WhichWich Superior Sandwiches

An interactive sandwich concept requires basic and durable equipment that allows staff to assemble, toast and bag 51 varieties of Wiches efficiently so each order is filled in less than five minutes.

By Donna Boss, Contributing Editor -- Foodservice Equipment and Supplies, 6/1/2008

When asked to state the mission of Which Wich Superior Sandwiches, founder and CEO Jeffrey Sinelli doesn't hesitate to put forth his intention for the five-year-old quick-service chain: “Choosing the superior vibe.”

Sinelli explains that “superior vibe” refers to everything in the interactive sandwich-making process, including selecting “great” parbaked sandwich bread imported from Chicago that staff finish off in the stores; offering “high level” proteins with meat and muscle rather than blended or pureed products; and cutting fresh vegetables at the stores. “Superior vibe” is also very much about giving customers a “memorable” experience from the moment they walk in the door. This requires staff attention to every detail that engages customers' sight, smell, hearing, taste and feelings of enjoyment and satisfaction.

The stores engage an individual's senses the moment customers enter Which Wich. Customers approach an ordering station and see a series of bag boxes that hold paper bags printed with names of sandwich ingredients. Customers select a bag that corresponds to one of 10 different categories of sandwiches. They use a branded marker to check off one of three types of bread and sandwich ingredients and write in their name. They pass the bag to an expeditor who clips it onto an old-fashioned zip cable line and sends it into sandwich assembly. Customers then pay, select chips and take a beverage cup.

While they wait, customers can remain occupied by reading different types of newspapers resting in racks and listen to music that is piped through a storewide system. In the near future, stores will feature listening stations to entertain individual customers.

Meanwhile, the bag makes its way to the first staff member on the line who begins the assembly process. The bag and the sandwich move along the assembly line. Once staff assemble the sandwich, it goes through a conveyor oven and comes out the other side where staff finish it with sauces and toppings, and wrap it. The bag meets up with the sandwich at the end, so staff can place the sandwich in the bag and call out the customer's name for pick-up.

Sinelli started the concept a year after selling Genghis Grill, a concept he founded and managed for five years. During the interim 12 months, he says he took time “to be introspective and decide which playground was best for Jeff Sinelli.” He investigated various foodservice concepts, including pizza. “I also looked at what Fred DeLuca did with Subway,” he says. “I like the concept, and realized a new concept had to be different and designed with the franchisees in mind. There had to be an unusual twist, which was in the interaction.”

Also integral to Which Wich is the concept's simplicity. The menu consists of four main items: Wiches (sandwiches), chips, beverages and cookies. “We decided not to offer soups, salads or combos in order to stay focused on a defined concept,” Sinelli says.

Though the menu is categorically simple in terms of size, it offers myriad choices. Customers can select 51 different Wich varieties and 40 toppings. All Wiches are the same price, though there is an extra charge for extra meat, cheese, bacon and avocados. Individual stores set the prices.

“Which Wich is trying to provide a modern ambiance that is sparse and clean, but still has warmth,” says David Walker, director of design. His selection of light birch veneer paneling with white walls, a saffron yellow accent wall to provide the “punch” and reinforce the logo's colors, and stainless-steel countertops and tabletops combine to convey Which Wich's interpretation of “a modern 21st century sandwich shop.”

Another distinct visual and conversation-generating point is the vibes wall that contains stainless-steel plaques with magnetically attached printed symbols, such as an image of the earth, a peace symbol and question mark, or local school mascots. “The vibes are symbols of meaning for people,” he says. “Store franchisees can select from dozens of vibes that may be meaningful to them and their customers or they can create custom vibes,” Walker says. Vibes are always in the company's black and yellow colors.

Other décor elements include a sealed concrete floor and a floating ceiling of “clouds” below the roof's open structure. “The clouds energize the space and add intimacy,” Walker says. “We designed them in angular 'W' shapes to provide a counterpoint to straight walls and a sense of motion in the dining room.”

The equipment package is small and selected for its efficiency, durability and ability to be cleaned easily. Coolers and freezers in the back of the house hold food deliveries. A dry storage area contains cups and service items to take care of customers' needs. Staff work at prep tables and keep the back clean, safe and organized with four-compartment sinks and shelving units. They use a slicer to cut meats and cheese daily.

In the front of the house, staff assemble Wiches along a linear, sandwich line with refrigerated containers.

When selecting ingredients, equipment, décor and sound systems, Sinelli says, “We ask ourselves, is the product superior? If not, we make a change.”

Which Wich's management insists on setting tight specifications for equipment. “We try to stay within specific lines of equipment,” Sinelli says. “We use few manufacturers and stick to well-known, reputable brands. The equipment we use sends a message to our customers that we care about every detail of the operation. We also want employees to know that we are willing to put as much investment in the back of the house as the front of the house. We must be consistent. If employers cut corners, employees see that and talk about how cheap the company is.”

Sinelli and T.J. Schier, director of operations and a franchisee, also evaluate equipment for speed of service. “Speed is always a challenge,” says Schier. “For example, the sandwiches now toast for two minutes so the entire sandwich assembly process takes four to five minutes. We'd like to find a way to reduce the toasting time so customers don't have to wait as long. It's all about perceived value.”

When selecting equipment, Schier says Which Wich doesn't want to compromise quality for cost. “But we also consider costs of repair and maintenance,” he says. “We'd rather pay more up front if needed.”

This attention to quality and detail extends to the tables, which are bolted into the floor so they don't wobble. “We also spend money to make the bathrooms part of a good experience, and include good hand dryers,” Sinelli says. “Here and throughout the restaurant we take cues from Frank Lloyd Wright's approach to using sound and shapes to make rooms pleasing.”

As the Which Wich chain grows, the internal systems will become more sophisticated. “Everything I've preached for the past seven years when I had my own consulting business, I'm now bringing to Which Wich franchisees,” Schier says. “These include employee incentives, guest surveys, pre-applicant screening. We will also be testing IPOD training for line workers and franchise training in e-learning through the intranet.”

As Sinelli looks to the future, he anticipates challenges with the new economic realities of rising food and gas prices. As he continues to seek out locations for Which Wich, he says he won't back away from high-traffic areas that promise opportunity. “I was advised long ago never to be afraid of rent,” he says. He also won't compromise on the quality of equipment selected. After all, the E&S package is an important part of the “superior vibe.”