# What does "No Substitutions" mean to you? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 12, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347 "2019-11-12T20:07:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/1 "2019-11-12T20:07:18Z")
Inspired by an incident at lunch today. Curious to see if people feel the same way I do. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/2 "2019-11-12T20:13:12Z")
I picked no alterations of any kind because if I saw that on a menu, it’s the safest interpretation, if my goal is to not get told “we can’t do that” by the server. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/3 "2019-11-12T20:14:42Z")
[“You want me to hold the chicken, huh?”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wtfNE4z6a8) ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/4 "2019-11-12T20:16:31Z")
It would depend on the type of place. In a normal restaurant I’d expect to be able to ask for some removal, but no alternative choices. In a fast food place, I’d interpret it as “no alterations”. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/5 "2019-11-12T20:21:17Z")
“No, I’m afraid you can’t have two steaks instead of one steak and a lobster tail. Then it wouldn’t be a Surf ‘n’ Turf. Sorry about that.” ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/6 "2019-11-12T20:24:48Z")
Like this place that makes a big deal about no substitutions, [https://fatsalsdeli.com/](https://fatsalsdeli.com/) . you can withhold items but neither switch or add them. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/7 "2019-11-12T20:27:51Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Like this place that makes a big deal about no substitutions, [https://fatsalsdeli.com/](https://fatsalsdeli.com/) . you can withhold items but neither switch or add them. Gah! I gained 10 pounds just reading that menu! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/8 "2019-11-12T20:33:49Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Gah! I gained 10 pounds just reading that menu! :eek: Its a lot more delicious than it has a right to be. Man v Food doing auditions at my neighborhood Fat Sals. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inUk9J3gAy4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inUk9J3gAy4) ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/9 "2019-11-12T20:37:31Z")
If it doesn’t cost anything to delete one item from a pizza or a sandwich, why wouldn’t they accommodate such a request? They make the same amount of money at a lower cost. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/10 "2019-11-12T20:40:17Z")
For the most part I’d always assume you can remove things. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/11 "2019-11-12T20:43:03Z")
It means you can’t swap out one thing for another thing, like “I’ll have the burger special but swap the fries for macaroni”. You can always take whole items off “I’ll have the burger special but no fries”. Modifying the specific ingredient list may not be allowed - this wouldn’t be part of ‘no substitutions’ literally, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it. They may have the special pre-prepared or batch prepared in some way so that fiddling with not adding onions to this one isn’t really possible, or they may be pricing the special low because they don’t have to do any fiddling with it. I answered ‘other’ since your poll options seem… somewhat narrow. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/12 "2019-11-12T20:45:31Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > If it doesn’t cost anything to delete one item from a pizza or a sandwich, why wouldn’t they accommodate such a request? Possibly, because then they’d have to make you one special, instead of just giving you one of the ones they’d already made up ahead of time. But I still wouldn’t call leaving off an ingredient a “substitution,” so I voted Option 2. ---
**Author:** ![Pantastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3bc359/32.png) [@Pantastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pantastic)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/13 "2019-11-12T20:46:22Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > If it doesn’t cost anything to delete one item from a pizza or a sandwich, why wouldn’t they accommodate such a request? They make the same amount of money at a lower cost. If items are pre-prepared, then changing the prep for one menu item takes exceptional effort and might slow the kitchen down. Like if I’ve already got the meat stacks for the sandwich special prepared in their own spot of the fridge, making one with no salami involves as much effort as making a regular sandwich, so there’s no reason to give you the special price. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/14 "2019-11-12T20:51:39Z")
“We take the amount of work preparing a meal is going to take into account when we set our prices. Don’t make us do extra work for your meal.” ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/15 "2019-11-12T20:57:59Z")
I voted “no alterations”, because why fight? If you don’t like what they do, then don’t go there (next time). ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/16 "2019-11-12T21:01:59Z")
I answered “You can remove ingredients but…” In my experience, I usually only encounter “No substitutions” on, say, a daily special. When they have decided to offer a fajita plate with refried beans, Mexican rice, and southwest-style coleslaw, and stocked the kitchen in anticipation of it, they don’t want you subbing cottage cheese in for beans, french fries in for rice, and a salad with ranch for the coleslaw. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/17 "2019-11-12T21:14:35Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Inspired by an incident at lunch today. Curious to see if people feel the same way I do. And the incident was…? Hey, I opened this thread, and even voted, assuming that meant we’d hear what you think. And you can’t tease us with “Inspired by an incident at lunch today” without telling us what the incident was. I’m betting it was a surly short order cook! And a clueless waiter: “Yeah, umm, the cook ignored your ‘No Ghost Pepper Sauce’ request, cuz no substitutions!” ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/18 "2019-11-12T21:15:02Z")
At least I’m not crazy. The situation was our office cafeteria. I asked for a taco with no tomato and was told “no substitutions.” I didn’t put up a fuss but I certainly raised my eyebrow. They were preparing a bunch at a time but it would’ve taken them all of 10 seconds to make another one. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/19 "2019-11-12T21:21:31Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > The situation was our office cafeteria. I asked for a taco with no tomato and was told “no substitutions.” I didn’t put up a fuss but I certainly raised my eyebrow. They were preparing a bunch at a time but it would’ve taken them all of 10 seconds to make another one. Yeah, what they should have said is “Sorry, no customized orders” or “no alterations”, since you weren’t actually asking to substitute one ingredient for another. And customizing your order by making one without tomato might have taken only 10 seconds, but then they might have to customize a bunch more by making tacos with different ingredients omitted for other customers. Plus presumably they want to sell all the non-customized tacos they’ve already made. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2019, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347/20 "2019-11-12T21:29:05Z")
I picked “other” - because to some extent, it depends on the food and the restaurant. A hamburger that’s being made after I order it- - I would expect that they can leave off the tomato. A place with pre-made sandwiches in a case ( not talking about a 7/11 , a place with sandwiches like [this](https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRcXQEDcG8ana-Mb36eqsWVWmenqeNQca_eqlD8DN42qLrO1FzLZA&s) ) , I don’t expect them to be able to make me a fresh one one and leave an ingredient out. A busy place that makes large batches of a particular food ( say home fries) , I don’t expect them to be able to leave the peppers out of my order. I mean they _might_ be able to , if I time it just right, but I don’t expect it especially if they don’t get a lot of special orders. There’s a reason Burger King’s slogan was " Have it your way"- because other places didn’t do special orders. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-no-substitutions-mean-to-you/843347.md?page=2)