automation systems.

We're probably going to see ordering kiosks and similar systems get more and more used but don't imagine AI will play a big part in those except as mostly useless add-on functionality. You don't need AI to make a nice ordering interface and let the customer pay, that's just overkill.

We're probably going to see ordering kiosks and similar systems get more and more used but don't imagine AI will play a big part in those except as mostly useless add-on functionality. You don't need AI to make a nice ordering interface and let the customer pay, that's just overkill.

Almost every place now allows ordering through apps.

And all those apps ask for tips, too.


All of this is completely software-driven, an invention to try and shame people into spending more money for the exact same thing that never, ever warranted tips for the last 100 years.

Most chains are going to replace those counter service personal with AI driven POS systems in 10 - 20 years (That's a conservative number, could be a lot faster). Also, If we ever get the legality of autonomous driving sorted out - that will be the end of the delivery driver gig economy.

AI going to bring massive changes to the economy. Its going to be a painful transition period as we figure out how to better use our human strengths. People need to ask themselves "How easy is it for my job to automated?" Right now being the underpaid human is the only thing that keeps people competitive to the automation systems.

more like the next 3-5 years ... i don't think people grasp how much AI is going to change almost every business ...

the AI "order taker" will be able to do specific requests .. changes substitutions ect .. ..

Most chains are going to replace those counter service personal with AI driven POS systems in 10 - 20 years (That's a conservative number, could be a lot faster). Also, If we ever get the legality of autonomous driving sorted out - that will be the end of the delivery driver gig economy.

AI going to bring massive changes to the economy. Its going to be a painful transition period as we figure out how to better use our human strengths. People need to ask themselves "How easy is it for my job to automated?" Right now being the underpaid human is the only thing that keeps people competitive to the automation systems.

I won't go to any place where I'm not interacting with humans. We have a ramen place near us that's automated the ordering process and the place feels dystopic. The environment is dead and uninviting. Atmosphere and human interaction matter. I recognize there's a middle ground, but if things get overly automated then I think a lot of people will opt out.

But, yeah, the jobs AI mostly will replace are the ones where humans are already doing machine-like work.

I won't go to any place where I'm not interacting with humans. We have a ramen place near us that's automated the ordering process and the place feels dystopic. The environment is dead and uninviting. Atmosphere and human interaction matter. I recognize there's a middle ground, but if things get overly automated then I think a lot of people will opt out.

But, yeah, the jobs AI mostly will replace are the ones where humans are already doing machine-like work.

I am with you on this. I love the human interactions I get when I am out at a restaurant. The whole kiosk thing is a turn off!

We're probably going to see ordering kiosks and similar systems get more and more used but don't imagine AI will play a big part in those except as mostly useless add-on functionality. You don't need AI to make a nice ordering interface and let the customer pay, that's just overkill.

As the price of technology comes down it will become more standard. The value of the human is that they can sale, offer suggestions, and give the personal touch. AI will know what your previous buying patterns and try to craft something for you.

I am with you on this. I love the human interactions I get when I am out at a restaurant. The whole kiosk thing is a turn off!

I would rather have this sort of ordering than be prompted for a 30% tip while a person who has done nothing but push a couple of buttons stands over you.

How much human interaction are you getting from a cashier? When given the option, most people prefer self-checkout.

As the price of technology comes down it will become more standard. The value of the human is that they can sale, offer suggestions, and give the personal touch. AI will know what your previous buying patterns and try to craft something for you.

Yeah, I don't want a human replaced with some data-collecting surveillance algorithm that'll tell me what I want and sell that info to data brokers. When I go to restaurants or coffee shops, part of the fun is actually learning about the menu, asking questions, taking a chance on something new, and interacting with people. I have no interest in some AI tech that's going to "make my dining experience more personalized and efficient." I really hope people reject this future.

Yeah, I don't want a human replaced with some data-collecting surveillance algorithm that'll tell me what I want and sell that info to data brokers. When I go to restaurants or coffee shops, part of the fun is actually learning about the menu, asking questions, taking a chance on something new, and interacting with people. I have no interest in some AI tech that's going to "make my dining experience more personalized and efficient." I really hope people reject this future.

Agree with everything you said, but not sure we'll have much choice in the matter...

I won't go to any place where I'm not interacting with humans. We have a ramen place near us that's automated the ordering process and the place feels dystopic. The environment is dead and uninviting. Atmosphere and human interaction matter. I recognize there's a middle ground, but if things get overly automated then I think a lot of people will opt out.

But, yeah, the jobs AI mostly will replace are the ones where humans are already doing machine-like work.


Go to japan and it's not too far off of what a ramen place is there.

I'm going. Has anyone here had any personal experience with their meatball sandwich (The Hudson) ? Now that Bad Nonna's is gone the hunt for a good meatball sandwich is getting ramped up.

I’ve made a pretty extensive search for meatball subs in the metro and kinda as expected, I’ve not found anywhere that will make the effort to produce a proper top flight sandwich like those made in the Northeast. To avoid the agony of unrequited cravings, I’ve learned to make my own. See below.

https://youtu.be/3Abk2WWuoao?si=lKL2XBWlKTrIfGHG

Old article but few of places are still around. Be following this as I like a good meatball sub. Be interesting to see how Goose's compares

https://www.405magazine.com/10-meatball-subs-you-need-to-try-now/

I am with you on this. I love the human interactions I get when I am out at a restaurant. The whole kiosk thing is a turn off!

