James Beard, the esteemed food critic, detested the modern club sandwich because he believed it majorly deviated from the simplicity of the original recipe he enjoyed.

For Beard, the increased height, layers, and choice of meats in the modern version tainted the essence of what he considered the quintessential American dish.

In his cookbook “James Beard’s American Cookery,” the culinary purist opposed the three-decker club sandwich trend because of its structural instability caused by excessive height.

Additionally, though many only know the club sandwich made with sliced turkey, Beard preferred it with chicken and claimed the use of turkey moved away from the original recipe.