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January 4, 2025 11 mins
Get a front-row seat to one of New York City’s most extraordinary family-run business stories. In this inspiring episode, we explore how a small deli called That’s Deli achieved a jaw-dropping $165,000 in monthly revenue, proving that culinary passion, fierce dedication, and innovative strategies can turn even the most modest eatery into a thriving empire. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur seeking real-world insights on how to transform your food venture, or if you simply love a great success story, this podcast episode has everything you need.
That’s Deli began its journey in a bustling NYC neighborhood, where the owners—armed with cherished family recipes, fresh ingredients, and a dream—served up mouthwatering sandwiches and hearty meals from a tiny storefront. Despite the stiff competition of Manhattan’s famed food scene, this family proved that authenticity and dedication can shine through the din of the city. By focusing on high-quality customer experiences and listening to valuable community feedback, they steadily built a loyal clientele that returned daily for that signature homestyle taste and personal touch.
However, the real story lies in the transformative strategies that propelled That’s Deli from a local favorite to a monthly powerhouse. We reveal how the family identified unique selling points, from classic comfort food with a modern twist to ethically sourced ingredients that resonate with health-conscious and eco-friendly customers. Discover how they mastered social media marketing, implementing eye-catching posts featuring vibrant photos of their famous sandwiches and daily specials. Their consistent online presence and responsive engagement not only boosted brand awareness but also established trust among potential diners hungry for authenticity.
In this deep dive, we also examine the operational challenges that come with rapid growth—issues like hiring the right staff, maintaining quality control across an expanding menu, and dealing with fluctuating food costs. Hear how the family balanced tradition and innovation, preserving the deli’s nostalgic charm while introducing new offerings that keep pace with evolving tastes. We talk about the importance of menu engineering, strategic pricing, and forging reliable supplier relationships to ensure consistent excellence in every bite.
Beyond the logistical nuts and bolts, That’s Deli’s story is about resilience, unity, and the determination to see a shared vision come to life. You’ll learn about the family’s day-to-day hustle, from opening the deli’s doors at dawn to managing unexpected hurdles like equipment breakdowns or last-minute catering requests. By emphasizing teamwork and putting people first—whether they’re employees or customers—this close-knit group cultivated an environment where everyone feels valued, fostering the kind of satisfaction that translates into profitable success.
Tune in to this episode for a behind-the-scenes look at one of NYC’s most endearing deli triumphs. Whether you’re dreaming of launching your own food business or simply enjoy hearing about how genuine effort and creativity can translate into robust monthly revenue, That’s Deli offers a master class in turning challenges into stepping stones. Walk away with actionable tips on brand differentiation, community building, and sustainable growth strategies, and prepare to be inspired by the unstoppable spirit that turned one family’s vision into a $165K-a-month achievement.

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, so today we're diving into something delicious. Oh yeah,

(00:04):
you know how sometimes you crave a certain food so
badly totally like you'd wait in line forever to get it.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Absolutely.

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Well, that's what's happening at this place called That's Deli
in New York City. Wow, people are waiting like two
hours in line for these sandwiches, no kidding, and we're
going to find out why.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Sounds good.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
So we're basing this deep dive on a CNBC Make
It video Okay, cool? And it looks that how That's
Deli has become such a sensation.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Yeah, and I think what's really interesting is this mix
of family values and financial savvy. Yeah for sure that
they've used to make it big in a really competitive industry.

Speaker 1 (00:40):
Right because the food seene in NYC is tough.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Oh yeah, super competitive, and these guys are killing it.
So what is it about their sandwiches?

Speaker 1 (00:47):
Okay? So get this their most popular item, uh huh.
It's called the oxtail patty.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Oxtail patty, and it's.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
Not your typical deli sandwich.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
What's in it?

Speaker 1 (00:56):
What's aok? A Jamaican beef patty. Ok. But then they
add mac and cheese, tender oxtail meat. Wow. And then
they top it with this rich oxtail gravy, Oh my gosh,
and wrap it all up in cocoa bread.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
I mean that sounds amazing, right. It's like Jamaican and
American comfort food all rolled into.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
One exactly, and I'm kind of craving one right now.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
He too.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
Would you wait two hours for that?

Speaker 2 (01:18):
I might?

Speaker 1 (01:18):
But the food's just part of the story.

Speaker 2 (01:20):
Yeah, what else is there?

Speaker 1 (01:21):
The family behind that's delhi is really what makes it special.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
Okay, so tell me about them.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
So the owner is this guy named Joshua Dott. He's
thirty one years old. Hmm, and he really wanted to
give his dad a chance to shine. His dad's a chef, Yeah,
he's a super talented chef, but he's always worked for
other businesses, and Joshua wanted to change that.

