Morgan Hill franchise is first to open in Bay Area

Published in the July 6 – 19, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life

By Lauren Newcomb

Photo by Lauren Newcomb Manager Perla Bolivar makes a grilled gourmet sandwich at Deli Delicious.

Photo by Lauren Newcomb
Manager Perla Bolivar makes a grilled gourmet sandwich at Deli Delicious.

The first Deli Delicious opened in Fresno more than 20 years ago and built up a loyal following of customers who enjoyed eating their favorite sandwiches in the pleasant, homey atmosphere the sandwich shop fosters. With a philosophy of “treat all customers like valued guests entering our home,” in 2008 it became a franchise and expanded throughout the Central Valley with more than 50 locations.

Now it recently expanded into Bay Area territory by opening a deli in Morgan Hill and heralding the new age of delicious sandwiches for the region. It is the first Bay Area location.

For Narinder Thakur, the businessman who opened Morgan Hill’s Deli Delicious, the reason for choosing this particular franchise is simple. “We liked it. We liked the franchise, the atmosphere, and the sandwiches,” he said.

Thakur’s son was one of the loyal customers of the original location in Fresno, and when Thakur moved to Morgan Hill to be closer to family, his son suggested that he open his favorite sandwich shop. He is happy to be a part of the new wave of the fast-growing franchise. Since coming to the U.S. in 1999 from India, Thakur has owned a liquor store and been a sales rep, and he’s excited for this new chapter in his and his family’s lives, he said.

Not only is Thakur excited about being a part of the Deli Delicious franchise, his employees are equally energized. Perla Bolivar, the manager, said she wanted the job the minute she met Thakur. “The very first thing they asked me was about my family,” she said. “I realized that they’re very kind people, that they’re very good at heart.”

Bolivar praised Thakur’s hands-on approach to owning a specific franchise location. Rather than remaining aloof, she said, he likes to learn, whether it’s by making sandwiches or by interacting with customers.

Deli Delicious’s much-lauded, award-winning sandwiches are the product of fresh meats and produce sliced daily in-store. Employees also grill the meat and make fresh sauces every morning.

“Our grilling is what makes us stand out from other delicatessens,” Bolivar said. “My favorite is the No. 44, the chipotle chicken sandwich. We make our own sauces, so the chicken is grilled with our homemade chipotle and it’s delicious.”

Bolivar’s recommendations include the pastrami with provolone grilled sandwich as well as their most popular option — the pastrami, pepperoni, and salami with provolone and jack cheese. It’s decadent, and really good, she said with a laugh.

Of the cold sandwiches, she suggests customers build their own to get exactly what they want, but there are also specialty sandwiches to choose from.

Deli Delicious also stands out from other delis with regard to its service, she said. The employees bus the tables and ask customers how they’re doing, like a waiter might do in a restaurant. “We go above and beyond to please our customers,” she said.

Thakur and Bolivar pride themselves on the atmosphere they’ve created. “We want our customers to feel at home,” Bolivar said. “We don’t call our customers by the number. We call them by their names, because they’re people and we want them to feel like they’re at home,” she said.

When she started working at Deli Delicious, she didn’t think that such a small detail would matter so much. In her experience working here, she said, she found that it really does affect the atmosphere of the place.

DELI DELICIOUS

Where: 15700 Monterey Road
Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday
Contact: (408) 782-8300 or www.deli-delicious.com/morganhill