New York Times: Penn Station as a Dining Destination? Yes, Really

Penn Station — that is, Pennsylvania Station, the train station in New York City — was not exactly a warmly cherished destination among commuters before the summer of 2017. The country’s busiest train station was already infamous for its massive crowds, long lines, and delayed departures. That was before the so-called “Summer of Hell” began in 2017, in which many of the city’s aging tracks were closed for repairs and the number of trains in service was significantly reduced.

Penn Station the sandwich franchise, on the other hand, is faring much better. The grilled-sandwich concept, which was originally designed to introduce an East Coast sandwich style to the Midwest, has not been injured by its association with the maligned travel hub. The franchise has expanded to more than 300 locations in 15 states, and demand is increasing.

For some customers, the chain’s food is so satisfying that it inspired them to wax romantic about the namesake train station, even if a few had not actually experienced the station’s ambience. “If there’s a restaurant named after it, it must be pretty neat,” said Bebe Hodges, a 17-year-old high school student who was eating with a friend at a Penn Station in Hyde Park, a suburb of Cincinnati. Still, she was hesitant to associate her meal with a metropolitan commuter hub.

But the idea of eating in New York’s Penn Station was tantalizing to other Ohio sandwich lovers. “I wish I could go there and eat food in the real Penn Station,” said Theo Williams, who ducked into the sub shop near the University of Cincinnati. Mr. Williams, who had never visited New York City, said he imagined the train station to be “big, loud, noisy and dirty, a lot of trash.”