McDonald Patents Making a Sandwich

November 25, 2008

McDonalds has applied for patent WO2006068865, The patent is title “Method and Apparatus for Making a Sandwich”.

History of Sandwich

Middle Ages thick slabs of coarse and usually stale bread, called “trenchers”, were used as plates.

17th Century Holland, where the naturalist John Ray observed that in the taverns beef hung from the rafters “which they cut into thin slices and eat with bread and butter laying the slices upon the butter”.

1762 when a reporter wrote in the daily news about John Montague, the fourth Earl of Sandwich. As he sat gambling for long hours, the only sustenance he requested was spirits, water, bread, cheese and meat. As he continued to play with one hand, he sat the meat and cheese between the slices of bread and held them in his non-playing hand.

1827 Miss Leslie’s Directions for Cookery, an early cookbook, includes a recipe for ham sandwiches and officially gives them the designation of main dish which garnered public approval of the sandwich to be used as such in the early U.S.

1900 unsliced, soft, white bread loaves begin to be sold in local general stores and grocery stores.

1920s children begin to carry sandwiches in their lunch pails, the most popular fillings of that time were eggs and ham.

1930s sliced, soft, white bread is first sold by Wonder Bread. During this same period, the comic strip, “Blondie” introduces the Dagwood sandwiches.

Personal Thoughs

The patent doesn’t mention any specific machine, tools, or technology involved in making a sandwich.  Take a look at the flow chart, which should wallpaper in my kitchen, for a more efficient sandwich. Without the flow chart I would totally make the sandwich wrong.  Putting the condiments on the outside can be so messy.

Internet Resources

Games

I can’t wait to see the first person to be sued by McDonalds for infringing on their sandwich making method.

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