NYC's underground grilled cheese

soctal · Sep 23, 2010

love this story, got a fix for grill cheese "sammiches"? i know a guy whose knows a guy....

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

NYC's underground grilled cheese
An entrepreneur named "Ronnie" in New York City's Lower East Side has found an intriguing way to do business: hungry customers get his number from a friend or a friend's friend, text him for a grilled cheese sandwich, and voila -- melted cheddar on Rye bread 15 minutes later. Brendan Francis Newnam gave it a try.
A grilled cheese sandwich made by "Ronnie"

BILL RADKE: For years, if you wanted illegal drugs in New York City, you'd get the number of an anonymous dealer who would show up at your location with the goods. Now an entrepreneur who goes by the name of "Ronnie" is trying this technique with... grilled cheese sandwiches. Hungry customers get Ronnie's number from a friend, or a friend-of-a-friend, and they text their order, and in 15 minutes or less they get a hot, grilled cheese anywhere in the Lower East Side.

Our friend Brendan Francis Newnam, co-host of "The Dinner Party Download," gave it a try.

BRENDAN FRANCIS NEWNAM: OK. I'm here on location in the Lower East Side. I just texted this number and I just told him where I was. So it's been about 10 minutes and every time I look around I think I see Ronnie. Is Ronnie a kid with alabaster legs that look like lollipop sticks riding a skateboard? Is Ronnie riding a bike with a cast on one leg?

RONNIE: Hey, how's it going?

NEWNAM: You're Ronnie? Do you have the stuff?

RONNIE: I do. I have the stuff right here for you.

NEWNAM: We didn't even talk about price?

RONNIE: Price? This is a $5 sandwich.

NEWNAM: Do you have change for a $10?

RONNIE: What kind of dealer would I be without change?

NEWNAM: Look at all that cash. How many grilled cheese have you moved today?

RONNIE: Today, I've done like 50.

NEWNAM: You mind sitting while I snack on this? So how did this get started?

RONNIE: Basically, I was making a grilled cheese for all my buddies after we'd come back from a night out and they loved it and told their friends. And their friends just kind of spread the word, and it grew bigger just by word-of-mouth.

NEWNAM: And so then, how did that turn into like people texting you randomly and press about this?

RONNIE: So the press happened because my brother's girlfriend used to be in PR and she contacted UrbanDaddy, and they ate it up.

NEWNAM: Literally.

RONNIE: Yeah.

NEWNAM: All right. I'm going to check this out. It's really nice bread. What kind of bread is this?

RONNIE: This is, what do I have? Rye there from Blue Ribbon Bakery.

NEWNAM: And we have Granny Smith apples and gooey cheddar cheese.

RONNIE: And a whole lot of cheddar cheese.

NEWNAM: Excellent. And it's still hot. I know you're not going to tell me, but your kitchen must be pretty close?

RONNIE: It's pretty close. And I did a couple laps around the block trying to find you.

NEWNAM: So what's next?

RONNIE: Next I'm looking to get into a legal kitchen. For example, a restaurant that isn't open for lunch. I would rent it out from them and just work the lunch shift delivering sandwiches everywhere.

NEWNAM: You know how people are really picky in restaurants. Has anyone like sent you back?

RONNIE: I've gotten nothing, but good feedback.

NEWNAM: Isn't that part of it, though, cause you get away with a lot cause it's such a clever setup that this sandwich could suck and I would still be tickled.

RONNIE: Definitely. The product still has to be good, but even if it's not excellent people are still probably going to like.

NEWNAM: So when are you going to be able to reveal your identity.

RONNIE: Once I get into a legal kitchen.

NEWNAM: So why Ronnie?

RONNIE: Well, it's the perfect pseudonym because it's my name also.
Click to expand...

WebInvestor · Sep 23, 2010

Interesting enough, i actually know this guy. Guy used to be an investment banker

qesire · Sep 23, 2010

Hello,
food is the new CRACK.

angelas111 · Sep 23, 2010

pretty cool. thinking outside the box. i wish you could get delivery for foods other than chinese and pizza.

Venture · Sep 23, 2010

The List is the best thing ever in NYC =]

waterman262 · Sep 23, 2010

haha im worried now that words getting out about ronnie I wont be able to get my grilled cheeses delivered by hand from ronnie. best grilled cheese ever.

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NYC's underground grilled cheese

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NYC's underground grilled cheese

soctal Regular Member

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qesire Newbie

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