Speaker 2 (01:42):
So is that where the oxtail patty comes from?

Speaker 1 (01:44):
Yeah? Actually, his dad learned to cook from his own mother.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
Oh wow. So it's like a family legacy exactly.

Speaker 1 (01:49):
It's like generations of culinary knowledge all coming together in
this one amazing dish.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
That's really cool.

Speaker 1 (01:55):
But starting a restaurant in New York is expensive, Oh yeah,
for sure, and Joshua knew that, so he saved up
seventy thousand dollars to get started.

Speaker 2 (02:04):
Wow. That's impressive, right.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
But what's even more impressive is how he used that money.
How So he didn't take out any loans. He budgeted
for everything carefully smart, like the least, for the space,
the equipment, all the initial ingredients. Everything.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
That takes a lot of discipline.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
It really does. And it's inspiring, you know, definitely. But
even with a great product and a solid financial plan,
it's still tough to make it in a city like New.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
York, right, there's so much competition exactly.

Speaker 1 (02:32):
Yeah, So how did they break through?

Speaker 2 (02:34):
Well, it seems like social media played a huge role.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
Really.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
Yeah. There was this one video from a food influencer okay,
and it went viral.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
Wow. So what happened?

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Well, before the video they were selling maybe a few
dozen patties a day, and then after the video went viral,
they started selling five hundred patties a day.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
That's insane, I know. It's like overnight success pretty much.

Speaker 2 (02:55):
And it shows you the power of social media. Sure,
one video can change everything.

Speaker 1 (02:59):
And it's also a reminder that you don't need fancy marketing. Yeah,
sometimes a great story and a delicious product.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
Or enough exactly. People want something authentic.

Speaker 1 (03:11):
So going from a few dozen patties to five hundred,
that must have been a huge adjustment.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
It must have been crazy.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
So how are they handling it?

Speaker 2 (03:18):
Well? You know, it's a family business and suddenly they're
in the spotlight. So they're working seven days a week. Wow,
they're dealing with this huge demand, right, and they're trying
to maintain quality.

Speaker 1 (03:30):
That's a lot to handle.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
Plus they're managing a team of family and close friends.

Speaker 1 (03:34):
It makes you wonder how they're coping with all that pressure.

Speaker 2 (03:37):
It can't be easy.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
But it sounds like all that hard work is paying off.

Speaker 2 (03:40):
Oh yeah, it definitely is.

Speaker 1 (03:42):
So how much are they making.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
Well, in their first month, they brought in eight thousand dollars,
not bad. And get this, they're projected to make one
point two million dollars in their first year.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
That's amazing.

Speaker 2 (03:54):
But you know, even with all that revenue, there's still
a lot to consider, like what well tax is for.

Speaker 1 (03:59):
One thing, Oh yeah, of course.

Speaker 2 (04:01):
And then operational costs you know, right, and they have
to reinvest in the business to keep growing.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
So it's not all sunshine and roses. Even when you
have a viral.

Speaker 2 (04:09):
Hit exactly, there's always more to the story.

Speaker 1 (04:12):
So how do they actually keep up with everything?

Speaker 2 (04:15):
Yeah? Like, how do they make five hundred patties a day?

Speaker 1 (04:17):
Right and source all the ingredients.

Speaker 2 (04:20):
And deal with those crazy lines?

Speaker 1 (04:21):
That must be a whirlwind.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
Well that's what we're going to find out next.

Speaker 1 (04:25):
Stay with us as we'd take an even deeper dive
into That's Deli.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
And we'll see how they keep things running smoothly.

Speaker 1 (04:32):
So we saw how That's Delhi blew up, you know,
went from like a handful of patties to hundreds. Yeah,
it's amazing, But I'm curious how they're managing that increase in.

Speaker 2 (04:43):
Production is a real challenge, isn't it, right.

Speaker 1 (04:45):
Because you don't want to sacrifice quality just to make
more food.

Speaker 2 (04:48):
Absolutely, you got to keep that same great taste that
made you popular in the first place.

Speaker 1 (04:53):
So what's their secret?

Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, based on that video, it seems like they're really
committed to fresh ingredients. Okay, like they're not in corners.
They're making almost everything from scratch. So it's not just
about the recipe itself, right, It's about the whole process.

Speaker 1 (05:06):
It's about doing things the right way exactly.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
And Joshua's dad, the head chef, he's really hands on.
Oh yeah, they cook the oxtail meat in a house.
They carefully peel it, portion it out.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
Wow, it's a lot of work, it sounds.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
Like it, but they're not afraid of putting in the effort.

