For decades, a glass bottle of black cherry soda has been as much a part of the Schwartz’s Deli experience as its famous smoked meat sandwiches. Now, longtime patrons of the Montreal institution are noticing something different on the table: the soda is gone, replaced by a locally made alternative.
The change didn’t happen overnight. According to the restaurant, supplies of the American-made cherry soda had been unreliable for roughly eight years, as the drink’s distributor cut back production amid rising aluminum costs, which pushed up the price of cans. Despite the ongoing shortages, staff at Schwartz’s assumed the soda would eventually return to normal availability. Instead, the cans disappeared from the market entirely, leaving the deli with no choice but to find a substitute.
The restaurant has since switched to a beverage produced closer to home, swapping the imported classic for a Canadian-made version. So far, the response from regulars has been largely positive, with most customers accepting the new drink as a worthy stand-in for the original.
Schwartz’s, which has served Montreal’s Jewish-style smoked meat since 1928, is considered a culinary landmark in the city, drawing tourists and locals alike who queue for a taste of its signature sandwich. The soda switch is a small but telling example of how global supply chains and rising material costs can ripple down to even the most beloved neighborhood institutions.
You can watch the original video report to see how customers reacted to the change firsthand.
Source: Why a famous Montreal sandwich shop has been forced to swap its soda (feeds.bbci.co.uk). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: Internet Archive Book Images.