# Does putting "California" in front of the name of food mean you can make it from whatever you want? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 27, 2010, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203 "2010-07-27T17:25:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/21 "2010-07-29T00:38:08Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > > [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > > > In the Midwest when I was growing up a “California” hamburger meant that it had onion, lettuce and tomato on it. > > What did a “regular” burger have on it? 😕 I’m guessing ketchup, mustard, and pickle. Or pickle relish. Wasn’t there a decade where California X meant it included kiwi fruit? ---
**Author:** ![tygre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@tygre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygre)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/22 "2010-07-29T11:51:38Z")
I work on a college campus. In our student union, the sub shop had a sign last spring promoting their latest sandwich – some sort of BBQ thing with the tagline “Make it ‘California Style’ by adding mayo!”. No idea what they’re going for there… they don’t even offer avocado as an option. This is western NY by the way. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/23 "2010-07-29T14:00:00Z")
Your average California stereotype wouldn’t be caught dead with mayo on their sandwich. Unless perhaps it’s chipotle mayo, or aioli or something. The only thing I can think about is that Best Foods is a CA corporation. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/24 "2010-07-29T14:37:59Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > > [@Tethered\_Kite](#): > > > > In the Midwest when I was growing up a “California” hamburger meant that it had onion, lettuce and tomato on it. > > What did a “regular” burger have on it? 😕 Absolutely nothing. It came with a couple of pickle slices on the side. If you wanted onion you asked for it. You put your own ketchup or mustard on at the table if you wanted it. ---
**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:** [July 29, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/25 "2010-07-29T14:40:50Z")
Sounds like something you’d pick up at a gas station. ---
**Author:** ![Tethered\_Kite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a5b964/32.png) [@Tethered\_Kite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tethered_Kite)\ **Post date:** [July 29, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203/26 "2010-07-29T14:47:13Z")
Well, no, it wasn’t. Small town cafes. If you ordered a hamburger that’s what you got - a bun and a patty of meat. I was wondering if Miller was talking about fast food for a minute with the assumption that a plain hamburger automatically comes with vegetables and condiments on it. It raises an interesting thought. Yes, now when we order hamburgers in a cafe they do come dressed with tomato and lettuce. Something changed. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-putting-california-in-front-of-the-name-of-food-mean-you-can-make-it-from-whatever-you-want/548203.md?page=1)