The interior of Press. Photo by Darren Castro
As co-owner and manager of the Press Restaurant situated on 34 East 23rd Street between numerous businesses, both big and small, Jimmy Shabtay feels his most important job is overseeing the daily hustle and bustle of the New York customer. He feels the first goal of Press is customer service, making sure their patrons get the exact experience they want from their visit. Customer Michelle Salinas says she enjoys stopping by for lunch because “they know people may be busy and in a rush, but they still do a great job regardless.”
Dough for the trademark pressing machine. Photo by Gretchen R.
One of the most striking things customers waiting in line will notice is the dough pressing machine which is a trademark of the franchise. Seeing such a unique display of preparation adds an interesting visual flair that helps hook-in new customers and keeps them coming back. Shabtay says, “the most important thing is the food being consistent. We make everything in-house.” Updates to the offered selection are important, and over time Press has added new items, such as turkey, tuna and chicken teriyaki. “We have to always refresh the menu…especially those customers that keep coming back four or five times a week, you want to give them more options and more reasons to keep coming back.”
At Press, it’s always customer’s choice. Photo by Darren Castro
Whether it’s the food or the service, when customers come back three or four times a week, Shabtay feels it is indicative of a job well done. He acknowledges that there are a ton of options in the area, and the fact that customers choose his little corner of the block to eat is “a great drive to keep going with what we’re doing.”
