# In your opinion: What's a sandwich? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762 "2010-12-29T23:39:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/101 "2010-12-31T02:34:37Z")
> [@Enuma\_Elish](#): > > The coke comment was an aside that was buried in the thread until Ascenray dug it up and tried to claim that I was making a judgement about Southerners and made it an issue. :rolleyes: He did absolutely nothing of the sort. He was simply pointing out (correctly, as I see it), that your analogy was backwards with regard to specific vs. inclusive uses of words. ---
**Author:** ![Barking\_Dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Barking\_Dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barking_Dog)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/102 "2010-12-31T04:49:10Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Egg-salad sandwich? How about a knuckle sandwich with five jalapenos? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/103 "2010-12-31T06:43:16Z")
I think you are all prejudiced against people from Sandwich, UK. You are all a bunch of Sandwich Felchers! ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/104 "2010-12-31T08:57:05Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > For those who insist a hamburger is not a sandwich: > > A beef patty and toppings (let’s say cheese, tomato, and lettuce) on a circular bun? Hamburger. > > A chicken patty, cheese, tomato, and lettuce on a circular bun? Chicken sandwich. No, it’s a Chicken _burger_. Seems pretty straightforward to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/105 "2010-12-31T09:25:19Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > My definitions: > > Sandwich - two slices of bread (cut from a loaf of bread) with stuff in it (hot or cold, doesn’t matter). Exactly. To me, it’s only a sandwich if the bread is slices of bread from a loaf. Not a roll, a burger bun, a sub, or whatever. ---
**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:** [December 31, 2010, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/106 "2010-12-31T10:10:10Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > Exactly. To me, it’s only a sandwich if the bread is slices of bread from a loaf. Not a roll, a burger bun, a sub, or whatever. That seems unusually narrow. What do you call the stuff Arby’s (or many roast beef places) make? Is it just roast beef on a bun? ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/107 "2010-12-31T10:21:03Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That seems unusually narrow. What do you call the stuff Arby’s (or many roast beef places) make? Is it just roast beef on a bun? We don’t have Arby’s here AFAIK (UK), but looking at their website I guess I would call that a roast beef roll. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/108 "2010-12-31T18:04:42Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That seems unusually narrow. What do you call the stuff Arby’s (or many roast beef places) make? Is it just roast beef on a bun? To me that’s a weird burger. Actually, Arby’s is so unique I just call it Arby’s. It’s more burger than sandwich, though. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/109 "2010-12-31T18:15:31Z")
If it doesn’t have a ground meat patty, or at least a simulation of one (as in vege-burger), then it is not a burger. Any filling between round buns does not a burger make. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/110 "2010-12-31T18:25:05Z")
A “sandwich” has a very special meaning in Thailand. Hehehe. That’s all I’ll say. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/111 "2010-12-31T18:59:42Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > No, it’s a Chicken _burger_. Seems pretty straightforward to me. Tell that to everyone who lists it on their menu as a chicken sandwich. Hamburgers are a specific subset of sandwiches. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2010, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/112 "2010-12-31T23:07:54Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Tell that to everyone who lists it on their menu as a chicken sandwich. Since that’s “No-one” in Australia, I don’t need to. Even KFC call them “Chicken Burgers” here. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/113 "2011-01-01T00:06:08Z")
Here’s the clincher, is a [KFC Double Down](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_Down_%28sandwich%29) a sandwich? It doesn’t have bread… can it still be considered a sandwich? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/114 "2011-01-01T07:00:19Z")
