Sandwiched between Jos. A. Bank and the Tin Drum, Which Wich is Atlantic Station’s newest eatery and the best sandwich chain most Tech students have never heard of or had. It’s certainly the most innovative.
Its minimal black and yellow interior emphasizes this vanguard chain’s straightforward philosophy of ordering a sandwich to every customer’s exact specifications. With more than 50 customizable options, some crazier than others, there is bound to be at least one sandwich for every person you know.
Which Wich has a handful of more than memorable sandwich selections, including one with fried Spam. Still, most patrons will walk away remembering mostly how they ordered their food—with Which Wich’s signature red sharpies and numbered brown bags—in this candid, pared-down restaurant. Ordering food here is as simple or as laborious as you and the people in front of you make it. As long as you know what you want and what you want on it, ordering is as smooth as the peanut butter, bananas and honey on their Elvis ‘wich.
After filling in a few red dots to indicate my toppings and adding my name to the bottom of their signature brown bags, my sandwich was ordered and hung from the high-wire assembly line used to keep track of all of the orders. The scene is more chaotic when a group of customers in front of you isn’t sure how to order. It’s not quite clear what the protocol is for passing by these uncertain rookies when you’re ready, so do so at your own risk.
On my first trip to the restaurant, I ordered a chicken philly cheesesteak with Cheese Whiz, caramelized onions and mustard. The final product was comforting, delicious and took about five minutes off of my life. Their Montecristo, consisting of ham, turkey, grape jelly and powdered sugar, is more donut than deli-meat. It somehow left me wondering how anyone would think to put these incongruous foods together between two slices of bread.
As I mentioned before, the cashier attaches the bag on a wire that runs the length of the counter. While the dangling bags are ferried the length of the wire, they can get lost in the shuffle amongst the 20 or so others that are hanging at the same time. Instead of losing track of your ‘wich, mark the back of the bag to keep track of its progress.
Which Wich crafts its own chips and shakes, too. Their house chips, while small portioned, are ruffled, extra crunchy and infused with a sundry of zesty spices. They’re better than any available Lays or Sunchip bag and make a great snack while waiting for a sandwich.
Spoons for their handspun shakes, as far as I could tell, are only available upon request and the straws can be too narrow, especially if they’re upgraded to malts.
Whether looking for a novelty comfort ‘wich or something you could find at any of the other sandwich chains, give the Which Wich experience a try. They’re sure to get your order right, as long as you do first.