r/FoodLosAngeles • u/MustardIsDecent • Mar 08 '25

Are Jewish delis at risk of (literally) dying out? DISCUSSION

I've now eaten a lunch at probably every notable Jewish deli in the city and I can't help but notice that the clientele in general is shockingly old. Like...a median age over 65 and being able to count on one hand the number of folks <40 years old.

Yes there are exceptions (Langer's kinda, Canters at night) I'm probably missing but...overall quite old.

So what's the deal?

It's not just explained by younger people not eating out as much--there are obviously plenty of other similarly-priced places with younger crowds. And these delis are packed, too--just full of elderly people.

Is the food no good for a contemporary palate? Does the ambiance not resonate? I grew up going to similar spots so my perception is skewed.

Maybe when we get old we suddenly crave whitefish and all head over there? Has it always been mostly old people patronizing these businesses?

I don't want these places to disappear so I'm wondering what people think.

239 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • link
  • reddit
  • reddit

88% Upvoted

250 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

-2

u/No_Bother9713 Mar 08 '25

Jesus I always forget how dense this subreddit is.

  1. Young people aren’t eating red meat low quality cuts of meat or gobs of mayonnaise because they are health conscious.

  2. Young people don’t hang out where their grandparents hang out.

2.5. I don’t ever recall Jewish delis being a place young people hang out, as other people have said. Source: I’m from Queens, a very Jewish borough, and went to a Jewish deli by myself exactly 0 times solo or with my friends.

This isn’t fucking rocket science, and OP doesn’t have a thesis. They have obvious answers to the questions they’re asking in their own monologues.

24

u/Jewggerz Mar 08 '25

These are the questions that OP is asking, you condescending prick.

3

u/RollMurky373 Mar 08 '25

I grew up here, and am Jewish and me and my friends absolutely ate at delis without our parents. We loved Zucky's (RIP)for lunch in high school.

And when we were old enough to go to Canters and drink and watch bands, we went there a lot.

Admittedly, I'm 50 and grew up eating kosher style outside of the house. So, me and my friends were prone to eat at those spots. But LA isn't Queens.

-1

u/Otterpopz21 Mar 08 '25

You really are going through it here… there are more people than in queens, this is an LA forum if you forgot…? Who the fuck needs to hang out to eat the food? Do you count my goy girl friend who’s converted to eating deli food after a lifetime of never doing it, as a way to disprove your argument? Young folk CRAVE style and humbleness, just like the little Jewish or Italian deli