story and photos by Jessica Pope
McAlister’s Famous Sweet Tea has been described as a beverage of mythic proportions. Rumor has it that it was “born in a region where brewing a good glass of iced tea comes second nature.”
But that’s not the only rumor swirling around the McAlister’s Corporation’s most prized menu item.
According to the McAlister’s Deli Web site, “... people always want to know how we make it, which has led to a few crazy rumors we’d like to clear up. No, we didn’t steal it from the Russian secret service. No, it wasn’t originally a recipe developed by a Chinese monk. No, it’s not made from a rare tea leaf found only in the Amazon. No, it’s not filled with anything illegal. No, we don’t have Grandma held hostage in the back room making batch after batch. And no, you can’t have the recipe. That’s our little secret, but we’d be happy to pour you a glass.”
Valerie Carr, franchisee who opened the Valdosta location of McAlister’s Deli at Valdosta Mall in the fall of 2006, said McAlister’s Famous Sweet Tea is the best-selling item on the menu. She said people come into the establishment every day just to buy gallons of the Southern favorite.
The first McAlister’s Deli was opened in 1989 in a converted gas station in Oxford, Mississippi. It was a dentist with a penchant for restaurants with fast, personal service and great food who developed the concept. He had already spent years tracking what worked and what flopped and believed he was on to something good.
Carr believes people are drawn to McAlister’s Deli because it is a quick-casual restaurant — which, as defined by The Business Review, is one that “offers better food and ambiance than fast-food outlets at lower prices than table-service restaurants.”
“We try to get your order delivered to your table in eight minutes or less,” she said.
With her attention on the menu, Carr noted that customers seem drawn to McAlister’s Deli’s 100 or so selections, which include everything from spuds and sandwiches to salads and soups to sweets. She said that everything is made fresh just the way the customer likes it. Choosey customers are welcome.
“None of our food is fried or greasy,” she said. “I think people like the healthier aspect of our menu and the fact there is so much to choose from. Once they come in and try us, they tend to keep coming back for more.”
McAlister’s Deli Fast Facts
• McAlister’s Deli is located at Valdosta Mall and can be reached by calling (229) 247-0733. It is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
• McAlister’s Deli is a WiFi enabled eatery.
• McAlister’s Deli offers Deli Dollars Gift Cards.
• McAlister’s Deli makes it easy to call in orders to go for those in a hurry and caters every type of and any size occasion — from major social events to family reunions to office meetings.
• McAlister’s Deli’s nutrition information, as well as a full menu, can be found on the World Wide Web at
www.mcalistersdeli.com/menu/.
