Sandwich argument is back!: Diagonal vs down the middle debate takes internet by storm

Internet is on fire about the burning topic related to what's an ideal method to cut a sandwich—into rectangles or triangles—that would leave the foodies with a larger portion of bread to relish on. Many Twitteratis, swearing by the diagonal rule, have taken to their Twitter handles to make wide-ranging claims that cutting the sandwich with off-centre diagonal lines "gives more sandwich".

While in the images, the bread in the diagonally slit sandwiches looks bigger, there is no scientific evidence that the triangle sandwiches are bigger or more delicious than the ones cut rectangularly. So what's the food tussle about that has taken the internet by storm? It's about what's an "ideal" way to cut a sandwich in your kitchen.

Perhaps those in the hospitality business have often faced this dilemma. How would a customer want their sandwich cut?  A Reddit post about a woman diagonally cutting the sandwich and claiming that it was a bigger one, both outraged and confused several people. "Personally I believe this is the best way. Optional shapes and sizes, plus two extra pieces," the woman wrote in the thread reigniting the controversy that hasn't died down in over several hundred years.

"It's math," claimed actor Vidyut Jammwal on Monday as the topic of "how to cut a sandwich" gained traction online. “The geometry is too complicated to explain but cutting a sandwich diagonally gives you more sandwich," he went on to claim. "Wrong," a commenter rectified, as the debate ensued. "It is literally math," one other argued. "It unlocks the flavour too," meanwhile another commenter joked. "Down the middle cut is an awkward bite, so people, it legit tastes different," one other claimed. "You're losing at least 10% of your sandwich that way," one other commenter claimed. "I don’t even cut my sandwich," a user quipped. 

Math pic.twitter.com/cfZfMKkXxL

— Trung Phan (@TrungTPhan) April 2, 2023

A/2=a/2

— ramonGlezAndrino (@ramonGlzA) April 2, 2023

Wrong. If you cut the sandwiches on the right diagonally you’ll now get more sandwiches. It’s called second order consequential sandwich 😜

— Tanvir Ahmed (@Tanvir_71) April 2, 2023

I feel this one to the core!

— Scott Kitun (@kitun) April 3, 2023

You're losing at at least 10% of your sandwich that way.

— Arnold Emily (@crisprtalk) April 2, 2023

Structural integrity, or symmetry that appeals to the eye? 

Months ago, an outlet in Australia was compelled to replace a sandwich when staff failed to cut it in half precisely enough in a rectangular shape. “You can’t make this up!” TiBBits wrote on Twitter expressing outrage as the customer bashed the eatery's diagonally cut sandwich. Another commenter shared the image with the measurement "5 cm and 6 cm" to clarify that irrespective of how the sandwich was cut, the length of the crust will remain just the same. And so, the debate was reduced to people's personal preference, really.

Some users, however, appear to be enraged by the idea of a diagonally cut sandwich and prefer it cut straight through the middle. "What is this craziness," a user on Reddit said, slamming the triangle sandwich and stating that the method gave less crust. The woman argued that the diagonal cut only exposes more of the interior of the sandwich and tricks the senses into believing that the sandwich is bigger.

Chef de cuisine at The Inn at Little Washington meanwhile weighed in, saying that it is about symmetry that appeals to the human eye. There's more fault with a four-sided shape like a rectangle, he argued online, adding that a triangle sandwich falls easier on the eyes. responding to his logic, many rejected the triangle's superiority and instead argued that the triangle sandwich isn't very pleasing to look at. Others pressed for structural integrity when cutting a sandwich and rebuked the rectangle sandwiches.