Yay! I get to be the First to Review the new McAlister's, which is quite rare, only happened once in 2025 and before that may have been years ago. I went for the grand opening today at 10 AM. First 100 people got free tea for a year, once a week. There was a bit of confusion with the app we had to download like the O and 0 looked the same. I had typed O for the promotion code, but it was 0. There was a rumor we would have to make a purchase to redeem the free tea. I had already decided that I was going to get lunch to go, which I ate at home. The cashier confirmed no purchase necessary to redeem the free tea. So, I can get a maximum of 52 free teas (iced, sweet or unsweet) once a week, but it's not always going to be convenient, but I'd guess I'll redeem possibly half over the next year based on likelihood of going to Arundel Mills area. They also have a location in downtown Baltimore, making this the 2nd in MD, as well as multiple in northern VA, so theoretically if I have work travel to VA or other reason I'm down there I could redeem.
Cashier was friendly, answering the various questions I had. It'd been over 10 years since I went to a McAlister's Deli, the one in Front Royal, VA, when I was going that direction for work travel. Going back, 15 years I went to McAlister's a few times when I lived in Birmingham, AL, and remembered I liked them. I got a Pick Two, half sandwich & half salad. There was a bit of confusion when I was trying to replace the bacon with more turkey; they didn't give me additional turkey, but it was a fair amount. It was the Turkey Ranch BLT; for me LT. I also got the Savannah salad, which had grilled chicken, dried cranberries, gorgonzola, honey roasted almonds, cucumber, & tomato. I got the food quickly; so I was impressed they were efficient even on opening day hecticness.
After I chit chatted with a few people, I drove home. The one guy said he got a pick two with a different sandwich, salad combo. He got the grilled chicken sandwich with swiss cheese, spring mix lettuce, tomato, and honey mustard on a croissant. I ate about 45 minutes after I got home. The salad was great; I was do that particular salad again. The turkey sandwich was pretty good but pretty salty and was too drenched in the ranch. Next time, I'll get the grilled chicken sandwich as he highly recommended, and I think I'd like better, but I was a bit flustered trying to figure out the menu and not pay the upgrade fee. Unfortunately, a lot of the sandwiches have bacon on them, and there is no easy substitution like turkey bacon there, but I'm realized that grilled chicken sandwich doesn't come with bacon, and I think it'll be less salty than the turkey because the chicken on the salad didn't taste salty.
Also, the free tea I got, the cashier asked me sweet or unsweet. I forgot I'd be asked that question. I said half sweet, half unsweet with the unsweet at bottom and sweet on top. It was the right amount of sweetness. The guy who highly recommended the chicken sandwich said the sweet tea was a little too sweet, and my half & half was a good strategy for him next time.
Overall, this is a nice addition to Arundel Mills area. This was the former location of Baja Fresh in the shopping center with Safeway & Gong Cha boba tea at the far southern end of the center. read more