New Bedford, Wareham D’Angelos Confirm Change to Famous Steak and Cheese Sub
For as long as I've been going to D'Angelo to get grilled sandwiches, the steak and cheese has been king on their menu. Specifically, the #9 is what made D'Angelo famous here in New England. That's why I was so shocked to hear that they seem to be making an adjustment to the way they serve their steak and cheese subs.
According to a call we got this morning on Michael and Maddie, a customer first noticed the change at the D'Angelo in Wareham. She said that the meat in the steak and cheese sub used to be chopped up finer than the way the currently serve it.
Truthfully, I didn't pay much attention to the call, but then decided to call over to the Wareham restaurant to see if the caller was accurate. I was surprised to hear them confirm the caller's story. Apparently, for some time now, the steak sandwich was supposed to be served at all D'Angelo shops as a shredded steak sandwich, not a chopped steak sandwich. This was confirmed by Emily Pickering, a rep of D'Angelo.
"Yes, our training spec from headquarters is to shred the meat versus chop. It has always been this way and has not changed. Shredding the steak creates a juicier and more flavorful sandwich, versus chopping, which cooks it faster and makes it drier.” While that has always been the corporate direction, that direction has apparently not always been followed at a number of D'Angelo restaurants.
The shift leader at the New Bedford store also confirmed the change at the local level. She told us that D'Angelo corporate has been paying more attention to the way their steak sandwiches are being served. Some local restaurants preferred to chop up the steak smaller because it allowed the meat to cook faster, but they have been reminded recently by corporate to serve the steak shredded as opposed to chopped.
"Of course, if you ask for it chopped we will chop it for you," the shift leader said. "But if you don't say anything or ask for it a certain way, we will not give you crumbled steak."
This was also confirmed by Pickering, "If a customer asks for it chopped, the restaurant will and should accommodate. This again has not changed."
So, a simple enough solution: if you want your steak chopped, just ask.
There is, however, a change that D'Angelo is implementing across all of their sandwich shops. According to Pickering, customers can expect more steak in their steak subs.