In the United States

Most delicatessens in the United States have a sandwich menu, most of which are made to order behind the counter at the time of sale. Delicatessens sellcold cuts by weight and prepare party trays.

In addition to made-to-order sandwiches, many U.S. delicatessens offer made-to-order green salads. Equally common is a selection of prepared pasta,potato, chicken, tuna, shrimp, or other variety of "wet" salads, displayed underneath the counter and bought by weight or on a sandwich. Precooked chicken (usually in roasted and fried varieties), shrimp, cheese, or eggplant dishes, (possibly fried or parmigiana style) are found frequently, though they do not constitute the mainstay of a delicatessen.

In order to provide an opportunity for a complete meal, delicatessens also offer a wide variety of beverages, usually prepackaged soft drinks, coffee, teas, milk, etc. Chips and similar products are available in some variety -- some pre-packaged, others store-made and cellophane wrapped.

Alongside these primarily lunch and dinner products, a delicatessen might also offer a number of additional items geared toward the breakfast eater, including pancakes, bacon, sausage, waffles,omelets and baked goods (breakfast pastries, bagels, toast), yogurt, and warm egg "breakfast sandwiches". Newspapers and small food items such as candy and mints are also usually available for purchase.

Delicatessen menus vary by region and ethnic diversity of the area. While urban delis rely on ethnic meats (such as pastrami, corned beef and salami), supermarket delis usually rely more on meats that mirror the packaged meats for sale in the store (primarily ham, turkey, and American-style bologna). One of the best examples of regional variation is in the southeast, where ham, not sold in Jewish delis, is often the most common meat sold.