# Define "Texas Lunch" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 12, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680 "2019-10-12T14:52:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/81 "2019-10-14T04:01:56Z")
So weird. The brewers are making fruity flavored beers. And Sonic had non-alcohlic Pina’Coladas. What’s up with these crossovers? ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/82 "2019-10-14T12:14:11Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Nowadays, we generally don’t call something “California (_ **insert name of food here** _)” unless there’s avocado in it. Well, this was fifty years ago and Berks county, not known for its culinary sophistication, probably hadn’t _heard_ of avocados by then. And after reading **silenus** ’ posting, I looked up Heinz Beanz and found hits in Amazon. One of them lists _Iconic UK snack food_ and _Imported from the UK_ in its bullet points. Heinz Beans also had hits but they were also imported. I’m guessing Heinz US doesn’t make it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/83 "2019-10-14T13:06:54Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > During my boyhood in Cleveland in the 60s and 70s, a “California burger” had lettuce, tomato, and _mayonnaise._. The local opinion was that only some west coast screwball would put mayonnaise on a hamburger. Yeah, I definitely remember – and I have used it here on the Dope – a “California burger” as a burger that’s dressed with lettuce, tomato, and onion. I don’t recall mayo being specifically part of the definition – hamburger sauce may have been, but I remember it as, basically, a burger with veggies on it. I noticed now that this definition is given in [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_hamburgers): > [@](#): > > In portions of the Midwest and East coast, a hamburger served with lettuce, tomato, and onion is referred to as a “California burger.”[citation needed] However, in the Western U.S., a “California” burger most often consists of a normal cheeseburger, with the addition of guacamole or avocado and bacon. A more [thorough explanation here:](http://www.americanfoodroots.com/50-states/california-burger-means-different-things-different-people/) > [@](#): > > A “California burger” can mean one of two things. In the earlier half of the 20th century, a California burger came topped with lettuce, onion and tomato. Today, these toppings are ubiquitous, but at a time when California was known for having access to the freshest produce year round, a burger garnished with fresh vegetables came to be associated with the Golden State. It was common, in my experience, to have mayo or “special sauce” (which contains mayo) on these burgers. I still _very_ occasionally hear these referred to as “California burgers,” but 98% of the time, “California burger” means it has avocado or guacamole on it. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/84 "2019-10-14T14:16:04Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > I do remember a thing from my youth in California called an “educated hamburger.” I haven’t heard this term in decades. It had mayo instead of mustard and…maybe relish? Instead of a pickle? Anyone ever heard of this term? “When I lived in Boston, the “Best Burger” award was consistently bestowed on a clean-scrubbed, wholesome place across the street from Harvard Yard— Bartley’s Burger Cottage, which served what it was pleased to call “the hamburger with a college education”…Every patty was made from a thick chunk of lean, juicy beef. It will be cooked rare if you think to ask for it that way. And you can have it topped with Cheddar or Swiss or blue cheese…even with Bearnaise sauce…Eventually you come to understand that you don’t want to eat a hamburger with a college education. You want one that flunked out of high school— or rather got kicked out, for bad attitude.” — “Burger Heaven,” John Thorne, 1990 ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/85 "2019-10-14T14:25:46Z")
**pulykammel re: California burger:** The fresh produce reason for the 1900-1950 designation sounds totally plausible, at least for the lettuce and tomato. Everybody had access to off-season onions, so they were probably added by the California fry cook to include flavor. For me, lettuce and fresh tomato do nothing for a burger except allow you to drip on your shirtfront, and even slide out completely so you can ruin your pants at the same time. And the mayo/dressing includes oil, making the stains nice n’ permanent. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/86 "2019-10-14T14:59:26Z")
Lifelong Ohioan, and I’ve never heard of it before. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/87 "2019-10-14T15:30:29Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > **pulykammel re: California burger:** The fresh produce reason for the 1900-1950 designation sounds totally plausible, at least for the lettuce and tomato. Everybody had access to off-season onions, so they were probably added by the California fry cook to include flavor. > > For me, lettuce and fresh tomato do nothing for a burger except allow you to drip on your shirtfront, and even slide out completely so you can ruin your pants at the same time. And the mayo/dressing includes oil, making the stains nice n’ permanent. Ah, yes, you are absolutely right. I should have thought about that a little more. While a “California burger” does contain onion (at least as it was known around here), all burgers served around here typically included onion. It was the addition of tomato and lettuce (and possibly mayo/special sauce) that made it a “California burger.” Onions, as far as I know, have always been a standard topping for burgers around here (along with pickles, mustard, and ketchup). And, as you note, onions are famous for keeping well off-season, provided you use the right types of onions and treat them correctly prior to storage. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2019, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/88 "2019-10-14T19:08:51Z")
