Every deli lives and dies by its regulars. These are the folks who don't need a menu. They walk in, you nod, and you start making their sandwich before they even sit down.
Tommy gets the Italian combo on a roll, extra hot peppers, every Tuesday and Thursday. Mrs. Chen gets a half-pound of turkey breast sliced thin — and I mean thin — every Saturday morning. Eddie hasn't changed his order in twenty-two years: roast beef on rye, Russian dressing, lettuce, tomato.
These people aren't just customers. They're family. And that's what keeps the lights on.