After graduating from high school, Kevin McAllister began working at Webster Hall Deli in 1987.
“(He) taught me how to cook. We made egg salads, tuna salads, and more,” McAllister said. “Cooking is easy. You have to be careful. It’s all cooking – you just pay attention to what you’re making and you just love what you’re doing.”
McAllister took over after working at a deli for 17 years. In 2004 he renamed Kevin’s Deli. Framed photos of McAllister and Lee still hang from the walls of the deli.
McAllister is currently the owner and sole worker of Kevin’s Deli. Students chose Kevin’s deli as the best black-owned business on Pit News’ Best of Survey. Within Webster Hall, he offers classic and breakfast options such as Buffalo Chicken Salad and Reuben. According to McAllister, his steak hogee is “the best in town.”
“No one touches my steak hogee,” McAllister said. “Everything I make is good. You’ll love everything because it’s not just the workers who work here, but the owner, and when it’s the owner, he doesn’t want them to make bad statements, so he makes everything good.”
McAllister forms relationships with many customers. During a typical day, he sits and talks with an 89-year-old woman who comes to drink coffee every day while waiting for the rush of lunch. Another customer recently began running McAllister Clash Royale for him in exchange for a free coffee maker.
“I don’t just want customers, I want friends,” McAllister said. “That’s how I look at business.”
At the deli counter, McAllister has many trinkets. Pikachu figurines, hot wheels, and Rubik’s cube.
“People are doing my Rubik’s Cube for me,” McAllister said. “Every time a customer comes in, he does it in seconds. I’m saying, ‘Amazing. The customers are cool.’ ”
McAllister adorned the walls of the deli with customer tokens. Pittsburgh Skyline paintings from former residents of Webster Hall, a message board filled with foreign currency, and posters signed by the Pitt Sports Team. McAllister said he loves people and for him interaction is “everything.” Deli is where McAllister met his 34-year-old wife.
Working in a university neighborhood, McAllister clients are constantly coming and going. Every year, McAllister receives Christmas cards from past regulars and his family. They sometimes bring him cookies. Another former client and his family send a letter annually updating him about the family’s actions. Both the Christmas card and the letters are tapered to the wall behind the deli counter.
“Every four years, a lot of college kids work around here and go to school around here, so I get new clients, so I meet them and become good friends with them.
Webster Hall property manager Jessica Stanislaw has been around the corner from Kevin’s deli for 11 years and enjoys a “great breakfast sandwich.”
“We have a great relationship,” Stanislow said. “We are proud that Kevin is part of the Webster Hall community. Please include him on our lease tour.”
Stanislow believes Kevin’s deli was chosen as the “best.”
“He’s friendly to everyone and gives a nice atmosphere to Webster Hall and the surrounding community,” Stanislow said.
Manny Busnet, a senior media and professional communications major, was the first to hear about Kevin’s deli from a friend who frequently went to the location. Deli’s first impressions were focused on McAllister’s personality.
“He was really kind and made me feel really welcome,” Basnet said. “And I thought it was pretty weird for someone to be kind to me just making food and then it was a really enjoyable experience.”
Now Basnet goes semi-regularly, and his favorite menu item is a steak hoe with fries. He said he believes Kevin’s Deli won the “best of” due to McAllister’s welcoming personality.
“I think there are a lot of places that have really good food, whether it’s something that separates the food location, a place that’s just a restaurant or just a place to reach out, but my favorite place is that it’s not just good food, but a place that has a good experience.”
For McAllister, getting the “best” meant he was “not a stab or a hole” because he was trying to do good things and be kind.
“I’m always kind and leading,” McAllister said. “If you don’t have enough money, you can eat here. I won’t tell everyone that, but if someone comes in and says they only have five dollars, I’m not going to drive them away.
