# Can you get a Reuben in a delicatessen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 9, 2014, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730 "2014-12-09T04:35:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/21 "2014-12-09T23:53:42Z")
> [@LH75](#): > > From flyover country, the best Reuben in the town where Reuben Kulikofsky invented the sandwich can be found at [The Dundee Dell](http://www.dundeedell.com/) which is also the home of the largest single malt scotch selection in the world. There is NO evidence that Reuben Kulikofsky invent the Reuben sandwich as we know it the last 60+ years. ---
**Author:** ![sara20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@sara20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sara20)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/22 "2014-12-10T00:13:23Z")
Yes, you can get them. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/23 "2014-12-10T01:03:13Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > They’d need a dedicated set of containers, cutting boards, knives, tongs, slicers, and a separate refrigerator/cooler only for pork products. And even if they did all that no rabbinical authority is going to give them kosher certification. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/24 "2014-12-10T14:13:34Z")
I was going to say, where the hell ELSE can you get them? Not long ago Arby’s had a new sandwich they called a Reuben. Cool. I like Arby’s, I love Reubens; I’ll give it a try! Worst piece of imitation food product I ever put in my mouth. Duh! I should have known. The worst part was the bread, which was some manufactured plasticy thing that was colored to look like swirled rye bread, but had neither the taste nor texture of any kind of actual bread. I can’t imagine it ever got past the Marketing people. I mean, it’s not going to please anyone who actually likes Reubens, and it’s unlikely to be ordered by anyone who doesn’t. So, what’s the market? Sorry, rant over. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/25 "2014-12-10T14:14:53Z")
Not all Jewish delis are kosher. And not all delis are even Jewish. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/26 "2014-12-10T14:25:43Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > They’d need a dedicated set of containers, cutting boards, knives, tongs, slicers, and a separate refrigerator/cooler only for pork products. I would think that they would need another kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/27 "2014-12-10T15:29:09Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > And even if they did all that no rabbinical authority is going to give them kosher certification. Exactly. If you’re cooking and serving pork, your kitchen isn’t kosher. ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/28 "2014-12-10T15:46:04Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > > [@alphaboi867](#): > > > > And even if they did all that no rabbinical authority is going to give them kosher certification. > > Exactly. If you’re cooking and serving pork, your kitchen isn’t kosher. That’s true, but the OP’s question has to do with food items that are either kosher or parve: it’s the combination that runs afoul of the dictum about kids and mother’s milk. I suppose a strictly Orthodox counterman could circumvent the letter of the Law using the approach described by **DrDeth** , though the idea of disassembling a hot sandwich to add a slice of cold cheese seems a bit over the top. All of which is moot since, as has already been pointed out, not all delis are Jewish and not all Jewish delis are 100% kosher. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/29 "2014-12-10T16:42:44Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > That’s true, but the OP’s question has to do with food items that are either kosher or parve: But that’s not the question **Ranger Jeff** or I were answering, which was specifically about pork. 🙂 The problem for the deli is once the cheeseburger is assembled by the customer on a plate owned and cleaned by the deli you’d have to kosher all your dishes and utensils. Since that might happen accidentally at any table serving meat and dairy dishes I wonder what they do now. Paper plates seems like the best solution. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/30 "2014-12-10T17:24:18Z")
I went to a party once back in the '80s, the hosts of which were Jewish. There was a sign on the cupboard: > [@](#): > > Please do not use the dishes in this cupboard. They are kosher. > > There are paper plates on the counter for your vile, pork-infested products. In the corner of the sign was a drawing of a sad pig’s face. The pig was saying 'God loves me to… And boy, is he good! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/31 "2014-12-10T17:50:40Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > But that’s not the question **Ranger Jeff** or I were answering, which was specifically about pork. 🙂 > > The problem for the deli is once the cheeseburger is assembled by the customer on a plate owned and cleaned by the deli you’d have to kosher all your dishes and utensils. Since that might happen accidentally at any table serving meat and dairy dishes I wonder what they do now. Paper plates seems like the best solution. You get a Rabbinical approved stainless steel dishwashing machine that uses very hot water. [http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=810](http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=810) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/32 "2014-12-10T18:25:48Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You get a Rabbinical approved stainless steel dishwashing machine that uses very hot water. > [Daily Halacha - Error Message](http://www.dailyhalacha.com/displayRead.asp?readID=810) Yeah, I assumed that would be the approach they have to take. The paper plate comment should have had a 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/33 "2014-12-10T21:05:54Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > There is NO evidence that Reuben Kulikofsky invent the Reuben sandwich as we know it the last 60+ years. It is common knowledge here in Omaha. From the Poker game where he introduced it, is was placed on the menu at the Blackstone Hotel. This is now an office building housing some of the offices of the Keiwitt Construction Company, but the Reuben was served there in the dining room and coffee shop until the Hotel closed in the mid 1970’s [A Brief History of the Reuben Sandwich](http://www.rowlandweb.com/reuben/pages/feature/history) ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/34 "2014-12-10T21:18:25Z")
So, some evidence, some counter-evidence, certainly not definitive. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/35 "2014-12-10T21:20:58Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > So, some evidence, some counter-evidence, certainly not definitive. Deli counter-evidence? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/36 "2014-12-12T23:25:25Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > Not all Jewish delis are kosher. Not all delis are Jewish, either. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/37 "2014-12-12T23:55:56Z")
Delis are usually not the right place to purchase a Renaissance master. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730/38 "2014-12-13T00:15:25Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Not all delis are Jewish, either. **But all Kosher delis are Jewish.** Thank you. Thank you very much. I’ll be here all weekend. Try the veal. It is to die. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-get-a-reuben-in-a-delicatessen/706730.md?page=1)