Don’t forget J. Wellington Wimpy — who, when asked, “Do you want pickle, onion, or lettuce on your hamburger?” invariably answered “ I will have pickle, onion, and lettuce BOTH.” Probably the only vegetables the poor guy got. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/89 "2019-10-15T19:02:39Z")
Disclaimer: I have a strong interest in regional slang. No disparaging intent is implied. Terms like Texas lunch interest me. The intent of these terms is not always positive. Similar terms include Arkansas fire extinguisher, Arkansas toothpick, Arkansas travels, Boston screwdriver, Cape Cod turkey, Georgia bacon, Hawaiian time, Kentucky breakfast, Kentucky pill, Masshole, Ohio shower, Philadelphia lawyer, Virginia caviar, etc. Any others? Anyone know all these terms or seen them used? Peace out. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/90 "2019-10-15T19:35:22Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > Disclaimer: I have a strong interest in regional slang. No disparaging intent is implied. > > Terms like Texas lunch interest me. The intent of these terms is not always positive. > > Similar terms include Arkansas fire extinguisher, Arkansas toothpick, Arkansas travels, Boston screwdriver, Cape Cod turkey, Georgia bacon, Hawaiian time, Kentucky breakfast, Kentucky pill, Masshole, Ohio shower, Philadelphia lawyer, Virginia caviar, etc. > > Any others? Anyone know all these terms or seen them used? > > Peace out. Don’t know of any of those terms except for Masshole and I assume “Hawaiian time” is like “insert nationality that has a looser sense of punctuality” time here (“Indian Standard Time” is the one that I hear – from Indians [South Asian]). “Glasgow kiss” for a headbutt to the nose. There’s [Pittsburg left](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_left). ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/91 "2019-10-15T19:42:35Z")
I probably shouldn’t ask, but are “Ohio showers” golden? :dubious: 😕 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/92 "2019-10-15T19:47:14Z")
The Minnesota State Bird is the mosquito. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/93 "2019-10-15T19:49:05Z")
In my parts a California Burger would normally have avocado whereas one with just lettuce, onion, tomato and pickle is called a Cheese Burger Deluxe. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/94 "2019-10-15T22:29:41Z")
In NYC a Cheeseburger Deluxe includes lettuce, tomato slice, and a dill pickle spear (incompatible with putting ON the burger) a side o’ fries, and a teeny plastic container of cole slaw. You have to ask for onion, mayo, and/or mustard. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/95 "2019-10-15T22:45:26Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Iand a teeny plastic container of cole slaw. . Yeah, what is up with that teeny plastic container of coleslaw? You get that here, too, in the old school fried chicken joints like Harold’s. It’s like literally about one heaping teaspoon of coleslaw. [Here’s a picture I was able to find on Yelp](https://s3-media3.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/0s7PcatbuvjxdyWSxuS40w/o.jpg) of how small some of these coleslaw portions are. ---
**Author:** ![dbtoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@dbtoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dbtoo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/96 "2019-10-16T05:53:41Z")
I’m from the Lehigh Valley, PA and we had Texas Tommy’s on the grill all of the time. There was no such thing as a Texas Lunch in our area. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/97 "2019-10-16T06:10:28Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > [Here’s a place in Lock Haven PA.](https://www.facebook.com/Texas-Lunch-107642662608003/) There’s also a place in Chambersburg PA named the New Texas Lunch Restaurant. > > The Texas lunch appears to be chili dogs, available at the best restaurants nationwide. It’s hard to tell but some of the pictures seem to show the chili has been adulterated with beans, so it certainly has nothing to with real chili which even Texas doesn’t screw up. No beans? It ain’t chili. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/98 "2019-10-16T07:51:30Z")
And here I thought a California cheeseburger looked like [this.](https://i.imgur.com/3TGOVu8.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/99 "2019-10-16T13:51:01Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > No beans? It ain’t chili. Don’t start. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2019, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680/100 "2019-10-16T15:37:57Z")
> [@dbtoo](#): > > I’m from the Lehigh Valley, PA and we had Texas Tommy’s on the grill all of the time. Texas Tommy’s what? :dubious: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/define-texas-lunch/841680.md?page=6)