It's okay to eat food on the train, as long as it's not hot
Summary
A straphanger argues it's fine to eat on the subway as long as it's not hot food. Cold cereal? Sure. A bowl of Rice Krispies? Someone's done it. But lamb over rice with white sauce is crossing the line. Kareem pushes back on the logic, questioning whether sushi with chopsticks or a vinegary salad would really be acceptable, but the rider stands firm on his temperature-based etiquette rule. The conversation spirals into legendary subway sightings, including "Pastrami Mommy," a woman eating raw cold cuts straight from the package who earned her nickname from fellow passengers in what sounds like a post-ride committee meeting. They debate whether subway churros are ever actually warm (they're not, apparently), and somehow land on a tangent about Dennis the Menace eating beans under a bridge. It's an Oscar-worthy scene, the rider insists.
Full Transcript
So, what's your take? It's okay to eat food on the train as long as it's not hot.
100% disagree. No food on the train. Actually, maybe you can eat like an apple.
No, you're not going to smell a bowl of cereal, right? Even as crazy as it is, people have—I've seen people eat tilapia on the train.
That's the worst thing I've ever heard about.
But that's why they sell candy. You don't smell the candy.
No, you don't smell anything.
You smell a pack of M&M's.
I want to go back to the bowl of cereal.
I've seen someone eat a bowl of cereal. It's probably a prank or something.
What kind of cereal was it?
I think it was Rice Krispies.
Okay. You know what?
Halal. No, you're not coming on the train with a lamb over rice with white sauce.
So you think cold food? I can go to the cold bar.
Listen, I saw a woman eating raw pastrami.
What do you mean raw?
Just straight out of the—out of the like cold cuts like pastrami mommy.
Oh, that's what they called her. Yeah.
They called her Pastrami Mommy. That's why she left the train. We all called her that.
You guys had a meeting after?
Amongst the people, yeah. And we all call him Pastrami Mommy. Like I said, I think people should be able to eat food on the train as long as it's not hot.
So you think it's fine for me to come on here with a salad?
You're not going to smell it unless you have like mad vinegar or something on it that's very potent. I'm giving people the courtesy of not smelling hot food.
So you think if I'm sitting here with chopsticks eating spicy salmon avocado rolls, you wouldn't make fun of me or be like, "What's wrong with that?"
I would say you had a long day and you're hungry. But I didn't smell it.
So Subway etiquette—official Subway etiquette is cold food you can eat on the train. Hot food you can't eat on the train.
Yes, they're selling candy, not, you know, hot sausages.
The churros are kind of hot, bro.
No, they're always cold. I got to—I got to—that's a whole other argument. I've never had a warm churro on the train.
Are you upset about that?
Yes, 'cause they—they're—they're nasty.
Beans on the train. What about beans?
Beans. Beans. Cold beans.
The raw beans from like what? Dennis the Menace.
I don't remember Dennis the Menace. What happened?
That's a great movie. It was a like a guy from the train, like a hobo. And then he kidnapped Dennis the Menace, who's a menace. And uh, he was making beans and then—yeah, it's a scene. It's a famous scene. You got to—you got to check.
It's a famous scene.
It's a famous scene.
He's eating beans on the train or—
No, he's eating beans like underneath a bridge like with a fire like—like a caveman.
I don't remember the scene.
You got to go back and watch it.
Oscar worthy, yeah.
It's one of your favorite scenes of cinema.
Yeah. Love that scene.