Erika Jones, CFO, CCTAProfit First Professionals · Certified Fractional CFO and Profit First Professional

Best Sandwich Business Principle

25 Oct 2021 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:03

In this brief business‑marketing clip, Speaker B shares a story about Old Town Deli in Boonton, New Jersey, where the owner, John, regularly offers free sandwiches to regulars and new customers alike. By giving a complimentary sandwich, the deli triggers the psychological law of reciprocity—people feel compelled to return the favor, leading them to talk about the deli and line up for lunch. Speaker A distills the anecdote into a clear actionable tip: give your customers small gifts. The segment illustrates how a simple gesture can create goodwill, word‑of‑mouth promotion, and repeat business.

Chapters

There is a deli in Boonton, New Jersey, that's a little town next to me that I live in. I go there regularly. Old Town Deli serves, literally, between me and you, the driest roast beef sandwich on the planet. But they know the law of reciprocity. When you go to Old Town Deli, sometimes John the owner will look at you and say, hey, Malik, I haven't seen you, seen you in a while. Hey, why don't you enjoy a sandwich on me? And all of a sudden, that dry roast beef sandwich becomes the most delectable sandwich on the planet. Other times, I see new customers that he's never seen before walk in and he says, hey, I want to welcome you to our store. This sandwich is on me. And what do you think people do? They start talking about Old Town Deli. That place has people lined up every single afternoon for lunch. Because of reciprocity, people are hardwired to respond in kind. Now we have the same opportunity.
Give your customers small gifts.