Metro

Deli fury at city’s ‘grocer’ injustice

Big Apple deli owners yesterday cried foul over Mayor Bloomberg’s plan to ban them from selling sugary drinks that are more than 16 ounces — a rule that wouldn’t apply to “Big Gulp” king 7-Eleven and other grocery stores.

“It’s a dictatorship! Bloomberg’s saying, ‘I’m making the rules, and this is how it’s going to be!’ ” fumed a worker identified only as Kim, 46, at Glendale Bagels and Deli in Queens. “It’s not fair to us, the little people of New York City. We fight to stay here, but a conglomerate like 7-Eleven, which has a million stores, isn’t affected.”

Kim’s boss, deli manager Richie Salazar, 37, griped, “7-Eleven has sandwiches, hot dogs, all kinds of hot food. Why don’t they get a letter grade?”

The proposed big-drink ban applies only to establishments that are inspected by the city Health Department and receive letter grades.

Adding to the deli’s misery is the fact that there’s a 7-Eleven right near it, at Myrtle Avenue and 69th Place, peddling mega soft drinks such as the 42-ounce Super Big Gulp.

The city said it would have also gone after groceries and chains like 7-Eleven if it could have — but they are regulated by the state.

“Yeah, business is really going to go up’’ if the ban at the other stores goes through, crowed a worker at the 7-Eleven on Union Turnpike near St. John’s University in Jamaica.

Russell Franzone, 33, a worker at nearby Vincenzo’s Pizzeria & Restaurant, sadly agreed.

“I feel like calling Bloomberg and having a word with him. Drinking soda is no different than stuffing your face,’’ he said.