# Do American people make sandwiches at home? Or is it more of a specialty thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [June 10, 2025, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414 "2025-06-10T07:18:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/1 "2025-06-10T07:18:10Z")
I tried using my home sandwich making kit today and while the result was delicious it was catastrophically unlike a professionally made sandwich. But I don’t expect to be making sandwiches at a Subway. In the Land of the Free are sandwiches made in the home, too? Or do Americans prefer to have a professional product (be it from the convenience store or a 3 Michelin star deli)? I note that making sandwiches is somewhat labor intensive and somewhat time consuming. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/2 "2025-06-10T07:38:56Z")
Real Americans™ make sushi sandwiches and wrap them in a burrito. But we microwave the fish first. Freedom ain’t free, y’know. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/3 "2025-06-10T07:42:02Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I tried using my home sandwich making kit today and while the result was delicious it was catastrophically unlike a professionally made sandwich. I think I must have a different concept of what a sandwich is as I can’t imagine needing a ‘kit’ to make it - isn’t it just two slices of bread with a filling of some description? But then being British, I probably haven’t experienced the extreme levels some people might have taken a sandwich to. I hate Subway BTW. Awful bread, awful fillings. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/4 "2025-06-10T07:49:45Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > I think I must have a different concept of what a sandwich is as I can’t imagine needing a ‘kit’ to make it Psst, look over **[here](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-japanese-people-make-sushi-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019402)** ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/5 "2025-06-10T07:50:30Z")
> **[Questionable Lunches](https://foxtrot.com/2025/06/08/questionable-lunches/)** > > FoxTrot by Bill Amend | June 8, 2025 Timely > > > BTW: As I recall, there are some sandwich kits out there for kids mainly. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/6 "2025-06-10T07:52:09Z")
I guess I’m not seeing the joke - it’s perfectly reasonable to ask the original question, there’s plenty of foods that might be traditional cuisine that don’t get made at home much. Cornish pasties and proper fish and chips spring to mind for British cuisine. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/7 "2025-06-10T07:52:56Z")
Maybe the OP got a panini press, or some similar appliance or gadget? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/8 "2025-06-10T07:55:42Z")
Sandwiches can be very simple to make. I make peanut butter sandwiches for myself at home on a regular basis; they are my favorite need-food-NOW option. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/9 "2025-06-10T08:25:47Z")
Is there supposed to be something in the nested quote? I’m not seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/10 "2025-06-10T08:34:04Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Sandwiches can be very simple to make. I make peanut butter sandwiches for myself at home on a regular basis; they are my favorite need-food-NOW option. Same here. I can whomp up a PB&J in about a minute. Now, a _good_ ham and cheese on a kaiser takes a little longer, especially if it requires a slice or two of tomato, good deli mustard, and mayo, salt, and pepper. But no longer than it takes at Subway, and homemade is just as good, if not better. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/11 "2025-06-10T09:35:50Z")
I was listening to talk radio here in Aus, some years ago now, and I heard an Aus chef explaining how American friends would ask for “just a sandwich” to keep their kids going, but that was too much work, getting out lettuce, tomato, onions, cucumber, cheese, sliced meat, butter etc, so he’d just fry up something easy. And I thought to myself “two countries separated by a common language”. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2025, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/12 "2025-06-10T10:22:50Z")
I don’t get it either. It reads like it’s supposed to be a parody, but the sushi question is absolutely natural, and it seems the answer isn’t the same as for the sandwich question. I don’t know a single person who doesn’t make a sandwich of some sort, whereas it seems a number of Japanese shy away from making sushi at home. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/13 "2025-06-10T10:31:22Z")
Indeed. I remember feeling very grownup when I was 6 because I could make myself a pb&j sandwich ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/14 "2025-06-10T10:32:44Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > I was listening to talk radio here in Aus, some years ago now, and I heard an Aus chef explaining how American friends would ask for “just a sandwich” to keep their kids going, but that was too much work, getting out lettuce, tomato, onions, cucumber, cheese, sliced meat, butter etc, so he’d just fry up something easy. And I thought to myself “two countries separated by a common language”. Did the Aussie chef not know how much American (and Canadian) kids are nourished on the PB&J? Like I said, it can be done in less than a minute, and requires no more than two slices of bread, peanut butter, and jam or jelly. No veg, nor was a chef required; I was making those for myself when I was eight years old. My sister (a Canadian) lived in Perth, WA, for maybe 10-12 years, and said that while jam was easy to find, peanut butter was rare. But it was someplace if you looked hard enough. And Sis got her comfort food: a PB&J on white bread, no chef required. I’d suggest that’s what your chef’s American friends were asking for: just a simple PB&J on white bread, no veg or anything else required, and the kids would be happy. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/15 "2025-06-10T10:44:13Z")
I agree. Two countries separated by a common language. To me, as a migrated American, “Just a sandwich”, to keep the kids going until dinner, is two slices of bread with a spread, or a slice of something, but that wasn’t what the phrase communicated to him. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/16 "2025-06-10T10:58:57Z")
Obviously there are sandwiches and there are sandwiches. Putting pre-sliced ham and swiss on bread with a swipe of mayo & maybe a bit of romaine takes 2 minutes at home. OTOH yesterday at a restuarant lunch I had a sliced prime rib sandwich & _au jus_ that started as beef being cooked 3 hours ago. The final assembly work wasn’t that much harder than my home-made sandwich, but final assembly is often the easiest part. ---
**Author:** ![chela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chela/32/21582_2.png) [@chela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chela)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/17 "2025-06-10T11:04:55Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I note that making sandwiches is somewhat labor intensive and somewhat time consuming. Indeed it is for this NAmerican. Bread is only for special occasions like on payday we get paid in bread. What we do is use a spoon for PBJ. Take a soup spoon and scrape up a mound of PB then scrape up a smaller mound of J, that feeds one big baby. We also eat roll ups, take a slice of turkey meat roll it around a slice of Swiss. Feeling fancy put a pickle in the middle. Follow up with a squirt of mustard directly in your mouth. Refresh your palate by directing the sink nozzle to your face and open wide. No need for napkins. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/18 "2025-06-10T11:33:08Z")
Sandwiches are only easy to make for Americans because we buy the ingredients already prepped from the store. Meats, bread, and cheeses are already sliced, spreads are ready right out of a jar. See if you can make a sandwich actually from scratch in two minutes. ---
**Author:** ![colinfred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colinfred/32/21338_2.png) [@colinfred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colinfred)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/19 "2025-06-10T11:35:12Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Sandwiches are only easy for Americans because we buy the ingredients already prepped from the store. Meats , bread, and cheeses are already sliced, spreads are ready right out of a jar. See if you can make a sandwich actually made from scratch in two minutes To make a sandwich from scratch I’d need 14 billion years. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/20 "2025-06-10T11:41:55Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > I tried using my home sandwich making kit today and while the result was delicious it was catastrophically unlike a professionally made sandwich. But I don’t expect to be making sandwiches at a Subway. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a sandwich making kit. Aside from some specialty sandwiches, like a Monte Cristo or a Hot Brown, sandwiches are super simple to make without the need for any complex ingredients or tools. Yes, American most definitely make sandwiches at home. Peanut butter & jelly being a popular choice for roughly the last century. Edit: I can see I was whooshed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414.md?page=2)