-By Janet Raiffa, Contributing Writer, Member & Recruiting Manager

You know it’s a sign that you were not destined for long-term happiness at your job when the thing you miss most after your layoff is the salad from the takeout place across the street.  Well, that’s not strictly true – I adored my very cool and cute hiring partner boss in Silicon Valley and many of my team members – but I’ve been craving that salad something terrible lately.  Is it just me, or are others out there avoiding venturing within a several block radius of their old offices for fear of bumping into former colleagues and having to explain what they’ve been up to lately?

One of the reasons I’ve been longing for that salad more recently is the fact that I’m now on a job search/summer-is-approaching diet.  I’ve always been at thin points in my figure spectrum when I’ve begun jobs, and know that it’s no coincidence.  Feeling secure about your physical appearance goes beyond picking out an appropriate outfit to interview in, and believing that you look healthy and attractive in an interview is extremely helpful in a market where you know that are many qualified applicants for every available position.  A recently published University of Florida study supports this, as researchers noted that “good looking men and women have a greater confidence that gives them an edge in the job market,” and that “…even accounting for intelligence, a person’s feeling of self-worth is enhanced by how attractive they are and this, in turn, results in higher pay.” I’ve already begun a frequent gym routine to fill my comparatively empty days and fill me with those feel good endorphins, but my recent recession friendly diet of $0.99 pasta and pizza has prevented the workouts from making much of a dent.

The salad I’ve been craving to help me emerge from my self-imposed carbohydrate quicksand is the make-your-own chopped and tossed mix served at Café Metro on 52^nd.  An old colleague introduced me to this after I told her about my walks to Chop’t, and Café Metro’s version proved preferable in many ways.  While Chop’t charges more for additional ingredients after the initial four, and adds extra for proteins like chicken and shrimp, my Café Metro offered the main meat or fish and a wide range of unlimited toppings for one set price. They also had particularly delicious sweet walnuts. An additional lure is the fact that if you order online and then opt for either pickup or delivery you receive a 20% discount off the price.  Looking at the two salads side-by-side, even without the discount, the Café Metro version with the same ingredients always proved to be at least $2.00 less expensive and unlike its competitor always came in below the $10 limit I aim at for a takeout lunch.

Not wanting to bump into old colleagues at the branch opposite my old firm, I looked up the Café Metros in other areas of the city, and visited the one on 38^th Street and 7^th Avenue during the week.  I was dismayed to find that not every restaurant in the chain offered the same rates; I had to pay separately for every item of my salad, and when I asked them to chop it the guy behind the counter said they didn’t offer that service.  Did they not have the utensils, or was the manpower for chopping not available? I know that vegetables are good for you, but I find them much more palatable when they are tiny.  I ate my salad forlornly, not only because it proved to be significantly more expensive than the chain’s branch several blocks away, but because I was convinced that I would choke on a normal sized piece of lettuce.  I also looked at the posted price lists of other branches in midtown when I encountered them, and found that the price-per-item computation was applied elsewhere.

The following Saturday I returned to my old branch for the first time since I was laid off.  I needed to make sure that not all the branches had imposed the price-per-item and “we don’t chop” rule.  I was fairly confident that I would not encounter any of my old colleagues; though lawyers and legal staffers often work on weekends it was a particularly beautiful day, and if they were coming in they’d probably opt for arriving much later in the afternoon.  The place was empty, but the selection of ingredients on the weekend was also smaller, and they didn’t have the chicken or the walnuts I like in stock.  I was still happy that the price was the same as before, and felt comfortable enough to eat inside rather than dashing, albeit with my back turned away from the entrance to the office.

Emboldened by this visit, I resolved to return during the week. On Monday I ordered the salad online to ensure my 20% discount.  I strategically chose an 11:30am pickup to avoid the main lunch rush.  I also decided to cast aside the jeans I’ve been living in, and put on a work outfit just in case. When I arrived the place was fairly empty, and they hadn’t even made my pre-ordered salad yet.  While they were tossing and chopping it I told a girl behind the counter that I was surprised not all of its outposts offered the same services, and enthusiastically added that her branch was the best.  Brimming with excitement about my Atkins and budget-friendly lunch with all my favorite ingredients, I reiterated the sentiment to the man I recognized as the manager who was standing near the register.  “This is the best Café Metro,” I said.  “I went to other branches, and discovered that they didn’t have the same all included price.  The one on 38^th Street wouldn’t even chop the salad!” He immediately apologized, and noted that his colleague downtown had a unique way of doing things.  I told him not to worry and that even though I didn’t work across the street anymore it only meant that I would be returning to his branch more often.  He brightened at this response, and introduced himself as James.  I paid the cashier and began to leave when James said to his employee “Lunch is on us today.” She handed my twenty dollar bill back, and I thanked them both for the unexpected treat.  I waited until I was safely at home in my apartment to eat, and I think it was the best salad I’ve ever had.

My favorite Café Metro is at 22 West 52^nd Street and can be found online at www.cafemetrony.com.  The small salad is $7.79 and the large version is $8.79.  If you order online add “20off” as the discount code when you check out.

Read all of “Janet Raiffa’s Recessionals” here.