Remember when the internet lost its collective mind over the color of a dress? Or that time we all debated whether a sound clip said “Yanny” or “Laurel”? Well, St. Louis has its own version of these viral moments—a bagel slicing method that’s as controversial as it is clever. In a world where viral moments are as fleeting as the toppings slipping off your traditional bagel, one writer decided it was time to revisit this tasty tidbit of pop culture.
The comeback of a culinary quirk
To refresh your memory, the entire hubbub began with this Tweet:
Today I introduced my coworkers to the St Louis secret of ordering bagels bread sliced. It was a hit! pic.twitter.com/XNGbljtpYz
— Alek Krautmann (@AlekKrautmann) March 26, 2019
Twitter users famous and obscure lambasted Alek Krautmann, a St. Louis native, for suggesting there is more than one way to slice a bagel. “St Louis, fuhgeddaboudit,” tweeted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the New York Democrat.
Andrew Amelinckx, a seasoned food writer with a knack for sniffing out the fun in food foibles, recently took a deep dive back into the world of St. Louis’ vertically sliced bagels. Why bring back a topic from five years ago?
“I’m always interested in those ephemeral pop culture snippets that people obsess over briefly,” Amelinckx explains. His fascination with these transient trends led him back to a peculiar local practice that had St. Louisans—and the Internet—at odds.
Why vertical?
The logic behind vertical slicing is more than just culinary rebellion; it’s practical.
“I absolutely hate when all the toppings shoot out the end of a traditionally cut bagel,” Amelinckx admits. “The St. Louis method seems to offer the easiest and least messy way to eat bagels.”
Panera first brought bagels to its menu in the early 1990s. To tempt patrons into trying them, the chain served up thinly sliced bagel samples—similar to bread slices—allowing customers a quick taste. This sampling strategy unexpectedly shaped customer preferences; people not only embraced the thin slices but also started requesting their full bagels be cut similarly, often pairing them with a slice of cheese. Thus, the tradition of bread-sliced bagels took root.
Local pride and reader reactions
Despite the global forgetfulness over such a quirky method, locals hold onto their unique culinary tradition with pride.
“While the rest of the world has moved on, folks in St. Louis, including myself, continue to slice vertically,” said Amelinckx.
The response from his readers has been mixed, with one playful comment standing out: “I rip my bagels into little pieces with my hands instead of cutting them,” showcasing the personal and varied ways we all enjoy our food.
Amelinckx’s take? “Hopefully, this story will convince them to at least start slicing their bagels vertically.”
Don’t ever change, St. Louis
As Amelinckx wraps up his exploration into the world of St. Louis bagels, he leaves us with a parting thought: “Keep doing what you do, St. Louis. Don’t mind the haters.”
St. Louis’ vertically sliced bagels highlight the power of local tradition and the curiosity of food lovers everywhere. So next time you grab a bagel, try slicing it vertically—it could revolutionize your brunch and remind us that sometimes, the simplest tweaks lead to the tastiest traditions.
| RELATED: Here’s how Panera’s former co-owner defends the bread-sliced bagel
