DiBrunos: Center City vs. Italian Market
My cousin Dan, a devoted foodie from whom I have taken many restaurant/market tips over the years, lived in Center City, but refuses to go into the new DiBruno Bros. market at 18th and Chestnut. He instead drives down to the Italian Market for his sandwiches and cheese. At first I thought this was really kind of silly behavior, because they are owned by the same family, and stock the same stuff, really what’s the difference? But I recently came to discover a big difference–pricing. I bought a panini down at the Italian Market pronto store a couple of weeks ago, an amazing combination of cheese and pesto, tomato and prosciutto for $5.99. A reasonable price for an incredible sandwich. But upon visit to the Center City location, I noticed that they charge a full dollar more for the exact same sandwich. I know, you’re saying, “why is this girl flipping out over a lousy dollar?” I probably shouldn’t worry about it (or really even be eating this sandwich) but I find myself indignant over the principle of it all. I don’t think I that 25 blocks should prompt a pricing differential.
I think I’m about to take another tip from Dan, and become an exclusively South Philly DiBruno’s shopper.
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It’s like buying a Geno’s cheesesteak at Citizen’s Bank Park or going to a fast food restaurant in a rest stop on the Jersey turnpike. They can charge you more because you are there and hungry.
Um, real estate is a lot more expensive at 18th and Chestnut than it is in South Philly, and that affects the cost of doing business.
By all means eat where you want, but your indignance seems misplaced– that extra dollar is the rent money for the prime center city location.
In addition to the other comments, I’ll also add that, while it may not be the case for you, I feel that the time it would take me to go those extra blocks each way is worth well more than the $1 difference.
I guess my frustrations with the price differential stems from the fact that I don’t remember the prices being any different between locations prior to the big DiBrunos move around the corner from 18th Street to Chestnut.