Alliance Paper & Food Service

So went in front of this place parked. Going to get a drink and come back was told that I couldn’t park there because they had trucks… I had a Benz beside me a caddie on the other side. Guess that they didn’t want my business. It’s great in chicago how you can pay off an alderman to get loading zones put up all in front of your business so that your business can then control the public domain of parking. Shame shame shame. Next time we need something I will gladly pay more to get treated with an ounce of respect. These arrogant fools wouldn’t even let me get in the door

In the summer they are open until 3PM on weekdays, not 2PM.
Pros: Helpful staff, good selection (including things you might not find elsewhere), and they sell to the public. They sell my mother’s favorite kind of plate: biodegradable with dividers.
Cons: Prices and quantities are not clearly marked, so for almost every item you need to ask an employee about pricing. Many items are only sold in cases (rather than sleeves), and that makes the quantities and prices impractical if you’re just stocking up or throwing a party.
Is it worth a special trip if you’re not in the food service industry? If you want an expanded selection of options, maybe. I now have small paper bags for serving popcorn, which I might not have found elsewhere. If you’re looking to save money over big-​box prices, though, not really. Prices were somewhat lower because I bought in bulk, but not low enough to justify the trip. For example, I saved about 10 cents per biodegradable plate, which added up to a savings of only 10 bucks.

Alliance is geared toward the service industry so you’ll find stainless steel food trays, large plastic refrigerator bins, disposable food baskets, plastic & styrofoam take-​out cups with lids… not the kind of stuff a home cook usually needs. I noticed they also have a variety of items but with only one choice. One brand of pasta maker, one type of restaurant quality silverware, and so on. They have non-​stick and uncoated fry pans from Vollrath. They also carry some food staples in bulk like baking powder, fruit fillings in bags, and dry goods but again the selection is pretty spotty. I didn’t see any knives or cutting boards besides the plastic kind. I came out with a couple of wire racks for half sheet pans, paper muffin cups (they have 4.5″, 5.5″, mini and larger sizes. Also the flared craft paper variety), silicone baking mat and Wilton’s parchment paper. Prices were very reasonable and the cashier was very gregarious and helpful, almost to a fault. For basic needs, I recommend it and will be back. For knives and other kitchen tools, walk a few blocks to Northwestern Cutlery Supply.

I had a hard time finding 8 oz. deli containers (now that Don Outlet is gone), and they had exactly what I needed plus all kinds of other food service items. They’re actually geared for restaurant supply, but are open to the public and conveniently located close to the Kennedy Expy. Also, street parking was easy out in front.