New York Deli Sign Warning Impatient Customers Praised Online: 'Respect'

A deli that is telling customers to be patient or leave has earned praise on Reddit for its frank policy.

In a viral post shared in the 550,000-strong group r/WorkReform, which can be seen here, Reddit user u/yhl-cis included a photo of the deli's frank message to potential customers.

The sign at Dante's Deli in White Plains, New York, read: "To all new customers: I take pride in making a sandwich. My staff and I do not rush. This concept has been working for over 60 years at Dante's. If you have no patience, please leave."

Since it was posted on Monday, May 30, the picture has been upvoted more than 68,200 times.

A 2021 survey of 5,700 global customers by customer strategy firm Untold Insights, found that 64 percent of people did not want to wait more than five minutes for an order at the counter or drive-thru.

It also found that 71 percent of in-house diners were upset if they had to wait more than 10 minutes.

The post clearly resonated with many Reddit users who raced to share their opinion on the post. Since being uploaded, the post has attracted over 1,300 comments.

One Reddit user said: "My local deli must have the same policy. I overheard a customer getting impatient with the staff. Employee response: 'Do you want it now, or do you want it good?'"

Another said: "There was a deli/ bakery by my old work. Their sandwiches were amazing and cheap. It was a small space. The lineup after 9 a.m. was out the door, waiting 15 minutes just to get in. Only once did I ever hear anyone complain. They were basically told to leave."

A third added: "Telling someone who is being rude they might as well leave because we won't be serving them is extremely cathartic. More businesses should do it, it's great for morale."

A fourth customer said: "I respect it. A good sandwich is a good sandwich."

Newsweek has reached out to u/yhl-cis for comment.

According to Untold Insights, 65 percent of people prefer to order directly from a server when dining in, while 18 percent would like to order from a mobile device.

It also found that 52 percent of millennials prefer to order from a server in-person, but just 17 percent want to order in person at a drive-thru and just 11 percent want to speak with a person when ordering take-out.

Meanwhile, 60 percent of consumers like to pay with a credit card while 25 percent prefer to use contactless payment methods such as Apple Pay or Google Pay.