Sides effect

+ We quote Fletch

Club:Sandwich
June 18, 2025

For those of you that have seen the movie Fletch, you may remember that at one point for lunch he orders “a bloody Mary, a steak sandwich and a steak sandwich.” For those of you who haven’t seen Fletch, shame on you and here’s a gif so you know what I’m talking about (but also go watch it).

Only a true sandwich lover would dare order their steak sandwich with a side of steak sandwich.

My days of eating 2 whole sandwiches in a single sitting are behind me thanks to middle age, though I still do love a good side. I've been thinking about this lately after noticing how dramatically a good (or bad) side can affect my overall sandwich experience. They don’t have to be elaborate either. Something simple usually does the job. With that in mind, here are the Club:Sandwich definitive category rankings for sandwich sides.

5th: "Salads" That Aren't Really Salads

These are your potato salads, pasta salads, and fruit salads. They can be absolutely wonderful when done with care and good ingredients. But let's also be honest about the flip side – sometimes these are congealed scoops that get tossed after a bite or less. Just know that there are fruit salads out there made up of more than hard cantaloupe and that long purple grape.

This potato salad with red onion, dill, and chives looks promising, as does the fried tomato BLT behind it.

4th: Soup

Tomato soup with grilled cheese is probably the most iconic sandwich-and-side pairing, and for good reason. But soup's versatility extends far beyond this classic combo. On a cold day, I can really get behind a half sandwich and cup of soup lunch special.

Sometimes half is good - especially if it means you leave room for a matzo ball.

3rd: Actual Salads

The psychological benefit here can’t be overstated. Order a side salad with your fried chicken, bacon, and beer cheese on brioche, and all of a sudden you’re making "balanced choices." Good for you. It doesn’t hurt that there are so many good ways to make a salad, adding tons of potential variety to your plate.

Damn, I love me a crunchy, well dressed wedge of iceberg - aka side salad.

2nd: BBQ Sides

Corn on the cob, coleslaw, and baked beans can boost any BBQ. They also have the magical ability to make you feel like you're eating something wholesome while actually consuming sugary, buttery, saucy deliciousness disguised as veggies.

These are the kinds of sides that I hope cross contaminate my sandwich so I’m getting new and different flavors with each bite.

1st: The Classics

At the top of our rankings, we have the undisputed champions: chips, pickles, fries, and onion rings. These are the sides that almost never disappoint.

Even though these are pretty much universal, I personally have a few very specific sandwiches that I like to pair these with - and sometimes I like a combo of 2 sides together. For example:

Club sandwich (our namesake!): Gotta have fries and a pickle on the plate.
Tuna melt: Chips and a pickle. Also bonus points if the words “house made” are put in front of “chips.”
BLT or deli meat: Chips from a single serving bag packed right in my lunch box. Thanks mom.
Steak sandwich: Onion rings. I can go thick or thin variety here.

I don’t always eat hot fish from a can, but when I do I eat it with pickles and chips.

I’m just gonna say, we spent lots of weeks shining the spotlight on the Batmans, and it feels good to spread some love to the Robins.

Have a go-to sandwich side? Share your favorite sandwich and side combos as well as any gripes with our rankings in the MSD!

Until next week, may your pickles be fully sour.

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