When news broke that President Barack Obama would be speaking in Ann Arbor, the student body was obviously pretty excited. Hundreds of students lined up, spending Monday night sleeping on the pavement surrounding the Cube on makeshift beds made of yoga mats, pillows, blankets, and tailgate chairs in order to score a ticket when they were made available at 9:00 am on Tuesday.
The President addressed those lucky enough to get into the speech at the Intramural Sports building. How many people can say that the President gave a speech at their gym? Exactly. He came to speak about raising the minimum wage to $10.10/hour, an initiative that resonates with a lot of college students.
But that’s not what this is actually about. The real news here is that President Obama could not come to Ann Arbor without making a pit stop at Zingerman’s.
What made the leader of the free world choose Zingerman’s? Is it the classic Ann Arbor reputation? Did he need a protein-packed lunch before his speech? Were his roommate’s parents in town and offered to treat him?
He actually chose this particular establishment because Zingerman’s is the perfect backdrop for this cause—the owner, Paul Saginaw, is especially known for taking good care of his workers and has been a public advocate for raised wages. During this meal, the President also met with three foodservice workers from all over the Detroit area who advocated the raised minimum wage. It was also an insane surprise and an Instagram opportunity for anyone who was blowing off class in favor of a sandwich.
So what did POTUS order? He went for a Reuben, which has literally won Zingerman’s multiple awards. In his words: “The Reuben is killer.”