Among extremely significant legal doings...

[Okla-homey]

Is a Burrito a Sandwich?


The question is at the center of a legal food fight between Panera Bread Company, a Mexican restaurant named Qdoba and the White City Shopping Center in Shrewsbury, Mass.

The sandwich shop argued that owners of the mall shouldn't lease space to Qdoba because they gave Panera sandwich exclusivity in their lease agreement.

The issued ended up in the hands of Worcester Superior Court Judge Jeffrey A. Locke. Last week, Locke ruled against Panera, citing testimony from Cambridge chef Chris Schlesinger and Webster's dictionary.

"I know of no chef or culinary historian who would call a burrito a sandwich," Schlesinger said in his affidavit, which was obtained by the Boston Globe. "Indeed, the notion would be absurd to any credible chef or culinary historian."

In his ruling, Locke cited Webster's definition of a sandwich and explained that the difference comes down to two slices of bread versus one tortilla: "A sandwich is not commonly understood to include burritos, tacos, and quesadillas, which are typically made with a single tortilla and stuffed with a choice filling of meat, rice, and beans," he wrote.

A former USDA employee agreed, calling the two foods separate and distinct.

"We were surprised at the suit because we think it's common sense that a burrito is not a sandwich," Jeff Ackerman , owner of Qdoba franchise group, told the newspaper.

Panera has about a month to appeal the decision.

What say you SO?

[proud gonzo]

no, it is not.

[slickdawg]

negatory

[mdklatt]

This sounds like the premise of a Sonic commercial.

And, no, a burrito is not a sandwich. What kind of restaurant would have been acceptable to Panera? I'm pretty sure they'd consider a burger place or Chik-Fil-A to be sandwich shops.

[GottaHavePride]

Pffff. That's like calling meat sauce "chili".

[mdklatt]

Pffff. That's like calling meat sauce "chili".

Now you did it.

[olevetonahill]

Who the **** cares ?
Just another attempt by the man to keep the masses downtrodden

[GottaHavePride]

Now you did it.

Yes. I did. :D

[olevetonahill]

Pffff. That's like calling meat sauce "chili".
Like you have a BOC degree rite ? ( bachelor of chili ) :rolleyes:

[GottaHavePride]

Heh. I just say that 'cause it stirs the pot.

[usmc-sooner]

I think I get more enjoyment out of gas station burritos than high dollar Mexican food places.

[olevetonahill]

Heh. I just say that 'cause it stirs the pot.
pot must be stired or smoked ;)

[SicEmBaylor]

I think the Judge should keep his job.

[SicEmBaylor]

So it was late one night...around 3am my freshman year when I get a call in my Martin Hall dorm room from my friend Doug who is across the way in Penland. He says he's hungry, so we meet up at the SicEm mobile and go looking for grub.

We could go to Denny's our usual late night grub place or even IHOP (but neither of us were king on getting another tetanus shot) but neither of those places would do for Doug on this particular evening.

So we drive around Waco looking for a place when we come to a sign next to a gravel driveway (on LaSalle for you Wacoans) advertising a 24 hour Mexican food joint. We'd never seen this place before but hell Mexican food sounded filling. So, I pull down this gravel driveway thing (keep in mind it's at night) in my shiny new red VW Beetle.

Just down a ways I'm presented with an open field. In the middle of this field is an old camper looking thing that looks very similar to this (only a real one not a Lego toy):
http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/pnorm/vehicules/Camper/camper-trailer-1.jpg

Along with at least a dozen cars and AT LEAST 4 times as many Mexican migrant workers who were all congregating in this field eating Mexican food and giving me the oddest of looks. Some of these Mexican migrant workers looked a bit...uh..dangerous. I don't mean to sound racist but they did.

So, we get out of the car..Doug who is a yankee italian guy from Boston and is dressed head to toe in Brooks Brothers goes walking up to the window (all the while this place has become silent and everyone is staring at us) and examines the menu which is hand written with a marker on the front of hte camper. Unfortunately, it was entirely in spanish. Doug doesn't know a word of spanish and the Mexican lady at the "window" doesn't understand a word of English. Eventually, Doug manages to get across that he wants a burrito.

So, they are making his order and a couple of awkward moments go by with these migrant field workers staring us down, and me wanting to get the hell out of there...Then Doug gets this odd look on his face and turns to me and says, "Uh, SicEm did you bring any cash?" Well, I hadn't so I told him no so he says, "Oh **** man, I don't either. Do you think they take Visa?"

Well no, I sure as **** don't think they take Visa when there is an electical cord powering this place that runs across the field into some unknown outlet in the woods. I don't even see a water line going into this place. So then I tell him to run as fast as he can to the car on the count of three. Well, we managed to get back to the car and got the hell out of there. It was a frightful night I tell you.

[TUSooner]

burrito =/= sandwich
Sic 'em =/= sandwich. (No bread.)

[Tear Down This Wall]

Look, tortas are Mexican sandwiches. Only the dickwheels in Massachusetts wouldn't know that.

A few years back, I was in Boston eating at a seafood restaurant. They had some sort of blackened fish special, so I ordered it. When they brought the plate to my table, I soon realized that "blackened" up there is defined differently than "blackened" down here - the fish simply had black pepper sprinkled over it.

I said to the waiter, "I ordered the blackened fish special." He said, "It is blackened."

Stupid f'n yankees. If they don't understand the food of the South and Southwest, they should have it up there. Fags.

[crawfish]

For the record, Qdoba's rocks. Not as much as Freebirds, but on the same level as Chipolte.

[Tear Down This Wall]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torta

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burrito

[BeetDigger]

Tortillas are the mexican equivilent to bread, so I think that there is some merit to the arguement. However, I think we here in the US of A consider bread as the offical containment artifact for a sandwich.

Qdoba is good. There is another one of those type places that is better than Qdoba and Chipoltle. I can't remember the name however.

Sicem - if you want Melo, you need to stop admitting that you drive a Beetle and drink Zima. Trade the Beetle in on a Jeep and aquire a taste for Bud, or better yet Miller High Life.

[crawfish]

Qdoba is good. There is another one of those type places that is better than Qdoba and Chipoltle. I can't remember the name however.



For the record, Qdoba's rocks. Not as much as Freebirds, but on the same level as Chipolte.

You're welcome.

[BeetDigger]

You're welcome.


That's not it. There was a couple around here but I think that they may have closed (so it might have been just me that liked them). Fresh Express or something.

[TUSooner]

Who the **** cares ?
Just another attempt by the man to keep the masses downtrodden
Right on.
"Sandwich" is just another oppressive construct of the Eurocentric white male patriarchy.

[Pepe Frias' Batting Glove]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torta

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burrito

Tengo gusto del chorizo en mi torta. ¡El sabor es excelente!