Which Wich (Wayland)

• 1150 129th Avenue
• Wayland, MI 49348
• (269) 792-7984
• Website
• Menu

I knew I was going to be spending more time in the Grand Rapids office last week than I really wanted to.   It was just one of those weeks where there was more work there than the number of staff we had so I was going to get pulled up.  

I ended up doing a really long shift on Tuesday.  I had some things I really needed to do in Kalamazoo Tuesday night and it threw off the whole night when I didn’t leave Grand Rapids until just before 7:30.  That’s about an hour after my normal end time plus I still had the drive home.  

I didn’t get a chance to eat during my 11 hour shift so I was hungry.  I still needed to get home though and do something before calling it a night.   I needed something quick and not too far off my route home.  

I have been seeing signs for a new sandwich shop near the Gun Lake Casino and I saw they had just opened a few days prior.  I needed gas anyway so this stop was a no-brainer.  

Which Wich opened up just last week inside the Noonday Market on 129th Avenue just to the east of the interchange with US-131.  The gas station has been there for quite a while across from Gun Lake Casino and is owned by the Tribe.  Which Wich takes up a portion on the westside of the building that used to be a Subway but that space has been empty for about three years.  Now it’s a combo sandwich and gelato business.  

There’s a large counter right as you walk in the store that seperates the kitchen from the dining room. I was looking at the menu hanging above the counter but that wasn’t actually the right one. That’s for the Paciugo Gelato part of the store that also has a few sandwiches. A guy came out and asked me if I had been to a Which Wich before and I said yes because I didn’t want to really talk to him. I probably should have just let him finish his spiel because ordering at Which Wich isn’t just going to the counter and asking for what you want. I think he saw that I was lying and gave me the quick version of what I needed to know.

Off to the left side of the order counter is a small metal counter with a number of brown paper bags. Each number is for a different type of meat. This is kind of their calling card. Everyone knows Which Wich for their brown paper bags and red marker ordering system. It’s one of those things that makes them stand out.

You grab the bag for the meat you want then start making your customizations right on the bag by checking off the boxes. There’s another card for fries if you want that but all you have to do there is put your name on it then pick your dipping sauce.

Once you’ve done that, then you go to the order counter and hand the bag to the cashier. They put the order in and offer drinks. I got a regular roast beef sandwich, an order of fries, and a large drink. The cost was a little under $20.

I’m not going to talk too much about the Gelato part of the business because I hope there will be a separate blog post in the future but I can’t totally ignore it. The gelato is right next to the order counter and for this, you’d go straight there and ask for what you want. No bags to fill out.

I filled up my drink then waited for the sandwich to be made. There’s a fairly large dining room in the space with a lot of windows. I was in the store around 7:30 in May so the sun was setting off to the west and it was coming right in to the shop. There are only a couple of seats that would be safe from direct sunlight. I wasn’t planning on eating in anyway but it would have been slightly uncomfortable if that was my plan. As it was, I just kind of stood along the wall waiting for my name to be called.

It took a little over five minutes for my meal to be ready. I grabbed the bag of fries and the sandwich and headed back to the car.

I ate the fries on the drive home. They were pretty simple frozen crinkle cut fries with a lot of seasoning. It wasn’t bad but they could have went a little lighter. I didn’t get any dipping sauce because I knew I’d be in the car and I didn’t need it on my shirt so I just went with the plain fries. I like that this is an option at a sandwich place and it’s not just chips.

The sandwich waited until I got home. Not a huge deal because it’s a sandwich so it’s not like it’s going to get cold.

I ordered a regular roast beef sandwich with Cheez Whiz, deli mustard, hot pepper mix, lettuce, oil, vinegar, salt pepper, and oregano. One bite and this became my new fast casual chain sandwich. There is several layers of meat crammed in to the toasted white bread on top of a thick layer of Cheez Whiz. That alone made this a delicious sandwich but what really did it for me was the “hot pepper mix.” The hot peppers are a giardiniera mix. I was shocked when I saw this and it made every bite slightly sweet and slightly hot. I put giardiniera on almost everything anymore and was really surprised to see it on a Dallas based sub chain. I would have really liked this sandwich without the hot pepper mix but with it, it makes me want to make the drive to Wayland just to get a sandwich.

This was my first Which Wich experience and it won’t be my last. I stop at this gas station quite often on my way to and from Grand Rapids. It use to be easier to get on and off the highway than the Wayland exit but they’ve messed with the exit from the gas station so now it’s kind of a pain in the ass but still easier than dealing with the traffic a few miles up the road.

I was surprised by how much I liked this sandwich. I’ve heard of the Which Wich chain before this one opened but never had a chance to stop at one. They made a great first impression.