# 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:** 7\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/121 "2011-01-01T14:59:41Z")
I am sure others have said this, but a sandwich is two pieces of bread with food in the middle. Period. Temperature is not relevant, so your first alternative is not correct. I had to choose the last. A burger served in a bun is a special case of a sandwich. Open sandwiches are not a true sandwiches, as I am sure [the Earl](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich#Etymology) would have told you. They would not be much good for eating whilst playing cards. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/122 "2011-01-01T15:55:05Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > I am sure others have said this, but a sandwich is two pieces of bread with food in the middle. Period. Temperature is not relevant, so your first alternative is not correct. I had to choose the last. The options are not exclusive. ---
**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:** [January 2, 2011, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/123 "2011-01-02T04:50:58Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > 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. Huh. To me, that’s just a standard roast beef sandwich, nothing particularly unique about Arby’s. Google Images for “roast beef sandwich” and you’ll see a good portion of your results are slices of hot beef in a bun of some sort (kaiser rolls or onion rolls, especially.) Served on regular sliced bread (usually rye) is common, too, but so is the bun, in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/124 "2011-01-02T04:59:53Z")
Last week I slapped some bacon, an egg and cheese between a couple toaster waffles and called it a breakfast sandwich. Is that legal, or do I have to be more careful with my teminology in the future? And if it is not a sandwich, what do I call 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:** [January 2, 2011, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/125 "2011-01-02T05:29:04Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Open sandwiches are not a true sandwiches, as I am sure [the Earl](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich#Etymology) would have told you. They would not be much good for eating whilst playing cards. Not the turkey-and-gravy-type, but the cold-cuts and cheese type of open-faced sandwich is perfectly fine with card-playing. In fact, it was the standard snack for my folks and family during card playing, along with pickles, dried sausages, and rollmops. ETA: I guess you can call an open-faced sandwich a large canape if you want to. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2011, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/126 "2011-01-02T08:26:45Z")
I voted for everything but the hamburger. I realize that technically that’s a sandwich too, but I just don’t think of it that way. Nor do I think a hot dog in a bun is a sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762/127 "2011-03-15T02:49:24Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > Open sandwiches are not a true sandwiches, as I am sure [the Earl](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandwich#Etymology) would have told you. They would not be much good for eating whilst playing cards. > [@panache45](#): > > I voted for everything but the hamburger. I realize that technically that’s a sandwich too, but I just don’t think of it that way. Nor do I think a hot dog in a bun is a sandwich. Maybe we are thinking of sandwiches in construction and aesthetic forms rather than in functional terms. Perhaps the true spirit of “sandwich” is simply something we can encase in a non-messy, bread-like, easy and edible facilitator and conveyance for something that is messy, wet/and or greasy so that it can be eaten one handed. Sort of like bread chopsticks- a pinch of Flat bread to consume dinner in a great majority of the world.. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-whats-a-sandwich/565762.md?page=6)