Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who is Mr. Zingerman?
A: Actually, there ISN’T a Mr. Zingerman! The name was made up by co-founders Paul Saginaw and Ari Weinzweig when the original name for the Deli, “Greenberg’s” was taken by another business (one week before we opened!). They wanted a name that sounded fun and Jewish (since it’s a Jewish deli, after all), but neither of their names, though they’re both Jewish, worked very well. No one would have been able to pronounce Weinzweig, and Saginaw, derived from Sagin’ Or, or, Seer of Light, has other connotations in this state (it’s the name of a Native American tribe and a Michigan city).

Q: When was Zingerman’s Delicatessen founded?
A: The Delicatessen opened on March 15, 1982.

Q: How many people are employed in the Zingerman’s Community of Businesses?
A: Over 700 full-time and part-time staff. Around the December holidays, that number swells to almost 1,000.

Q: How do I find out about jobs at Zingerman’s?
A: Find our jobs page here with information about all our job openings and a separate FAQ devoted to employment with Zingerman’s.

Q: How do I get to the various Zingerman’s retail locations?
A: See a map of all our retail businesses and contact information here!

Q: What are your hours?
A: Each Zingerman’s business sets its own hours. See Our Businesses for a description of each with more information and contact information; check their websites or give them a call for current hours!

Q: Will you open a Zingerman’s outside the Ann Arbor area? Who do I talk to about getting a franchise?
A: We get this request on occasion and it’s always extremely flattering but the answer is always the same. Staying true to our long-term vision, we won’t be moving outside of the Ann Arbor community and it is in our plans to NOT franchise. The community here has been so good to us. We think that one of the primary things that makes us unique is that we are a collection of unique businesses. There isn’t anything else exactly like us here. Paul and Ari decided long ago that they wanted to preserve that uniqueness by pouring their energies into the one location and never to franchise. We do sell our candy bars, coffee, pastries, and other items around Michigan and the U.S. and you can get great food delivered to your door at www.zingermans.com.

We invite entrepreneurs with a passion for food and a commitment to our mission and guiding principles to join us in the area though. Each business we’ve started was inspired by—and is led by—entrepreneurs. We do not create business concepts then find partners. The partners come to us with an idea and work to build it themselves, with help from our community of businesses. If you are serious about building a food business in Ann Arbor and want to be part of Zingerman’s, we welcome all discussions. Email Paul Saginaw, Zingerman’s co-founder, at [email protected].

Q: Can someone from Zingerman’s come and talk to our company?
A: We are often asked to provide speakers! Please contact ZingTrain at 734-930-1919 for more information.

Q: Does Zingerman’s give back?
A: Zingerman’s gives to a variety of causes. Our main philanthropic mission is to help end hunger in Washtenaw County, Michigan. We founded Food Gatherers in 1988 and continue to give them the majority of our philanthropic and volunteer support, regardless of the level of our profits.

If you have a contribution request for your organization you can learn more about our giving and request a donation here.

Q: Can you ship Zingerman’s food internationally?
A: We can send food to all 50 states and even Washington D.C. Unfortunately, we can’t send Zingerman’s internationally—not even just across the border to Canada or Mexico.

Q: Where can I get Zingerman’s books?
A: At Zingerman’s Press! We write and publish our own books celebrating the lessons we’ve learned from doing business, as well as the foods we love to sell, and the stories of the foods’ histories and the artisans who make them.

Q: What if I don’t like it? Is there a guarantee?
A: At Zingerman’s we guarantee absolute satisfaction. If you experience any problem with any of our products, customer service, shipping, or even if you just plain don’t like what you bought, please let us know. We’ll do whatever it takes to make it right for you.

Q: What if I have a question that didn’t get answered here?
A: Email us at [email protected], we’ll be happy to help!