I stopped at a McDonalds this weekend and went in to buy some food for me and my family, we were traveling otherwise we don't go to MDs (I really don't like drive through either), and I had to order by kiosk, the counter space was half what a normal, old style MDs is, and the experience was just cold and lacking to say the least. I would rather buy from a vending machine or a convenient store anymore.

The main issue with all these places is they can't find enough workers.

And if they raise their wages too high, everyone gripes about food prices and stops going.


Everyone wants low prices and few will pay extra for customer service. Exact same reason why so many retailers use self-checkout.

The main issue with all these places is they can't find enough workers.
And if they raise their wages too high, everyone gripes about food prices and stops going.
Everyone wants low prices and few will pay extra for customer service. Exact same reason why so many retailers use self-checkout.

I paid 26.00 for 3 hamburgers (double Quarter Pounders with Cheese) and 2 large fries. How can I determine if the price is reasonable without knowing the economic pressures of the restaurant but I will agree that if ppl can't or won't pay the higher price then it's a descending spiral downward and eventually a closed restaurant. The old saying "Can't get blood from a turnip" applies.

I actually prefer self checkout at a dept store or retailer because I'm grabbing stuff and going.

Old article but few of places are still around. Be following this as I like a good meatball sub. Be interesting to see how Goose's compares

https://www.405magazine.com/10-meatball-subs-you-need-to-try-now/

The meatball sub is one of the 3 sandwiches (and a burger) that I've had at Goose. It's phenomenal. It is also massive. Plan to show up hungry!

The meatball sub is one of the 3 sandwiches (and a burger) that I've had at Goose. It's phenomenal. It is also massive. Plan to show up hungry!

Now that's the feedback that I was looking for ! I might try is this week, based on your strong recommendation here.

I paid 26.00 for 3 hamburgers (double Quarter Pounders with Cheese) and 2 large fries. How can I determine if the price is reasonable without knowing the economic pressures of the restaurant but I will agree that if ppl can't or won't pay the higher price then it's a descending spiral downward and eventually a closed restaurant. The old saying "Can't get blood from a turnip" applies.

I actually prefer self checkout at a dept store or retailer because I'm grabbing stuff and going.

Even with the smaller counters at McDonalds they will still take your order at the counter. I never use the kiosk. One reason is they don't have the senior coffee on the kiosk menu. And any size fries for $1.29 or 20% off any purchase of $12 are deals always on their app.

And McDs doesn't ask for a tip at the counter. ;)

Even with the smaller counters at McDonalds they will still take your order at the counter. I never use the kiosk. One reason is they don't have the senior coffee on the kiosk menu. And any size fries for $1.29 or 20% off any purchase of $12 are deals always on their app.

And McDs doesn't ask for a tip at the counter. ;)

Yes, but try getting an employee to the register. You don't have to use the kiosk but it's probably faster as staff are tied up doing other things. While I was waiting someone from the drive through went inside to pick up his order there because he thought it'd be faster and he had to go though getting an employee to the counter, figure out why he couldn't see his order inside, get the changes necessary to get his order inside, then wait for his order. My point is with limited staff it's more difficult to get "out of the stream of things" help or ordering..

Not to argue but getting an employee to the register is not a problem at the locations I use. Or getting an employee to refill a drink since the took out the dining room drink stations. McDs still seems to staff a lot of people.

I paid 26.00 for 3 hamburgers (double Quarter Pounders with Cheese) and 2 large fries. How can I determine if the price is reasonable without knowing the economic pressures of the restaurant but I will agree that if ppl can't or won't pay the higher price then it's a descending spiral downward and eventually a closed restaurant. The old saying "Can't get blood from a turnip" applies.

I actually prefer self checkout at a dept store or retailer because I'm grabbing stuff and going.

I think the retailers that give you ample lanes for normal checkout with an attendant I would prefer to checkout that way, but most retailers have moved to only a few people working those lanes. Therefore causing you to have to wait in long lines. Self checkout is just faster, so that is what I choose to use. I hate it, but it now seems I have no choice. Most of the staff has been moved to online orders and taking orders out to cars waiting in the parking lot.

I paid 26.00 for 3 hamburgers (double Quarter Pounders with Cheese) and 2 large fries. How can I determine if the price is reasonable without knowing the economic pressures of the restaurant but I will agree that if ppl can't or won't pay the higher price then it's a descending spiral downward and eventually a closed restaurant. The old saying "Can't get blood from a turnip" applies.

I actually prefer self checkout at a dept store or retailer because I'm grabbing stuff and going.

I haven't been to a MD's in years. I refuse to spend my money, if possible, at a place that is like this.

I made it out to The Goose yesterday to try out "The Hudson", that's the meatball sandwich that some here have recommended. Though it may not look like much, it tasted pretty good. You could taste the pork and veal in the meatballs, it was some high-quality protein. I wish that the bread had been not so soft, though I tried to hold it the entire time, small bits would drop off. I would recommend it but unfortunately, it made me miss Bad Nonna's even more. I'm looking forward to trying a few more things but and though I don't see the appeal of their Rueben being a cold sandwich, I'll try it out. btw, that cucumber and onion side salad in a mustard vinaigrette was a terrific surprise! 19434