Sorry if it’s been mentioned earlier, but MacDonald’s introduced a breadless sandwich in Thailand some time back. I think it was a chicken sandwich. Instead of bread, rice “buns” were used. That failed to go over, but the Japan-based [Mos Burger](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOS_Burger), which is very popular here, has made a hit with it. (The rice is mixed with barley and millet.) These are mostly burgers, but I believe there’s also a sandwich or two. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/115 "2011-01-01T07:14:42Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Sorry if it’s been mentioned earlier, but MacDonald’s introduced a breadless sandwich in Thailand some time back. I think it was a chicken sandwich. Instead of bread, rice “buns” were used. That failed to go over, but the Japan-based [Mos Burger](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOS_Burger), which is very popular here, has made a hit with it. (The rice is mixed with barley and millet.) These are mostly burgers, but I believe there’s also a sandwich or two. How is that breadless? That’s just rice and millet bread… I don’t think the bread has to be made with wheat. I like the swiss miss at Big Boy- a swiss and rye bun patty melt ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/116 "2011-01-01T07:16:50Z")
If you saw it, you would not think it was bread. I’m not talking about the bun in the photo in the link. That one’s for the burgers and don’t seem to be used at the Thailand outlets at all. The ones used here look and feels like two rice cakes. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/117 "2011-01-01T07:24:34Z")
Ah, here we go. [This](http://www.hamburgercalculus.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/mos-unagi-rice-burger.jpg) is the bun I’m talking about. That’s Mos Burger’s Unagi Burger. I suspect that one does not contain barley after all. [This one](http://www.hamburgercalculus.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/mos-teriyaki-burger.jpg) for the Teriyaki Burger must be the one with barley. There’s a neat snack in Thailand that consists of sticky glutinous rice flattened out and grilled, then beaten egg yolk is brushed onto it. Very tasty. That’s what this bun reminds me of. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/118 "2011-01-01T08:01:48Z")
All in all, I think one must also consider that, although, ubiquitous as they may be, Sandwiches are a regional and traditional food to England. No different than a Paris Brest, or a Hamburger, or a Frankfurter, or a Wiener, Dijon, or Buffalo Wings. So you might encounter some flack from aboriginals and traditionalists if you vary off the spectrum. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_A_Tame_Lion)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/119 "2011-01-01T11:10:22Z")
> [@Terraplane](#): > > You can’t define a sandwich as anything enclosed or surrounded by bread. I mean, you _can_ if you want, there’s no International Sandwich Police to make you pay for the errors of your ways, but it’s a bit silly and overly broad. At that point you’re classifying pies, pasties, and even pizzas as sandwiches. > [@Chefguy](#): > > As to pizza, it originated independently as its own category of food, just as a sandwich did. There just aren’t as many sub-categories for the item, just different toppings. I have no idea why this thread annoyed me all out of proportion to the topic. Must be the weather. > [@Tahssa](#): > > I’d say all of the above and pizza is just a giant fancy open-faced sandwich. > [@Chefguy](#): > > Another thought on pizza: it’s generally referred to as a “pizza pie”, at least on the east coast. I don’t know what the word _pizza_ means in Italian, if anything. This is exceedingly odd. I’m usually a deranged stickler for these sorts of definition-based arguments. Yet, I’m inclined to take the more liberal approach to defining a sandwich. To me, anything that has meat (or anything that serves as the fundamental element of the meal), plus (usually) some kind of cheese and some sort of sauce, falls into the overarching category of “Sandwich.” Including pizza. It’s a mutated form of sandwich, to be sure, but a sandwich nonetheless. Think about New Yorkers who (mostly) are adamant that pizza slices should be eaten folded over–thus, “sandwiching” the toppings between the crust. Perhaps that illustrates how even pizza can, probably should, be considered some form of sandwich. (Stuffed pizzas, with crust above and below, also make this concept pretty clear.) I think what goes into the thing is more important than the details of construction. Also, the fact that the item in question can be eaten as a hand-held unit. Thus, just about all of the above named items–hot dog, burger, burrito, wrap, pizza, etc.–is a sandwich, if you don’t get hung up on the taxonomic minutia. Ironically, the “open-faced sandwich”–especially the ones covered in gravy which must be eaten with utensils (if you don’t want to look like a pig at a trough) probably don’t qualify as true sandwiches, though they do have the ingredients. I suggest everyone relax and just enjoy devouring your favorite “sandwich” for lunch or dinner tonight, whatever it may be. Bon appetit. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/120 "2011-01-01T11:18:35Z")
No, a pizza is Tomato Cheese Bread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762.md?page=7)