UPDATE:  Potbelly reached out to us to explain:

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Stopped into a Potbelly on Elston today and they completely abandoned classic Potbelly assembly-line protocol for ordering.

Girl at the register told me the change occurred 4 months ago at this one and the one on Clybourn.  Maybe they’re just testing it out to adjust to the new online ordering/pick-up world.  Took me a minute to get my bearings, but it was efficient and my sandwich order was correct: Big turkey on wheat, no cheese w/lettuce, tomato & mayo.

Took it to go and and a dude followed me to my car and knocked on my window for a classic Chicago grift. “I’ve got a flat tire and the tow-truck driver won’t help unless we pay him up front…” I knew where he was going so I decided to mess with his spiel and tell him I didn’t know anything about fixing cars. He pushed on and said, “No, that’s okay…We’re $12 short.”  Sorry bro.  Don’t have any cash on me.  That’s the only answer that will end a con-game on the street. Truth is I didn’t have cash.  But even if I did, I’m not falling for the old banana in the tail pipe…er…flat tire/just a few dollars short.