Wrapped and Ready
University of Michigan's investment in sandwich concept pays off
By Margaret Sheridan, Senior Editor -- Restaurants & Institutions, 5/1/2004
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In the minds of many of its customers, Cafe Too really should have been called Cafe Too Slow. The University of Michigan concept was known to serve made-to-order designer sandwiches that took as long as 15 minutes to create—practically an eternity in the fast-paced world of college students.
The operation had to go, and in January, the Earl of Sandwich ushered it out the door. (The UM Earl is unrelated to a like-named QSR recently opened in Orlando, Fla.)
Earl of Sandwich’s 30-item grab-and-go menu offers such items as grilled wraps and granola-swirled yogurt parfaits to muffins, salads and cookies—all of them wrapped and ready.
Located on the lower level of Pierpont Commons—a multipurpose student center on the Ann Arbor, Mich., campus—the 600-square-foot operation was designed for maximum speed and convenience, says Fiore Tierno, director of foodservice for University Unions. It has no seating of its own, as students are allowed to sit and eat in common areas of Pierpont.
The timing of the new concept was right: Last September, the 41-year-old Pierpont was set for renovation. Gutting the cafe began in October and finished two months later.
North Campus, where Pierpont is located, is a tough place to be hungry. It is a three-mile hike or bus ride to University of Michigan’s main campus or 10-minute walk to an off-campus commercial strip. Spread over 800 rolling acres, this cluster of office and classroom buildings for music and engineering schools, family housing and a residence hall supports 15,000 students, faculty and staff. There are few dining options, except for the Commons Cafe, a traditional cafeteria; the Espresso Royale Caffe for specialty drinks; or burgers and smoothies at one co-branded unit.
Cafe Too in Pierpont had a reputation for good food but slow execution. “Customers used a check list to select ingredients for a personalized sandwich. Sometimes, we’d have a backup of 30 orders,’’ says Shelly Bell, director of University Unions retail sales. Weekly revenues were $6,000.
The opportunity to renovate the operation and use its lobby location to capture traffic en route to meeting rooms, TV lounges, the credit union, library and banking center was hard to resist.
Menu scope
The anchor items—sandwiches—also are the Earl’s
theme and logo identity. Bell and Tierno devised a menu plan centered
around artisan breads and fillings with international flavors;
the unit also features sushi, fresh fruit, portable desserts and
beverages—mainly juices and water.
Popular proteins (chicken, turkey, tuna, roast beef) are the bases to which condiments and enhancements such as roasted vegetables, red onions, cheeses, flavored oils, mustards and house-made dressings and spreads are added. Breads range from eight-grain and crusty Italian to sourdough and tortillas.
The design needed to include an efficient production kitchen with sufficient storage. A local architecture firm was hired whose staff includes two graduate-student interns from the UM engineering school. As residents of the North Campus, these interns were able to provide input about what would work from students’ points of view.
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Out with the old, in with
the Earl
“Cafe Too was a total gut,’’ says Tierno, referring
to the now-defunct space that was completely renovated for $100,000.
Flooring was rebuilt, and spot lighting and two sandwich prep
areas installed. New equipment included a stacked convection oven,
two-door vertical refrigerator, undercounter refrigerator and
three-compartment sink.
Also on the equipment list were a double-sided panini grill capable of cooking 10 sandwiches in two to four minutes and a warming cabinet that can hold up to 40 breakfast burritos at 170F.
Most bakery items and all sushi are outsourced. Sandwich prep is done at the Earl. Salads, parfaits, dressings and condiments are prepared upstairs in the kitchen of Commons Cafe.
The Y factor
“When we opened in January, there was confusion for the
first couple of days,’’ says Bell. “Customers
were unsure of the layout and traffic pattern at the counter.
People entered the Earl facing a long counter. Do you turn right
or left? There also was congestion during peak times at the one
cash register that slowed traffic.”
To direct traffic, she added Y-shaped railings and clear signage. Students entering the room can go right or left. Each side of the counter is merchandised with identical sets of wrapped items. When hot soup is menued, the station nearest the checkout offers two sizes of cups and lids.
Tierno and Bell continue to fine-tune menu, production and operations. Breakfast items introduced in February attract some morning business with hot burritos with egg and sausage, and California walnut-fruit wraps enlivened with maple cream cheese.
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The Earl of Sandwich operates with a staff of 10, with most workers coming from other University Unions concepts. Bell cross-trained existing cafeteria employees for two weeks prior to opening. She continues to use the same vendors and retail chef that serve other outlets.
Future game
Within a month of opening, Earl of Sandwich doubled Cafe Too’s
weekly sales to $12,000. Revenues have since leveled off at $10,000,
with overall food costs running 32%.
Tierno looks ahead and intends to grow the concept. “There’s plenty of competition in Ann Arbor for food and restaurants, but we didn’t have one model in mind. The Earl is unique to campus and students. The concept meets that market’s special needs.
“Our goal is to make the Earl of Sandwich a commonly spoken name on campus.’’
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