Brown Bag Deli — Restaurant in Alamogordo

SOLD!!! Under new ownership. That’s all I can make of this once awesome deli. I can’t fault previous owner for selling, because he didn’t have a day off since he opened his business. I have been a customer of BBD for 40 years. Sandwich’s always same consistently, same yummy bread. In the past few months, I’ve also tried to call in to place an order and their phone was busy for hours. About two months ago, I had a sub from there and it was put together so poorly that it looked like a two year old made it. I told my husband that’s the worst sub I have ever had from BBD. Last sub order wasn’t correct, first time in 40 years. Today, happened to drive by BBD around 3:00 pm, the parking lot was empty. Surprised, I told my husband let’s order a sub, since the deli isn’t busy, maybe it won’t take long to get food. Phoned in order, went inside to pick up sub, it was hot inside the building, noticed previous owner Don wasn’t there, he was always at the deli when it was open, paid for sub, noticed price increase. Got home, started eating sub and noticed that the bread wasn’t the same as it had been for years, the bread was thinner, different consistency, tasted like raw flour and the sub was coming completely apart with every bite. I started really examining the bread and told my husband this isn’t the same bread we have been getting for years from BBD. Also, less meat. Totally bummed!!! So now, that’s another place in Alamogordo, that quality food doesn’t exist anymore. Thanks to Don for all the years of service to give us awesome subs. If new owners don’t keep the standards that Don set so high, they won’t be in business very long in...

The menu list is huge and almost a little intimidating, and the ordering process is a little confusing. I get now that the concept is to make your sandwich completely to your specifications, but there's no explanation of that posted, and you don't watch the sandwich being assembled. The cashier prepares your order for the kitchen by circling options on a ticket that then goes back to the kitchens, and your sandwich comes out at the end with only the options that were circled.

This process would actually be made much smoother and less confusing if the sandwich order sheets were made available to the customer, and turned into the cashier with the intended options circled. As it was, we almost walked out with only proteins and bread, because we didn't understand that we had to specify lettuce, tomato, pickles and mayo, and the cashier herself was not particularly pleasant about our lack of understanding of her ordering process, nor particularly patient with her explanation.

Despite our difficulty and discomfort in the ordering process, we give the overall experience 4 stars. The portions were generous and the prices completely reasonable. The ingredients were high quality and very fresh. We also noted that the dining room was clean and bussed frequently, even though we ordered our...

Usually I come here and it’s an amazing experience. However, as soon as I go up to wait in line the cashier is speaking to someone ahead of me about how she had been sick for a few weeks. As it becomes my turn to order she continued to cough (with no mask on) while she took my order. I tried to order 2 sandwiches, and 2 bags of chips, she wrote down the first sandwich an gave me no time to ask if I wanted something else and/or let me explain that I was ordering something else so I eventually said “ I’m gonna order another sandwich “ after she already told me the total. She then says “sorry” and then begins to cough persistently, then walks away to drink water without saying a word. Eventually she ends up leaving the counter completely telling someone to get on the register. When she did this she left various technical difficulties with the register, that not only 2 workers had an issue with but even the owner was trying to figure out how to get my order through. After I finally received my food I get home to eat and find that it was poorly rapped, super dry, and when I got half way through my sandwich I noticed I was basically flossing my teeth with a long piece of brown hair. Absolutely disgusting experience will never go...