The Science Behind Diagonally Cut Sandwiches
After going to the Auburn University dining halls multiple times, you begin to get a feel for the best stations to get food and start to lean into one that you prefer. For me, it’s the sandwich station.
Why? It’s customizable. You can’t go wrong with a sandwich. But what if I told you, you CAN go wrong with a sandwich. Not by the contents of the sandwich, get whatever floats your boat, but by the way you cut the sandwich.
Sandwiches taste better when cut diagonally into triangles. This is for three reasons: the increased visual appeal, the nostalgia, and the better crust to filling ratio. Practically every day since I could eat solid foods, I have eaten sandwiches for lunch, so over the years, I have perfected the best sandwich. As human beings, you need to eat food. And with the business of life, sandwiches are convenient sources of food, so it is highly beneficial for all to know a key factor that makes for the most delicious sandwich.
1. The visual appeal of diagonally cut sandwiches psychologically causes a better taste.
Erin Metz, an award-winning food author, wrote in her 2024 blog featured on Food Republic that “when a sandwich is cut into triangle halves, the center is more widely exposed, showcasing the ‘good stuff’ in the middle.” Seeing more of the inside contents of the sandwich makes the sandwich look better thus tricking your brain to think it tastes better.
According to author Claude Bruter, in his book titled Mathematics and Art, “The triangle is not just a shape but a profound symbol of stability and strength. Its simplicity makes it inherently beautiful, yet it’s one of the strongest shapes used in engineering and architecture. In both structural design and visual art, the triangle’s geometric properties represent balance, power, and order." Triangles are in everything around us. They make up all the other shapes, so, naturally, human eyes are drawn to triangles.
A study conducted by chef and scientist Charles Michel and published in the famous UK Journal titled Food Quality and Preference (first a paperback version then adapted to online) revealed that “positioning the food in the shape of a triangle proved most appealing for the majority of diners.” Luckily for sandwiches, that’s quite easy to do. Moving on from the looks, what about the actual taste?
2. The triangle cut of sandwiches bring memories of nostalgia, impacting the taste.
As a blog on the Deli Fresh Threads website titled The Diagonal Cut: Elevating Sandwich Enjoyment points out, “From childhood memories of homemade sandwiches to the classic deli experience, the diagonal cut” is not just a matter of taste but a nod to “tradition, comfort, and familiarity. These emotional connections can significantly enhance the perceived taste of the sandwich.” I don’t know about you, but from preschool to middle school, I grew up with triangular cut sandwiches, so for me, it brings me back to the days of my youth, something I will never taste again. But speaking of taste, enough about emotions, let’s get to the math!
3. Sandwiches cut diagonally taste better due to the better crust-to-filling ratio.
Some people argue that cutting a sandwich down the middle into two rectangles tastes better, but that just isn’t true. The easiest way to determine this is the crust-to-filling ratio, because let’s be honest, what’s the worst part of every sandwich? The crust. On the National Public Radio station in 2009, Paul Calter, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at Vermont Technical College calculates that “the amount of crust on a sandwich does not change, no matter how you cut it. But the amount of surface area without crust can change.” If your slice of bread is square, and if each side is 4 inches long, you have 16 inches of crust. Cut that bread down the middle, and you get 8 inches of crust-free surface.” But “cut that same bread diagonally,” Calter calculates, “and you end up with almost 11 inches of crustless surface.” That’s 3 more inches and changes from a 2:1 to 1½:1 crust to crust-free surface area providing for less crust and more enjoyment of the inside content in every bite.
As proven by the triangular shape, memories of childhood lunches, and the crust to filling ratio, sandwiches when cut diagonally into triangles in fact taste better. Now aware of the heightened taste, I hope you respond when the tiger dining staff asks if you want your sandwich cut with yes. In triangles.
Be Well, Auburn.
Nathan was born and raised in Pearland, Texas after his parents evacuated New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina. Except for a few distant cousins, Nathan and his twin brother are the first in their family to attend Auburn, with the entirety of his family being LSU alum. Nathan immediately fell in love with Auburn and began searching for ways to get involved on campus.
Nathan is a freshman majoring in Architecture and plans to minor in Marketing. When he isn’t in the Architecture studio constructing masterpieces till 2 A.M., you can find him running on campus, exploring nature, watching movies in his dorm room, or playing piano, guitar, or marimba.
In the years following graduation, Nathan plans to become a licensed architect and work at a firm in Texas or the Southeast. He hopes to improve low-income housing and create a more walkable city environment.
