# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/21 "2025-06-10T11:44:45Z")
This is how I imagine Americans compile a sandwich, via Stockard Channing. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FTn9Xr_lyqQ/hqdefault.jpg "Sesame Street - Number Painter - 3") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTn9Xr_lyqQ) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/22 "2025-06-10T11:50:41Z")
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**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/23 "2025-06-10T11:54:14Z")
This is a parody thread, mirroring a recent thread asking if Japanese eat sushi at home. As parody threads belong in the pit, and we no longer move threads to the pit without the blessing of the OP, I’m closing this thread. @TriPolar , if you want this thread moved to the pit, DM me (or another mod). Moved to the pit. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/24 "2025-06-10T12:06:32Z")
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**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/25 "2025-06-10T12:42:19Z")
> [@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 - 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 Yeah… American here, but much the same sentiment. The store I work at certainly does sell “sandwich kits”. There are kits for all sorts of things. There’s probably a “kit” for blowing your nose. I guess there’s a market for people who really need their hands held. That said - sandwich making, both simple and elaborate, are actually done in American homes. Just last night I assembled a sandwich with a filling that required brief cooking, two different condiments, grilled mushrooms and onions, pickles and some lettuce. Other times I just slap something cold between two slices of bread and call it done. No kit required for me, but maybe someone else might require one. > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > 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. Sure, I do that routinely for cheese sandwiches from block cheese. Two slices bread. Slice a slab of cheese off the block of your chosen thickness. Put between the two slice of bread. Done. A decent cheese slicer makes it easier, but a knife will also work. ---
**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, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/26 "2025-06-10T12:43:44Z")
Did you bake and slice the bread yourself? Americans don’t make sandwiches at home so much as they assemble them. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/27 "2025-06-10T12:49:40Z")
I make my own. I make exactly the sandwich I want with the ingredients that I choose, and I do it for a fraction of the cost. Panera gives you a sandwich with a bag of chips, and they want something like $14 for it plus a tip, of course. I can make an Egg McMuffin, which qualifies as a breakfast sandwich, for 1/3 of the cost with a bigger egg and better cheese. ---
**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, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/28 "2025-06-10T12:52:46Z")
So somebody walk my age-addled brain into what exactly the parody is here? Is it that it’s making fun of how stupid the question of do Japanese make sushi at home sounds, or something like that? Because it seems like in that thread, a lot have responded that, indeed, many Japanese don’t make sushi at home. Or is it that making sushi is as simple as making a sandwich? Which, I guess it kind of is if you’re good at the rice part. I’d argue it’s a little more complicated, but I guess not that much unless you want to perfect your craft. ---
**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, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/29 "2025-06-10T12:53:18Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Did you bake and slice the bread yourself? Americans don’t make sandwiches at home so much as they assemble them. Bake? Only in lockdown when I’m bored. Slice? Of course, it’s hardly a specialist skill. Don’t you guys own bread knives? ---
**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, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/30 "2025-06-10T12:53:53Z")
Making a sandwich does not require baking your own bread. How silly,. ---
**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, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/31 "2025-06-10T12:54:56Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > So somebody walk my age-addled brain into what exactly the parody is here? Yeah, I’m not seeing it either ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/32 "2025-06-10T12:56:04Z")
My friends started a sandwich making group. I got some bacon, bread and cheese and joined the club. ---
**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, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/33 "2025-06-10T12:57:10Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > So somebody walk my age-addled brain into what exactly the parody is here? It’s bad parody unless you actually think making sushi is as easy as ~~making~~ slapping together a sandwich. ---
**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, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/34 "2025-06-10T12:58:44Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Did you bake and slice the bread yourself? Americans don’t make sandwiches at home so much as they assemble them. What is the point of this pedantic bullshit? ---
**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, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/35 "2025-06-10T12:59:42Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > 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. > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Did you bake and slice the bread yourself? Americans don’t make sandwiches at home so much as they assemble them. That _is_ making them. People talk of making food without starting from the most basic ingredients all the time. Most people couldn’t do it that way if they wanted to; they lack the expertise and knowledge to make all the components in the first place. And how many people want to do a research program to figure out how to make a sandwich, anyway? ---
**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, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/36 "2025-06-10T13:00:34Z")
The point is that preparing sushi requires actual kitchen skills not universally known by home chefs (even in Japan). Making a sandwich out of factory prepped ingredients does not. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/37 "2025-06-10T13:06:17Z")
Although making a sandwich at home does require that one have the ingredients (bread, cold cuts, condiments, lettuce, tomato, etc.). Many don’t keep those because they don’t make sandwiches often enough that the extra ingredients would spoil before the next occasion, particularly those without children at home. ---
**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, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/38 "2025-06-10T13:08:32Z")
This what happens when we bake our own bread ![](https://media1.tenor.com/m/VaVs2yRdRWoAAAAC/lucy-bread.gif "Lucy Bread GIF - Lucy Bread - Discover & Share GIFs") ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/39 "2025-06-10T13:08:42Z")
I started a thread a couple years ago called “‘Simple’ things that are surprisingly difficult”, and I used sandwich making as the prime example: > [@‘Simple’ things that are surprisingly difficult](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simple-things-that-are-surprisingly-difficult/986404): > > I grocery shop on Saturdays. Today I’m about to run out but I feel a bit peckish, and you’re not supposed to grocery shop hungry, right? So I think, there’s some leftover rotisserie chicken in the fridge— I’ll make a quick chicken sandwich. But making one sandwich, especially the way I have to make it, I always forget is a surprising amount of work. And I routinely make fairly complicated meals for my family… Collect all ingredients Toast 2 slices of bread Slice up a vine-ripened tomato about… Doesn’t _stop_ me from making sandwiches at home. I bravely soldier on and push through the pain and heartache of home sandwich assembly. I’m a hero-making hero! ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2025, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414/40 "2025-06-10T13:18:19Z")
Thank you, Carl Sagan. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-american-people-make-sandwiches-at-home-or-is-it-more-of-a-specialty-thing/1019414.md?page=1) [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=3)