On Friday May 16th, the west dining hall was buzzing as usual, filled with the sound of laughter and the beeps of scanning IDs.
Yet, something was off. As a group of freshmen trickled in, they quickly discovered that the table they had sat at all year, one that they had assumed was a guarantee, was occupied: filled with a group of senior boys, a piece of paper marked “Reserved for Free Sandwich Review” and a packet of party hats. In response, they turned to each other in confusion and wandered aimlessly, desperately searching for new seats, as one remarked “well, this is different,” while passing the table.
The senior boys had been plotting this grand takeover for weeks and admitted to being a little nervous on whether their plan would work. But, they knew they had to at least try: as this was not just any Friday, it was the last Free Sandwich Review at DePaul Prep.
Free Sandwich Review is a TikTok account started by seniors Basil Frater and Connor Egan in February, posting videos of the two reviewing sandwiches every Tuesday and Thursday. While they specialize in reviewing sandwiches made in the DePaul Prep cafeteria, they also deviate from this concept every once in a while.
Some notable episodes include the “COVID special,” where the two were separate—a Jersey Mike’s cheesesteak shot from across the street, a review of the Black Student Union Unity Dinner food and even one shot on a Kairos retreat.
A common misconception is that the name of the account comes from the idea that the sandwiches they eat are free. However, the free nature does not come from the price, instead it takes on a totally different meaning.
”The reviews are free. We’re giving the public a free sandwich review without bias,” Frater said. “We don’t have any corporate sponsors or anybody running us. It’s us. We’re being honest on what the sandwich is, and we’re not going to lie to the audience.”
Frater was inspired to start the account after watching TikTok cookie reviews from a senior who graduated from DePaul Prep last year, Joey Galante.
“I thought it was a good idea. I thought it was funny,” Frater said “You know what, what do me and Connor love eating? Sandwiches.”
Frater said he knew Egan was the right partner because, “In my group, he’s the main guy who likes sandwiches, and he’s the most willing to do something out of the ordinary.”
One of the things that makes the two such a dynamic duo is their different styles of rating. Their rating system is based off of Dave Portnoy’s One Bite Pizza Reviews, as they give their ranking after just one bite. They mainly focus on the taste, but the cut of the sandwich is also integral to a high ranking.
Egan is a purist, as he said “I eat the bite. I go and get my score. That’s it.” Meanwhile, Frater is more logical, basing his ranking off both “taste and feel.”
Despite these differences, both agree on the worst sandwich ever reviewed, a recommendation from Chase Streff: ham, pepperoni, provolone, red peppers, banana peppers, lettuce, tomato, chipotle sauce, mayo and vinegar.
Frater and Egan are not the only members of the Free Sandwich Review team, however. Senior Andrew Chan is described as “business minded” by Frater, and was able to expand their audience through getting the reviews on the Student Life Instagram.
“Ideas just flow to my head,” Chan said, when asked about how he came up with the idea to message the Student Life account.
Along with Chan, Free Sandwich Review has a dedicated follower base, who both watch the reviews live and are consistent commenters on their posts, including Dom Bitz, Will Huxhold and Aiden Kam. Each has a different rationale for loving the reviews, with Chan citing “their passion,” Huxhold saying, “it’s always a fun time” and Bitz describing the two as “insightful.”
The mood could only be described as electric, as the boys, donning matching party hats, pressed record for the very last time. The sandwich? The Lunch Lady Special, packed with every single ingredient available at DePaul Prep. The reviews? Not so great, receiving a measly 5.25 from Frater and 6.1 from Egan. Chan even remarked, “That is not the sandwich they wanted to remember” as the duo took their first bites.
While Free Sandwich Review is far from retired, with the two already planning exciting new minigames for the summer and zoom meetings for when they move away to college, there was a somber air to this final review. As the boys sat together for the last time, “cheers-ing” their sandwiches in front of an audience of their best friends, the focus was not on the taste or presentation of the sandwiches, but on the community created through Free Sandwich Review.
