Aussies are divided over the ‘correct’ way to slice a sandwich – so do you cut yours horizontally or diagonally?
- Australians are divided over ‘correct’ way to cut sandwich – vertical or horizontal
- Hundreds were asked to settle the hotly-contested debate once and for all
- It seems the most popular sandwich-cut among Aussies is the diagonal cut
Australians are divided over whether the best way to slice a square-shaped sandwich is diagonal or vertical.
In an amusing thread on Facebook, hundreds were asked to settle the hotly-contested debate once and for all – what’s the correct way to cut a sandwich?
And it seems the most popular sandwich-cut among Aussies is the diagonal cut.
‘Here me out… there’s more sandwich if you cut it in triangles,’ one woman wrote.
‘Triangles taste better,’ another said, while one cafe employee said: ‘The correct way to cut a sandwich is diagonal.’
Australians are divided over whether the best way to slice a sandwich is diagonal or vertical
One woman explained how cutting a sandwich diagonally offers an illusion the bread has less crust than one that’s sliced straight down the middle to make two rectangles.
‘If it’s cut horizontally, it must be cut in quarters so there is less crust area to begin an easier eating starting point. While diagonal gives an easier entry point to tackle the crust,’ she said.
‘With horizontal in each half you always end up with two mouthfuls that are nearly all crust and very little bread, while diagonal there is only one per half.’
One mum said she was always told that rectangle-shaped sandwiches are made for eating at home while triangles are for special occasions.
‘Triangles are for picnics or visitors as they are made with love and care. Children have squares otherwise the filling falls out,’ she said.
Another agreed with her, saying: ‘Horizontal if it’s just for yourself, diagonal if you have visitors. It’s all in the presentation.’
While another said: ‘Always diagonal. Not sure why but I absolutely hate it cut the other way.’
One mum said she was always told that rectangle-shaped sandwiches are made for eating at home while triangles are for special occasions (stock image)
However, many said they have been slicing sandwiches both horizontally or diagonally – just depending on the type of bread and preference.
‘My mum made them horizontally. l married my husband and he always cut them diagonally so our kids got diagonal. Different backgrounds perhaps. My parents were Australian, his were English,’ one mum said.
While one woman offered her explanation: ‘At primary school, horizontal was daggy. Cool kids had sandwiches cut as triangles.’
Many also argued it depended on the type of bread used.
‘For me, it depends on the bread. Some bread is better cut diagonally and other times, a vertical cut down the centre, and room in lunchbox,’ one wrote.
Meanwhile, others insisted ‘it doesn’t matter’ which way you cut your sandwiches.
‘Does it really matter? It still tastes the same whichever way it’s cut,’ one wrote, while another added: ‘To be honest, no matter how you cut it, they taste the same. Cut it however you want.’
In July 2019, New York City chef Hiroki Odo told INSIDER he prefers cutting sandwiches diagonally.
‘Each bite is a little unique in its own way, so it feels like you’re getting something different [each time]. You never get tired of it,’ he explained.
While most chefs agreed the ‘correct’ way to cut a sandwich is diagonal, US chef Patrick Ochs said he always slices his bread into rectangles.
‘When cut in half, [the sandwich] becomes equally split and perfect to share. You really can’t go wrong with cutting it in half,’ he told INSIDER.