Having recently arrived as a mid-year transfer from the University of Florida, I’ve been on the lookout for the perfect place to grab a bite to eat. Starbucks was my first thought, but its food was too mainstream for my liking. Next, I went to Dunkin’ Donuts, and — don’t get me wrong — I love (like seriously, love) their coffee, but their sandwiches were not up to par. Luckily, on my walk home from class, I stumbled upon a popular hotspot: Collegetown Bagels. From the freshly baked bagels to the artsy chalkboard decor, I found myself in awe — yet, one thing instantly grabbed my attention. I discovered that each and every unique sandwich name had been submitted by local students. In this moment, I realized that not only had I found my new hangout, but I was also about to unearth my claim to fame.
Karly Krasnow / Sun Assistant Photography Editor
Karly Krasnow / Sun Staff Photographer
Some of the great sandwiches that stood out are the California Sunrise and the Zabs Panini. That said, I noticed a serious lack of chicken sandwiches on the menu — namely, buffalo chicken. What do students do when they start craving a juicy, spicy, buffalo chicken sandwich? Well, if they are anything like me, they are likely to feel a load of disappointment. Don’t worry, that’s where my determination comes in! My strong desire to make a sandwich masterpiece has led to some seriously delicious creations. All of my ideas (recently submitted to CTB) are centered around the common ingredient: buffalo chicken. All buffalo chicken is fair game. Fattening, healthy, big, small — I’m not picky. By adding this type of sandwich to the menu, diversity in the CTB menu would skyrocket, fully covering all food genres (not to mention, seriously satisfy the appetites of all chicken lovers).
When this process began, I wasn’t quite sure where to start, but after looking around and speaking with some of the workers, I was able to figure out the sandwich submission process. First things first, you need a solid sandwich idea. Consider the ingredients and make sure they work well together. From the spices to the sauce and the cheese — everything must be perfectly proportioned. That said, note that CTB has distinct categories and your sandwich must fit into one of them (e.g. chicken and fish, vegan and vegetarian, beef). Now that you’ve formulated a unique idea, you need to pick up the submission forms located on a corkboard, along the back hallway of the store. These forms require you to provide a name, phone number, email and list of key ingredients. Lastly, and arguably the most important part, is the sandwich name. If you are anything like me, you find this to be the hardest (and best) part of the process. Personally, I came up with a bunch of names: The Cheezy Karlz, The Karl, The KK French and The Hot Karl (hopefully you’ll see this on the board soon)! For those who are in the same boat, here are some helpful tips: try a variation of your name, your favorite ingredients or play on words. Those are the sandwich names most likely to grab the attention of customers.
Now it’s time to wait. As CTB sifts through their sandwich suggestions, they’re looking for ideas that are likely to sell, but that also have a unique spin. Currently, I’m waiting for the moment that I receive an email or call announcing that my sandwich has made it to the chalkboard. Like I’ve said, my love for buffalo chicken runs deep, and it’s time that chicken makes a sound appearance on the CTB menu. Hopefully you’ll feel inspired to spread the word about my sandwich, or present your own ideas — as we should all strive to be dreamers and creators (or at minimum, serious eaters)! So whether you’ve just discovered a new sandwich or have had one in the back of your mind, I highly recommend going to that back hallway and submitting your creation. It’s these types of ideas that make CTB the sandwich heaven that we know it to be.