Speaker 1 (05:23):
And what about the mac and cheese.

Speaker 2 (05:25):
Oh yeah, they buy macaroni in bulk. They're cooking it
all day long just to keep up. Yeah, they even
have this whole storage area just for macaroni. That's crazy,
it is, but it shows how dedicated they are, right.

Speaker 1 (05:37):
They understand that every ingredient matters.

Speaker 2 (05:39):
Yeah, they know the quality of the ingredients affects the
final taste.

Speaker 1 (05:43):
And they're not willing to compromise.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
So all this quality control plus making so many patties, Yeah,
that must be a lot for their team to handle.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
Oh yeah, for sure. And remember this is a family business, right.
So in the video you see Joshua he's running around
doing everything. I know, it's amazing, prepping ingredients, managing the line,
even making bank runts because they're going through so much cash.

Speaker 2 (06:04):
It really shows their work ethic in the strength of
their family. Yeah, they're all in it together.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
But I do wonder if they can keep up this pace.
It's a good question, like is it sustainable to work
so hard for so long.

Speaker 2 (06:16):
It's something a lot of businesses struggle.

Speaker 1 (06:18):
With, Yeah, like how do you grow without losing what
made you special?

Speaker 2 (06:21):
And in their case, it's even more complicated because it's
all family, right.

Speaker 1 (06:25):
Everyone working there is either family or a close friend exactly.

Speaker 2 (06:29):
So You've got Joshua's dad as the head chef, his
uncle's there helping out, his brother's the co owner, his
sister's on the register.

Speaker 1 (06:38):
It's amazing.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
Even his nephew's learning the ropes like.

Speaker 1 (06:40):
The family reunion.

Speaker 2 (06:42):
Yeah, and of course his mom's there.

Speaker 1 (06:43):
Too, keeping everyone in line.

Speaker 2 (06:45):
Well, she's doing the paperwork and providing support.

Speaker 1 (06:47):
So there's this really strong sense of loyalty and trust.

Speaker 2 (06:51):
Oh yeah, absolutely.

Speaker 1 (06:52):
They can rely on each other, celebrate together, face challenges
as a team.

Speaker 2 (06:57):
It's really heartwarming to see.

Speaker 1 (06:59):
But I'm also wondering if that closeness could create problems.

Speaker 2 (07:03):
Hmmm, that's an interesting.

Speaker 1 (07:05):
Point, Like family dynamics could be tough. Yeah, definitely, And
when you add the pressure of a booming business, it.

Speaker 2 (07:11):
Could lead to conflict, right.

Speaker 1 (07:13):
So clear communication is super important.

Speaker 2 (07:15):
Oh yeah, especially in a family business.

Speaker 1 (07:17):
And they need to set boundary so make.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
Sure everyone feels respected and heard.

Speaker 1 (07:21):
And then there's the customer experience.

Speaker 2 (07:23):
Oh yeah, those lines, I.

Speaker 1 (07:24):
Mean two hours, that's crazy.

Speaker 2 (07:26):
It's a double edged sword, isn't it?

Speaker 1 (07:28):
In what way?

Speaker 2 (07:29):
Well, on one hand, those lines are proof that the
food is amazing, right, and the social media hype is
working makes.

Speaker 1 (07:37):
It seem even more exclusive.

Speaker 2 (07:38):
Yeah, But on the other hand, you've got hungry customers.

Speaker 1 (07:41):
And they're waiting a long time.

Speaker 2 (07:43):
Yeah, and New Yorkers are not known for their patients,
So how.

Speaker 1 (07:46):
Do they keep everyone happy while they wait?

Speaker 2 (07:49):
Well, in the video you see them working super efficiently, okay,
taking orders, prepping patties, keeping the line moving. Yeah, but
sometimes the demand is just overwhelming.

Speaker 1 (07:58):
I noticed they had to stop taking at one point.
Oh really, just to catch up. Can you imagine having
to tell people, yeah, that they have to wait even longer.
That tough. It's a tough balance. They're trying to meet demand,
but they also want every patty to be perfect, right.

Speaker 2 (08:13):
Quality is key.

Speaker 1 (08:14):
And it seems like people are willing to wait.

Speaker 2 (08:16):
There's this buzz this excitement.

Speaker 1 (08:19):
Like when you're waiting for a table at a popular restaurant.

Speaker 2 (08:21):
Yeah, yeah, that's going to be worth it.

Speaker 1 (08:23):
But beyond the food and the hype, there's a deeper
message here.

Speaker 2 (08:27):
About entrepreneurship and following.

Speaker 1 (08:29):
Your dreams exactly. Joshua's story is inspiring.

