To have asked him to choose a different sandwich

Yes, not giving up a sandwich to meet your preferences definitely equates with a Brexit leave vote.

I voted remain fwiw.

Being vegetarian is a choice, not a medical reason so comparing it to someone being gluten free is not the same as most people who are gluten free are gluten free due to an intolerance.

i don’t think there was any harm in asking him, I probably would have given you the sandwich.

This is exactly the point I'm trying to make only you have made it better.

Why does vegetarianism mean you're more entitled to the sandwich than me because philosophy @Medsy ?

I agree, asking him to justify his no was definitely crossing a line. I can't have processed meat as per doctor's orders, and I don't owe that kind of information to OP or anyone. Still first in first served.

I don't think asking if he was vegetarian and if not, would he mind if I had it? is really polite. It is suggesting that vegetarianism makes person more worthy of the cheese sandwich, it is asking him to explain why should he be allowed to keep his sandwich.

And, the OP practically confirmed this reading in her further posts.

This just isn't a polite approach.

Well, no, you're not entitled to ask. Not at all. You can ask, but entitled? No.

And there are plenty of people with MH issues who struggle with engaging with strangers, and are frightened when their door bell goes. Is that a surprise to you?

That's one of the things that bothers me.

@Medsy if you'd asked me if I were vegetarian and if not could you have the sandwich, I would have answered no I'm not vegetarian, and I'd have felt obliged to give you the sandwich.

But I'm autistic with food aversions, and one of the things I can't eat is processed meat. Or a sloppy sandwich where there's tons of sauce on the bread like a tikka or a coronation sandwich.

I usually have a cheese sandwich if I'm buying a sandwich.

But I would have said no I'm not veggie, and then you would have taken the sandwich.

Your "need" for a cheese sandwich does not trump mine just because you're vegetarian.

I was raised with traditional morals and the phrase, you don't ask, you don't get was often thrown around....

Does someone not ask, if they can sit down in a seat if they are disabled/elderly? Afterall someone sat there, so they obviously wanted it.

All are reasonable if you ASK politely, its a bloody sandwich... She asked if he minded? That's politeness and not ill mannered.

Tbf it might MIGHT not have been so bad if op hadn't asked the dude if he was vegetarian.

If someone asked me I wouldn't mind the question I guess, I'd still say no. If someone rolled out the "I'm a vegetarian don't you know" I'd say no and probably enjoy it more (saying no and the sandwich, said as an ex vegan)

If op had asked my mum that, who has awful anxiety and takes 2 days to build up the confidence to go to the local shop, she'd have said fine, probably apologised for existing, then wouldn't buy a sandwich ever again. Tbh it's for those people that I think its shitty to ask, just deal with the fact that you missed out instead of making your dietary preferences someone else's issue to resolve for you.

When my mother was very little, @Medsy, she thought she would just die if she didn’t get a Milky Way candy bar.
She begged, she pleaded, she carried on to my grandfather to no avail and this is what he told her:
”It doesn’t hurt you to want.”

Read that back to yourself, @MummaMummaJumma.
What is it you fancy?

I wouldn’t have asked. I would have bought a two rolls and some sliced cheese.

Here’s the rude one RIGHT HERE.

Or maybe he wasn't that fussed on what flavour he had and just grabbed the first one? Who knows? We'll never know, but there was no harm in asking politely if he'd swap. It's not bad manners to politely ask.

Is it really so awkward to reply "Actually, I want to stick with the cheese".

@Medsy I find it concerning and sad to live in a society where someone can't politely, in a friendly way and applying no pressure, ask if there's any chance someone would be okay with swapping sandwiches. It's hardly "Hey do you mind if I take a dump un your basket?" is it?

No, it isn't but it's definitely applying pressure, to attempt to guilt trip the bloke into handing over his sandwich to a 'needy' vegetarian.

Do you by any chance also practice yoga and mindfulness, as I've found that a sense of entitlement often goes hand in hand?

It shows 84% of people have been raised with a smattering of manners and the try and be agreeable and helpful, and not put someone in the position of having to say no.
You know that the guy would have chosen a meat sandwich if he had wanted one, so why do you think you are entitled to ask fir it?

Oh my goodness, I'm shocked at the responses on this thread!! @Medsy YANBU, you politely asked, nothing rude at all about that, it's not like you snatched it out of his hand for crying out loud. The woman's response was over the top and unreasonable. You did nothing wrong and were not rude. If you don't ask, you don't get. I'd have done the same if there was only one sandwich left that didn't have my allergy food in it. Nothing wrong in politely asking, as long as you graciously accept a no response.

I actually don't know what the world is coming to when you have had so many batshit replies on this thread. In my culture, no one would think twice to do someone a favour like this.

Potentially, YANBU to ask politely if you could possibly have the last cheese sandwich, and to mention you're asking because you're veggie. He might do you a favour but he'd be well within his rights to say no.

But definitely YABU to ask if he was veggie. It gives the impression you think that he needed a reason to refuse you.

Obviously they shouldn't have gone batshit on you.

Her reaction was over the top but you are ridiculous asking someone for the sandwich.