Walking up to the deli counter is a lot like an artist approaching a blank canvas — there are few limits to your creativity. But whether you’re the Picasso of provolone or the Caravaggio of cured meats, there are so many names for sandwiches, you might freeze when your number is called. The general term “sandwich” originated in 1762, as an eponym referring to John Montagu, the Fourth Earl of Sandwich, who enjoyed eating meat between sliced bread during his marathon gambling sessions. In the late 19th century, Italian-inspired sandwiches made with long pieces of bread became particularly popular throughout the United States. These were known as “submarine” sandwiches to many, though various regions have developed their own slang for these tasty lunchtime staples. Here are the backstories behind a few of those terms.
The term “submarine” is perhaps the most widely used sandwich slang in the U.S., at least according to a Harvard Dialect Survey. The origins of this term are simple: The long pieces of bread resemble the shape of a submarine boat. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the first usage of this slang dates to 1931 in the Paterson Evening News, and delis across the country began advertising “subs” soon after.
“Grinder” is common sandwich slang among residents of New England. The roots of this term are disputed, but one origin story is nautical in nature: “Grinders” was a term used to refer to the Italian American dockworkers who enjoyed snacking on these long sandwiches during their lunch hour. However, a more probable origin story has to do with the nature of the food itself. “Grinder” might refer to the act of grinding your teeth to bite into the thick bread and copious amounts of cold cuts loaded onto the sandwich.
As we descend down the Northeast Corridor, we arrive in Philadelphia, where the term “hoagie” was conceived. One of the prevailing origin stories for this word is also nautical in nature: There was a World War I-era shipyard in south Philly called Hog Island, where workers enjoyed eating “hoggies” — a name that evolved into “hoagie.” Another, perhaps more reputable origin story is that the name originated in the 1930s at a sandwich shop owned by jazz musician Al DePalma. He made sandwiches so large that a friend commented that only a hog could finish one. In turn, DePalma began calling the sandwiches “hoggies,” though his customers pronounced them more like “hoagies” (which makes sense if you imagine “hoggie” said with a thick Philly accent).
The term “hero sandwich” is primarily used around New York City. In the 1930s, Clementine Paddleford — food columnist for the New York Herald Tribune — wrote about a sandwich so large that “you had to be a hero to eat it.” From there, the name “hero” stuck.
“Wedge” is a hyperspecific slang term used by residents of Westchester County, New York, and nearby Fairfield County, Connecticut. Some say “wedge” refers to the diagonal knife cut made in the middle of the sandwich, while others claim it’s tied to wedging all of the ingredients between two slices of bread. Still others assert that the term was coined at Landi’s Deli in the town of Yonkers. “Wedge” — or a similar sound — was purportedly used by the Landi family as a truncated version of the word “sandwich.”
“Spukie” is a Boston-area term based on the Italian word spuccadella, which is a long roll. This is particularly popular in the Italian-heavy neighborhoods in the southern part of the city, and you’re unlikely to hear “spukie” from anyone outside of Boston.
“Poor boy” is the longer nickname for the sandwich also known as a “po’boy.” The poor boy sandwich originated in 1929 during a streetcar strike in New Orleans. It was created at Martin Brothers’ French Market and Coffee Stand, whose proprietors were former streetcar workers themselves. Whenever a striking worker entered the eatery, one owner would call out to another, “Here comes another poor boy!” The term was quickly adopted by the residents of New Orleans and shortened to just “po’boy.” A New Orleans-style po’boy can have any variety of fillings (fried shrimp and fried oysters are popular), and fully dressed includes lettuce, tomato, pickles, hot sauce, and mayo. The crucial ingredient, however, is the bread. To qualify as a po’boy, the sandwich must be served on fresh French bread.
