Mr. Chesher

I had just taken over the operation of the restaurant and as the new operator I was hosing at the door, when a very dapper gentleman asked to be seated and at the same time asked who I was and that he wanted to speak with me. I seated him and told him I would be back as soon as it slowed down at this busy lunch time.

When I came back to him, he asked to join him; which I did and he explained to me that he operated one of Toronto's most important tailoring shops and he dressed the most important people in government, the financial district and the who's who of society in our big city. As well he said he is the man who put Colonel Saunders in his white suit and makes them for him!

Well we had something in common, I had worked for the man who brought Kentucky Fried Chicken to Canada, Barney Gelfand, in Calgary and I had spent considerable time with the Colonel on his regular visits.

The tailor customer's name was Mert Chesher and he would be a regular of my restaurant and would bring important people to the place if I would serve him the item that he likes to eat at every lunch; a toasted bacon and tomato sandwich. Well this sandwich is not on the menu and certainly not as a special everyday!

Mert said I wasn't listening, "I want it everyday, every time, if you want my business."

Well those of you in the restaurant business know that setting up a special order to go through everyday takes some organizing, Chef to accept, Servers to be informed and individual pricing for the POS. I said, "OK!"

"One more thing!" I said to myself this is getting tough. "What is it Mr. Chesher?" "I want 10 French Fries, not 9, not 11, 10 exactly."

Mert became a regular customer and a friend and true to his word he did bring new business with him.

He always got his Toasted Bacon & Tomato Sandwich with the 10 French Fries, EVERYTIME.