There is a common idea behind every legal and illicit business, a basic economic principle that fostered the first trade and still drives it today: “They have something we want, and we have something they want.”
A number of Athens businesses trade food with others. No money is exchanged, little information is required to negotiate a trade, and only a few businesses keep a written log of what they are gaining and losing. The practice is celebrated by some and condemned by others.
And, like any market, some things are in higher demand than others.
Who Is Trading ... and When
Wings Over Athens, 33 N. Court St., is one of the businesses that welcome food trading whole-heartedly, business manager Greg Donofrio said.
“We call around and will trade with anyone willing,” Donofrio said.
The most common trading partners of Wings Over are Bagel Street Deli, 27 S. Court St., and Big Mamma’s Burritos, 10 S. Court St.
In the past, Wings Over also has traded with Insomnia Cookies, 27 N. Court St.; GoodFella’s Pizza, 35 N. Court St.; and Donkey Coffee and Espresso, 17 1/2 W. Washington St.
Trades take place at Wings Over when customer traffic is slow and there are enough employees to handle customer demands as well as the behind-the-scenes trading. For the underground trade between Wings Over and Bagel Street Deli, that means Saturday and Sunday mornings.
Big Mamma’s also keeps a careful eye on when they trade to ensure that business is not disrupted. Because of that, trading during the late-night rushes after 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights is avoided.
Even with the cautionary measures, Athens’ own secret trade is in full swing.
“It makes me so happy,” said Alexandra Deet, a junior studying photojournalism who works at Big Mamma’s. “We don’t want to eat Big Mamma’s every day.”
Most chain restaurants, such as Jimmy John’s, 16 S. Court St., and Chipotle, 41 S. Court St., are noticeably left out of the market, and that’s no coincidence.
Brittney Thomas works at O’Betty’s, 15 W. State St., and said the business trades with other locally owned businesses because corporate franchises are less likely to allow food trading.
Corporate rules forbid food trading at Jimmy John’s, said Brian Stevens, an Ohio University alumnus and Jimmy John’s employee.
“I know it’s been done in the past, and we’ve been offered it,” Stevens said. “But no, we don’t do it.”
Not All Menu Items Are Created Equal
When it comes to bartering, though, it’s not just simple swaps.
Employees at Donkey Coffee and Espresso are allowed two free drinks a week that they can use to bargain with, Donkey employee Alexander Costello said.
Chais, lattes and smoothies are the most commonly traded items, he said.
Although the coffee shop’s employees do not receive free bakery items, its coffee is a rare commodity within the underground food trade.
“I need coffee every day,” said Sarah Cecil, a manager at Big Mamma’s.
Employees at Big Mamma’s frequently trade burritos for coffee to survive their shifts that last well into the night, as the business is open until 3 a.m. every day.
Coffee, however, is not the only beverage in high demand among Athens food joints.
Donofrio said Wings Over has traded chicken for a case of beer from The C.I., 32 N. Court St. The trade, he said, was a logical one.
“They have something we want, and we have something they want,” he said.
Dollar values of items are more important than whether they are solid or liquids, which is why Casa Nueva, 4 W. State St., does not usually trade food. The ingredients and labor that go into most menu items drives the price up, beyond the trade value of other businesses’ menu items.
Courtney Dodson, a junior studying English and creative writing, works at Casa Nueva and said few places meet the food-trade standards they have.
“The only times we have traded, it has been with O’Betty’s,” Dodson said.
It still takes two of O’Betty’s Mata Hari’s, which cost $3.50 apiece, to roughly equal a Casa Nueva quesadilla, which is valued at $7.75.
Who Doesn’t Trade
While it might appear that every favorite Uptown food stop is involved in this underground trade, not all restaurants participate.
Courtside Pizza, 85 N. Court St., is one Uptown location that does not trade food. Since Evan Reed started working there six years ago, he has never witnessed a swap. It is owner David Cornwell’s policy not to trade food with other businesses, which doesn’t bother Reed because he usually makes enough tip money to pay for a meal after he leaves work.
“People do call us quite a bit,” Reed said. “But we just have to say no.”
GoodFella’s Pizza employees refused to comment beyond insisting that the business does not trade food, despite a number of other businesses claiming the pizza shop had swapped with them in the past.
Although food trading is against policy for these businesses, some other restaurants’ employees insist there are benefits to the small lack of accounting, outside of a change to the palate.
“It creates a good sense of community too,” Cecil said. “We fully support it. Our number is (740) 566-4100, and we’re willing to trade.”
mt360307@ohiou.edu
