h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

i recall being taken to my mum's work when quite little in the mid-eights in the provincial town of portsmouth and they had a sandwich van then

My son worked for one of these sandwich van firms in Camden Town. He and his workmates made all the sandwiches etc up and took them to the City to the different places where they had a franchise.

The sandwich fillings consisted of low quality food. The vegetables in particular, were bought at knock down prices at Covent Garden because much of it was unsaleable. My son's boss reckoned that if he bought ten boxes of such 'rubbish' (his word), he would be able to salvage at least a third of it for sandwich filling. And at the ridiculously cheap price he paid for it, together with the high price of the sandwich, he made a good profit.

He never, ever bought fresh market produce. My son said he felt sorry for the customers. It was a naked rip-off.

My son left and went into the butchery trade - but that's another story!

Anyway, we are all the better off for the demise of the 80's sandwich cowboys - even though it has a nostalgic side.