Rising food costs are squeezing restaurant owners across the country, but one Palm Desert sandwich shop is finding creative ways to keep its prices steady.
At the Real Italian Deli, sandwiches are more than just a meal. Owner Jose says they represent pride, happiness and a commitment to quality.
โWe love our customers,โ Jose said. โWe owe them to be loyal to us.โ
The deli serves hundreds of sandwiches each day, with the process starting with freshly baked bread made in the restaurant’s brick oven.
โThis is our wonderful brick oven,โ Jose said while showing off the operation. โIt all starts with fresh baked bread.โ
The deli also makes its own focaccia and uses fresh ingredients to build its popular Italian-style sandwiches.
The timing is fitting. August is National Sandwich Month, and sandwiches remain one of the most popular meals in the United States.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, nearly half of American adults eat at least one sandwich on any given day.
But keeping those sandwiches affordable has become more difficult.
The cost of ingredients ranging from meat and cheese to produce and bread has increased, putting additional pressure on restaurant profit margins.
For Jose, however, raising prices isn’t the first option.
Instead, he is looking for ways to manage those higher costs while continuing to offer customers the same quality they expect.
The goal is to keep the deli’s sandwiches available at a fair price for as long as possible.
โWe’re keeping the price until we can no more,โ Jose said.
That approach reflects a challenge facing restaurants throughout the Coachella Valley and beyond: finding a balance between rising operating costs and customers who are already paying more for everyday meals.
At the Real Italian Deli, the answer is to keep focusing on what brought customers through the door in the first place โ fresh bread, quality ingredients and sandwiches that feel homemade.
For Jose, holding the line on prices isn’t just about business. It’s about maintaining a relationship with the customers who have helped make the Palm Desert deli a local favorite.
For more ideas on good food around the Coachella Valley, please explore our “Best Of” list. https://www.nbcpalmsprings.com/best-of
