Company Blog

Life’s a Sandwich

by Adam Zack — August 20, 2015

“Ugh, I ate too much.”

Forrest Gump said that life is like a box of chocolates. That may be true to a point, because you really don’t know what you’re going to get from life. But if you have a box of chocolates, you know you’re at least going to get chocolate. I think that life, no make that a good life, is like a great sandwich. And what makes a great sandwich? A half pound of meat? No. Interesting ingredients? Yeah, that helps. Great quality? Sure. But what really makes a great sandwich is balance. A truly awesome sandwich is one that has the perfect amount of the main ingredient. For this example we’ll say house roasted beef. The bread is vital, as it is the bookends of our sandwich. It’s slightly crispy, light and airy. It’s the compliment to the insides, not the dominatrix. The condiments are artfully smeared. Not too much mayo or mustard, maybe some horseradish aioli. If our sandwich has some veggies, they are crisp and fresh. And of course the cheese is sliced thin and layered very gently. Our perfect sandwich is not too big. In fact we can eat the first half, savor a sip of iced tea, and then eat the second half without feeling overly stuffed. There are no regrets of “Ugh, I ate too much” with the perfect sandwich. It leaves you contentedly satiated.

In many, many grocery stores the perfect balance of our life is overwhelmed by the amount of work, and the amount of hours that we put in, especially in management. Grocery store managers work some of the longest and most grueling hours of any job. It’s weekends, holidays and a lot of the time six or seven days a week. Sometimes years go by without a vacation. Our industry makes it very tough to have the perfect balance of family, fun and personal relationships. The best run stores have owners who recognize the need for their managers and employees to have a happy life balance. They encourage time off and vacations. They make sure the stores are well staffed with caring people. They show genuine concern and are part of their staff’s life. They don’t give guilt trips or provoke worry when you’re not at work. They recognize that a balanced, happy life pays them back in dedication and customer service. As my dad, who has been a grocer since 1957, told us when we were growing up: “We work hard so we can play hard.” And we had lots of perfect sandwiches. Thanks Pop!