Thursday, August 20, 2009

Ned's -v- Steve's

It's been argued about for years, it's caused families to stop speaking, and it's probably the most important debate not covered by the press:
Ned's Crazy Sub or Steve's, which is better?
In a time where all of our attention is directed to the struggling economy and all our hope rests on the recovery of the housing market, we need to maintain our focus on the important things in life. You can always buy another house or get another job. You can certainly get rid of the gym memberships and fancy cell phones. You can even believe the government is out to get us. What you can't do is lose sight of what makes a sub sandwich great.
Some say it's the bread. I can't argue with them, the bread has to be light enough to be a compliment to the sandwich without overtaking it. On the other hand, it has to have enough flavor to bring something of its own to the table.
Others might argue it's the meat and cheese. If you don't have high quality meat you might as well eat Subway. I think if you add the word loaf to the end of your meat choice (i.e. turkey loaf, ham loaf) you're going to have a good idea of what you're getting over there (at Subway). So anytime you're going to have a debate about good subs, you have to have good meat.
Still others might argue it's the toppings. Good lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, and other veggies as well as the mayo, mustard, vinegar and oil are critical to a superior sandwich.
I think each person would have a good argument, but you'd be hard pressed to decide that any one can be sacrificed in the building of an outstanding sandwich.
Now we get back to the meat and potatoes of my post. Ned's versus Steve's, who's better? I've heard people claim Ned's has better bread. Some say Steve's has better meat. I've decided to render my opinion. Mostly because this is my blog and I figure you read it because you think I'm a genius, but also because I'm right and somebody needs to have the rocks to say it out loud.

THEY'RE THE SAME!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of the time spent driving from Queen Creek (you know who you are) to Gilbert and Southern when you could stop at Signal Butte, is wasted. THEY'RE THE SAME! I've spoken to people inside both organizations. They use the same bread. That's right, I said it, the same bread. From the same bakery delivered on the same trucks. They use the same meat from the same suppliers. The same toppings. Am I making sense to you people. If they were both called Ned's you people wouldn't drive the extra 8 miles just to go to the Gilbert location, stop it. You say you would, but you wouldn't. You don't drive the extra 3 to go to the Chili's on Power, so stop kidding yourself.
For anyone who doesn't know what I'm talking about, I'm sorry. This hasn't been a waste for you though. It applies to everything in our lives. Shake off the tradition and try something new. Heck, if you're lucky it might even be the same as the old.

5 comments:

  1. I go to Steve's because it is close and because we went to High School but I'm sorry to say that it is never the same experience. I loved leaving MHS through the back, traveling the residential streets to Broadway to get to the old Neds for my poor-boy special. Even when Ned moved over to Gilbert and Broadway it lost just a little bit of appeal.

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  2. I think you've really hit the nail on the head. People like one over the other because of what it represents, not the taste.
    P.S. I had leftover Ned's for lunch today.

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  3. shoot, I'd take either one! Glad you're back. :)

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  4. It's all true - everything you just said. While I do love a good crazy sub, I think Cousin's is actually better. Dunno why, just is.

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  5. Basically the same is what we tell people at our store (Steve's on Power). Ned has switched bread suppliers but I'm pretty sure everything else is the same...basically. I've never eaten at Ned's so I'm not positive but I do know he uses the same suppliers for meat as we do. Really, I think what it comes down to is where you went to high school so you are absolutely right. We live in the Mountain view area so my poor kids get to hear all the time about how Ned's is better than Steve's. I'm just glad people like Krazy Sub and that both Ned and Steve are doing just fine.

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