For New Yorkers who are on a first-name basis with the owner of their local bodega, a chopped cheese sandwich is more than just sustenance, it’s an integral part of the New York experience. The famous sandwich made up of ground beef, onions, melted cheese an assortment of condiments on a hero has settled rumbling stomach across the five boroughs for many moons. Yet, a few on Twitter were mighty peeved when the 14th Street Columbus Circle Whole Foods advertised the beloved sandwich for $8.
Where in the world does a chopped cheese cost $8?! Not in the good Lord’s city of NY hoods I know that.
— Lil Extro Vert. (@_lifeofthepvrty) December 19, 2016
For those unaware, the sandwich is no more than $5, so the three dollar hike is not only a stretch, but proof of what some think is the truest definition of gentrification. Many took the news of an $8 chopped cheese even further when they noticed it was being sold at a cart with a sign that reads “1492 Christopher Columbus.”
Selling gentrified bodega sandwiches at Whole Foods with Christopher Columbus banners. You can’t make this up. https://t.co/CaqzrPeBDa
— Kazeem Famuyide (@RealLifeKaz) December 19, 2016
The anger bubbled over Monday evening (Dec. 19) when one Twitter user posted the picture, which later spurred the conversation. Not too sure how long the Whole Foods version of the chopped cheese sandwich will last. Maybe it’ll sell out like Neiman Marcus’ 66 collard greens, or maybe this is just a one-time experiment. Stay tuned.