How to Order Correctly at Katz’s Deli

“Every day, someone is confused about the ticket system, without fail,” says Jake Dell, the fifth-generation owner of Katz’s Delicatessen.

On weekend afternoons, a line forms out the door with tourists, and during the late-night hours on weekends, the expansive dining room fills with people from bars, looking to fill up after night of drinking.

Every one of them has to hold onto their ticket, which serves as a receipt and record of how much they should pay before they go.

“It’s pretty basic, every adult’s given one on the way in and every adult’s gotta give one going out,” Dell says. “Part of the appeal of this place is the nostalgia, and the ticket helps you remember that.”

“Out of every ten people who walk in, maybe one or two lose their ticket,” Dell says, who explains in this video how to order like a regular at Katz’s.