Speaker 2 (08:33):
It shows what can happen when you have passion, hard work,
and a supportive family.

Speaker 1 (08:39):
So what are the key takeaways from That's Delhi?

Speaker 2 (08:41):
What can we learn from their journey?

Speaker 1 (08:43):
Well that's what we're going to talk about next.

Speaker 2 (08:44):
Stay with us as we wrap up our deep dive
into That's Delhi and explore those valuable lessons. So we've
been talking about That's Delhi all episode.

Speaker 1 (08:54):
Yeah, this amazing family run spot in NYC.

Speaker 2 (08:57):
With those incredible oxtail patties and the crazy it's such
an inspiring story. Yeah, they've really tapped into something special.

Speaker 1 (09:04):
So as we wrap up this deep dive, Yeah, what
are the key takeaways here?

Speaker 2 (09:08):
Like, what can we learn from That's Delhi.

Speaker 1 (09:11):
Whether we're entrepreneurs or just looking for some motivation.

Speaker 2 (09:15):
Well, I think one big takeaway is that innovation can
come from unexpected places.

Speaker 1 (09:19):
Yeah, Like who would have thought to combine a Jamaican
beef patty with mac and cheese.

Speaker 2 (09:24):
Right, it's not an obvious combination, but it works so well,
and it reminds us to be open to new ideas,
you know.

Speaker 1 (09:30):
Yeah, to experiment, to try things that might seem a little.

Speaker 2 (09:34):
Out there exactly, and not be afraid to push those boundaries.

Speaker 1 (09:37):
It makes you wonder what other unexpected food combos are.

Speaker 2 (09:40):
Out there, just waiting to be discovered.

Speaker 1 (09:42):
So it's not just about the food itself, it's about
being authentic.

Speaker 2 (09:44):
Oh yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1 (09:45):
That's Delhi is not trying to be anything.

Speaker 2 (09:48):
They're not, right, They're just sharing their family's passion and
their love of food and their commitment to quality.

Speaker 1 (09:54):
And people are drawn to that authenticity.

Speaker 2 (09:56):
Yeah, they can see the hard work, the family bonds,
that love that goes in to each patty, and it
resonates with them absolutely because in a world that's so
focused on trends and quick fixes. Yeah, That's Delhi reminds
us that real success is built on hard work, perseverance,
and a clear vision.

Speaker 1 (10:13):
And speaking of hard work, Joshua's dedication to saving and
planning is a great example.

Speaker 2 (10:18):
Yeah, he didn't just dream about opening a restaurant. He
made a plan and he followed it.

Speaker 1 (10:22):
He saved for years to make it happen.

Speaker 2 (10:24):
It shows how important financial discipline is.

Speaker 1 (10:26):
Right, It's not always about having a ton of money.

Speaker 2 (10:28):
It's about being smart with what you.

Speaker 1 (10:30):
Have and making informed decisions. And of course we can't
forget the impact of social media.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
Oh yeah, that viral video is huge.

Speaker 1 (10:37):
It shows that even in a crowded market, you can
still break through.

Speaker 2 (10:40):
If you have a great story and a great product,
and if you.

Speaker 1 (10:43):
Know how to use social media effectively, right, you.

Speaker 2 (10:46):
Got to find the right platforms and create content that
resonates with your audience.

Speaker 1 (10:51):
So we've talked about culinary creativity, financial savviness, social media strategy, but.

Speaker 2 (10:57):
Maybe the most inspiring part of That's Delhi is the family.

Speaker 1 (11:01):
Yeah, it's amazing to see them all working together.

Speaker 2 (11:03):
And make this dreamer reality.

Speaker 1 (11:05):
And it highlights the importance of having a strong support system.

Speaker 2 (11:09):
Whether it's family, friends, or mentors, people.

Speaker 1 (11:12):
Who believe in you and are there for you no
matter what.

Speaker 2 (11:15):
And it's a reminder that success is often about collaboration
and teamwork, leveraging the strength of the people around you.

Speaker 1 (11:23):
So, as we wrap up this deep dive, into that's DELI.
We want to leave you with this question.

Speaker 2 (11:28):
What's your oxtail, Patty?

Speaker 1 (11:30):
What dream are you passionate about?

Speaker 2 (11:32):
What are you willing to work hard.

Speaker 1 (11:34):
For, even if it means long hours and sacrifices.

Speaker 2 (11:37):
Be bold, be creative, be smart, and surround yourself with
supportive people.

Speaker 1 (11:41):
And never underestimate the power of a good story and
a delicious product.

Speaker 2 (11:45):
Thanks for joining us for this deep dive.

Speaker 1 (11:47):
See you next time.
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