# This never made sense to me when eating breakfast at a diner **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 24, 2016, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755 "2016-09-24T19:42:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/21 "2016-09-26T21:03:53Z")
The beauty of breakfast food is that it can all be mixed together and be even more yummy - especially if you get grits, biscuit and gravy instead of potatoes and toast. Mmmmm, breakfast! ---
**Author:** ![cg16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@cg16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cg16)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/22 "2016-09-26T21:05:09Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > The beauty of breakfast food is that it can all be mixed together and be even more yummy - especially if you get grits, biscuit and gravy instead of potatoes and toast. > > Mmmmm, breakfast! But i don’t mix my food together with toast ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/23 "2016-09-26T21:06:08Z")
Couldn’t you just move the toast off the plate and onto the counter/table? I don’t see the problem here at all. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/24 "2016-09-26T21:12:34Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Toast should be on a rack, not a side plate, let alone the main plate; fried bread does go on the main plate. “A rack”? [The rack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rack_(torture))? You hate toast so much you want it tortured? ---
**Author:** ![cg16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@cg16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cg16)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/25 "2016-09-26T21:13:33Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > Couldn’t you just move the toast off the plate and onto the counter/table? I don’t see the problem here at all. Put the toast on the table?😕 ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/26 "2016-09-26T21:14:16Z")
> [@cg16](#): > > But i don’t mix my food together with toast Because toast isn’t food? 😕 There’s no rational reason to distinguish toast from anything else on that plate. How are you going to sop the leftover goodness on the plate if you can’t mix toast food with other food? ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/27 "2016-09-26T21:16:18Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > Couldn’t you just move the toast off the plate and onto the counter/table? I don’t see the problem here at all. > [@cg16](#): > > Put the toast on the table?😕 That’s what I said. What’s the problem with it? ---
**Author:** ![cg16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@cg16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cg16)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/28 "2016-09-26T21:20:29Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > That’s what I said. What’s the problem with it? why the hell would i put it on the table when I can request a small plate? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/29 "2016-09-26T21:22:21Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > That’s what I said. What’s the problem with it? Cause… the counter table is not likely to be clean, or warm. And it’s difficult to butter and put jam on. I’ve switched over to English muffins. I don’t want that much toast and they are smaller and easier to work with. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/30 "2016-09-26T23:04:48Z")
> [@cg16](#): > > I will order a breakfast platter which can be eggs, homefries, bacon or sausage and will request toast or english muffin on the side. When the waitress brings me the food I notice the toast or english muffin is on top of the food instead on a small plate by itself. Platters like that usually come with toast or english muffin included, so it’s not “on the side”. “On the side” to me means “a side of sausage”, something that is in addition to the components that are part of the platter. That side comes on a separate plate. Therefore, I’m sorry to say I think you will need to explicitly ask for your toast on a separate plate. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/31 "2016-09-26T23:26:08Z")
My fourteen-year-old son and I have this conversation all. the. time. Scene: Any restaurant. My son is on one side of the table, I’m on the other. Son, reading the menu: I’d like to try dish _x_, but I don’t like the _y_ that comes with it. Me: Then don’t get _y_. They’ll leave it off if you ask them to. Son: But it says _y_ on the menu! I don’t want the _y_! Me, with the patience one normally uses with young children and dementia patients: If you don’t want _y_, then ask for _z_ instead. I ask for that all the time. Son: But it says _y_ on the menu! I don’t want the _y_! Lather, rinse, repeat. My point is that you can (generally) have what you want, if you ask for it. Servers don’t read minds. If you don’t want your toast on top of your eggs, then ask for it on a separate plate. If it’s a restaurant you frequent, the staff will start putting your toast on a separate plate. Trust me on this. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/32 "2016-09-26T23:38:08Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > Why in the name of all that is holy would you put toast on _a rack?_ Might as well just throw it straight in the garbage and at least save a little butter. You put it in a [rack](http://www.kathryngreeleydesigns.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/SUR-LA-TABLE-Stainless-Steel-Toast-Rack-with-Crumb-Tray.jpg) so the pieces are kept separate. ---
**Author:** ![cg16](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@cg16](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cg16)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/33 "2016-09-26T23:48:26Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > My fourteen-year-old son and I have this conversation all. the. time. > > Scene: Any restaurant. My son is on one side of the table, I’m on the other. > > Son, reading the menu: I’d like to try dish _x_, but I don’t like the _y_ that comes with it. > > Me: Then don’t get _y_. They’ll leave it off if you ask them to. > > Son: But it says _y_ on the menu! I don’t want the _y_! > > Me, with the patience one normally uses with young children and dementia patients: If you don’t want _y_, then ask for _z_ instead. I ask for that all the time. > > Son: But it says _y_ on the menu! I don’t want the _y_! > > Lather, rinse, repeat. > > My point is that you can (generally) have what you want, if you ask for it. Servers don’t read minds. If you don’t want your toast on top of your eggs, then ask for it on a separate plate. If it’s a restaurant you frequent, the staff will start putting your toast on a separate plate. Trust me on this. 🙂 I will be requesting it like that in the future for now on ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/34 "2016-09-26T23:50:29Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > You put it in a [rack](http://www.kathryngreeleydesigns.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/SUR-LA-TABLE-Stainless-Steel-Toast-Rack-with-Crumb-Tray.jpg) so the pieces are kept separate. Huh. I have literally never seen one of those in my 33 years in the business. Seems to me that serving toast that way would just make it get cold faster. ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/35 "2016-09-26T23:53:30Z")
> [@cg16](#): > > why the hell would i put it on the table when I can request a small plate? You could also put it on a napkin since you seem to have a problem with requesting a plate. > [@enipla](#): > > Cause… the counter table is not likely to be clean, or warm. And it’s difficult to butter and put jam on. The plate may not be clean or warm either. I guess I am not such a wuss that I don’t see the table as some kind of biohazard that must not be touched. ---
**Author:** ![I\_wasn\_t\_truly\_absent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4da419/32.png) [@I\_wasn\_t\_truly\_absent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_wasn_t_truly_absent)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/36 "2016-09-26T23:54:03Z")
> [@cg16](#): > > so where is your toast when you are eating the other food? I truly hope you’ve made a sandwich out of the whole thing anything else is just wrong, I’m hungry ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/37 "2016-09-26T23:56:15Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > And it’s difficult to butter and put jam on. How so? The table is a hard surface just like a plate. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2016, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/38 "2016-09-26T23:56:50Z")
When I eat breakfast the toast or bagel is always on small plate and not on top on the food . Every restaurant I ate at have a small plate for the bread . People have to be very lazy at the dinner you eat at not to give people a small plate for their toast ! ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/39 "2016-09-27T00:04:17Z")
Toast on top of food is very common. It doesn’t bother me. Just stack all four halves off to the side of the plate chow down. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2016, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755/40 "2016-09-27T04:58:54Z")
I’ve never seen toast on top of the food. It always comes on a separate small plate. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-never-made-sense-to-me-when-eating-breakfast-at-a-diner/766755.md?page=3)