What Goes Around, Comes Around (With a Side of Corned Beef)
What Goes Around, Comes Around (With a Side of Corned Beef)
By F’nAround Media
You know that old saying, “What goes around, comes around”? Well, in Chicago, that usually applies to both karma and the revolving door of politicians who somehow end up with new titles after getting caught. But every once in a while, it actually applies to something good something that reminds you why this city still has heart buried somewhere under the potholes and political flyers.
Let’s talk about Manny’s Deli. Yeah, that Manny’s the South Loop institution that’s basically the Wrigley Field of pastrami. Back in 2020, when the world was a mess and toilet paper was harder to find than an honest alderman, Manny’s put out a call for help. They weren’t begging they were just brutally honest. Business was down, the city was locked up tighter than a Cook County budget hearing, and they said, “Hey, Chicago, if you love us, show up.”
And Chicago did. Like, in droves. The lines wrapped around the block. People were posting pictures of corned beef sandwiches like they were newborn babies. For one beautiful, mustard-stained moment, everyone agreed on something: Manny’s matters.
Fast forward to now, 2025, and guess who’s paying it forward? Manny’s.
That same deli that asked for help when times were tough is now feeding families for free whose SNAP benefits got slashed. Yeah. The same community that showed up for them when the lights were dim is now getting a hot meal and a reminder that kindness still exists and it comes with pickles.
That’s Chicago for you. We might argue about deep dish vs. tavern-style, or which side of Roosevelt smells like real Italian beef, but when someone’s struggling, this city shows up with full hearts and full bellies.
So while the world scrolls past stories of chaos and corruption, Manny’s quietly drops a masterclass in karma. No hashtags. No fancy press release. Just, “Hey, we’re feeding people because people fed us.”
It’s the circle of life except instead of lions and zebras, it’s brisket and rye.
So, shout-out to Manny’s Deli for reminding everyone what community actually means:
If you’ve ever had a good week, a good meal, or even just a good laugh thanks to someone else don’t forget to send it back around.
Because what goes around does come around…
…and sometimes, it comes with a side of potato pancakes.
Paying It Forward, Chicago-Style
I heard a story this week that hit me right in the heart and the appetite. A friend had this generous, big-hearted friend who recently passed away. She was the kind of person who gave without asking, always paying for someone else’s coffee or bringing extra food “just in case.” Her favorite restaurant? Manny’s.
So the friends decided they were going to meet there to share stories and honor her memory. And that’s beautiful but then they said, “If we really want to honor her, don’t just eat at Manny’s… feed someone else through them.”
And that’s exactly what they did. They’re still going for lunch because nobody skips Manny’s but before they sat down, each of them made a donation in her name to help cover free family meals for people who’ve lost their SNAP benefits.
That’s the real full circle.
You show up for a place that fed you and now it feeds others who can’t afford to.
So if you’ve got someone you’ve lost who loved Manny’s, or someone who taught you what it means to give back, here’s your sign: do the same. Donate in their name. Keep the cycle going.
Because in this city, what goes around doesn’t just come around sometimes it comes with a matzo ball and a little bit of hope.
Follow F’nAround for more stories of Chicago grit, comedy, and chaos where we roast corruption, not corned beef.
The F’nAround team fully supports Manny’s, Joe wrote his ode to corned beef while Moe’s in the South Loop right now having his first bite of Manny’s, proving once again we handle investigations and sandwiches with equal passion.
