On her way to Menards the other day, Nina Rosen drove past the Vienna Beef Factory Store & Deli and got a powerful craving. “This is the best place for hot dogs,” she said, shifting the Prada messenger bag that rested on her hip. She ordered, then wandered over to the soup vats. Lifting each lid, she smelled the rising steam before settling on a prepackaged side salad. It was 9:15 in the morning.
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Equal parts cafeteria, employee break room, and retail outlet, the business is located on the ground floor of the Chicago-based company’s headquarters at Fullerton and Damen. An endless, waist-high track of brushed aluminum tubing lets customers slide crayon-bright red and blue trays past soups, drink machines, cake and pie slices, and a grill. For employees who bring their lunches or simply want to kick back, there are vending machines and two microwave ovens.
The plant can operate round the clock when demand requires, and after breakfast starts at 6 the dining room buzzes with activity for hours. Employees in work boots and white plastic hard hats share tables with newspaper-reading businessmen and young professionals like Rosen. Meanwhile, in the deli area, women holding shopping lists load up on bulk corn dogs.
The Vienna Beef Factory Store & Deli is at 2501 N. Damen, 773-235-6652. The store’s open 10 to 4 Monday through Friday and 10 to 3 Saturday; deli hours are 6 to 2:30 Monday through Friday and 10 to 3 Saturday.
