McAlister's Deli — Restaurant in Naperville

McAlister’s Proved I’m Stupid.

I am stupid. We regularly pickup Reuben’s from McAlister’s Deli, get them home, and find that they have so little 1000 Island dressing, it can’t be tasted.

I always thought it was an aberration—that I was just unlucky THIS time. Turns out, I was just stupid.

Today, I ordered three Reuben’s, two salads, and two desserts, online, for pickup, totaling $45.

At pickup, I asked for an extra little container of 1000 Island dressing. The manager said that the dressing containers were in the salads boxes, and there was an additional charge for more.

I told her it was not for the salads but for the Reubens. She was incredulous.

So, I grabbed one of the three Reubens I’d ordered, opened it, and showed her that the dressing was negligible — barely visible.

I stupidly believed that, when faced with the visible truth — virtually no dressing on the Reuben — she’d relent.

I stupidly believed that, my having spent nearly $50 on a meal, the restaurant would throw in a little, 50 cent (retail) container of extra dressing.

To prove how stupid I was , the manager said, “There’s an up-charge for extra dressing.”

Then I got home and noticed, for the first time, the extra “convenience fee” added to the online order.

Stupid me for not noticing that earlier!

Then I wised up. I can get a comparable Reuben, with plenty of 1000 Island dressing, and with better bread, and without the service fee, just down the street, at Schlotzky’s.

For that matter, if I order from Jason’s Deli, I avoid McAlister’s service fee, and the savings pays for the gas to drive to the north side of town.

Goodbye...

Update: with your sandwich you can choose to have a side of broccoli--and it's incredible. I do wish I could order the Fire-Roasted Veggie soup online, though. Usually when I go into the store and ask, they have it--it's just not on the menu.

This deli franchise was born in Oxford, Mississippi, and is currently headquartered in Atlanta. There are just a handful in the area, with the sixth Chicagoland location opening soon in Orland Park. The menus vary by region, and with baked potatoes, nachos, salads, soups, and sandwiches, the one here in Naperville is well-suited to cater to the neighborhood minivan lunch crew. The music was a bit odd -- my last visit included some rap, followed by Adam Levine, then Frank Sinatra.

They do a good job of trying to appeal to everyone in this casual sit-down atmosphere. You order and pay at the counter but they try hard to give that friendly cafe feel by using real plates & silverware and visiting your table to offer refills. The manager took the time to wait on me today, and stopped to chat about business.

Everything here tastes great! Soups are terrific, and the Fire Roasted Vegetable is particularly flavorful. I'm unhappy they got rid of the green tea, which was fantastic, and while their flavored teas advertise "real fruit puree" I was disappointed that it didn't mix with the tea well--it stayed a lump on the bottom of the cup no matter how much you stirred.

They have a decent kid's menu, the portions are generous, and the food is so good that I'll keep going back to...

The place is clean, and it was packed and busy when I went inside. I heard that the sandwiches at this place were good, which is why I decided to visit it. They have a huge variety of options on their menu. My friend told me to try their Reuben, so that is exactly what I got. The staff are friendly and polite. The service was definitely slow. I do not know if it is because the place is packed and busy or the service is really slow at this place. I had to wait a long time for the Reuben and the drink I ordered. Anyway, the prices are fair and reasonable. The Reuben was fresh and had a nice portion. I must say it is a good sandwich. It tastes fresh, and the portion is kind of huge, and the flavor was delicious. I definitely like it, and I will most likely return to this location. The service will be quicker next time. It is a good place, and as a first-timer, I would say that the sandwich is indeed good. I am looking forward to trying something different but just as good as...