13 Sandwiches That Explain Why Paper Towels Were Invented
Hot Beef Sandwich
Dripping in thick gravy and layered between slices of soft white bread, the Hot Beef Sandwich turns an ordinary dinner into a full-on event. Every bite brings tender, slow-roasted beef and mashed potatoes together in a comforting mess that feels earned. It’s the kind of sandwich that doesn’t hide behind presentation—it goes all in, spilling flavor and warmth across the plate. Fork optional, napkins required.
Crab Melt
The Crab Melt doesn’t do modesty. This Maryland classic piles rich, buttery crab onto toasted bread before blanketing it with melted cheese that bubbles and browns under heat. The result is seafood decadence that demands your full attention. It’s coastal comfort food without the fuss, proof that great sandwiches sometimes require cleanup after the applause.
Sonoran Hot Dog
Wrapped in bacon and buried under pinto beans, pico de gallo, and a zigzag of sauces, the Sonoran Hot Dog is Tucson’s gift to late-night cravings. It’s messy, loud, and exactly what street food should be. No one eats this neatly—it’s meant to be handled like a dare, with flavor landing wherever it wants.
Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich
Big, bold, and unapologetically Southern, the Chicken Fried Steak Sandwich doesn’t believe in subtle. It’s golden fried steak tucked inside bread, often with a slather of mayo or gravy. The crunch gives way to tender beef, and before long, you’ve got a plate that looks like it survived a small storm. It’s indulgence done right.
Chopped Cheese
Born in New York bodegas, the Chopped Cheese is everything fast food wishes it could be. Ground beef, melted cheese, and hot griddle marks come together on a hero roll. It’s handheld chaos that makes a paper towel feel like an accessory, not an option. You’ll finish it faster than you intended and still want another.
Pueblo Slopper
In Pueblo, Colorado, burgers don’t just get topped—they get drowned. The Pueblo Slopper lives up to its name, with a smother of green chile sauce that makes utensils debatable. It’s equal parts comfort and challenge, landing somewhere between a sandwich and a dare that you’ll happily accept again.
Roast Pork Sandwich
Philadelphia’s Roast Pork Sandwich deserves every napkin you own. Piled with juicy pork, sharp provolone, and garlicky greens, it drips in all the right places. It’s one of those sandwiches that never stays on the plate for long, equal parts hearty and heroic, made for anyone who knows the best meals are the messiest.
Loose Meat Sandwich
Iowa’s Loose Meat Sandwich is proof that simple can still get rowdy. Crumbly beef seasoned to perfection, loaded into a soft bun, and left to defy gravity—it’s the Midwestern cousin to the Sloppy Joe but with more restraint. The first bite’s a thrill, the second’s a rescue mission, and every one after that just feels right.
Fried Chicken Biscuit
The Fried Chicken Biscuit brings crunch and butter together in a perfect Southern handshake. Crispy chicken, soft biscuit, maybe a drizzle of honey or a splash of hot sauce—it’s breakfast, lunch, or therapy depending on when you eat it. No one finishes one cleanly, and that’s the entire point.
Runza
Nebraska’s Runza looks humble but hides a full meal in its doughy shell. Ground beef, onions, and cabbage cook down together before being sealed in bread. It’s hearty, portable, and a bit dangerous if eaten hot out of the oven. Think of it as the original hand warmer that tastes like home.
Detroit Coney Dog
The Detroit Coney Dog plays zero defense. A steamed bun, snappy hot dog, chili, mustard, and onions—every ingredient fights for space. It’s built for a quick lunch and a longer cleanup, the kind of meal that says you’re living right even if your shirt disagrees.
Tomato Sandwich
The Tomato Sandwich doesn’t need help. Summer tomatoes, mayonnaise, white bread—it’s simplicity done with confidence. Every bite drips with juice, every napkin tells the story of a sandwich that never pretends to be fancy. It’s proof that the best meals are still the ones you can build in 60 seconds.
Polish Boy
Cleveland’s Polish Boy loads up a sausage bun with fries, slaw, and barbecue sauce until it barely holds together. It’s bold, messy, and totally unapologetic. You don’t eat this one—you commit to it. A sandwich that laughs at napkins and turns every bite into a story.
Fried Bologna Sandwich
The Fried Bologna Sandwich hits nostalgia like a freight train. Thick-cut bologna curls on the griddle before it meets a toasted bun and a swipe of mustard. It’s salty, greasy, and perfect. The kind of sandwich that demands to be eaten over the sink and reminds you why paper towels belong in every kitchen.
