To have asked him to choose a different sandwich

[Medsy]

Don't know if it's because it's Easter or what but my local co-ops sandwich section was totally barren, only meat sandwiches left (I'm vegetarian). I saw a man go for the last cheese one there was, so I asked him if he was vegetarian and if not, would he mind if I had it? A woman (wife?) appeared and went batshit at me and called me rude.
It made me quite pissed off actually. I wouldn't have a problem with say a gluten free person asking me if they could have the last gluten free sandwich.
WIBU?

Are you 3? That is the only way you’d be being slightly reasonable in your behaviour although you’d still get told off for being rude.

Unbelievable arrogance I'm afraid. Entitled too.

It's delusional to think so. Maybe if you look at chain places like Wagamama there will be more vegan with additional veggie options, although Wetherspoons chain have a huge amount of veggie options and limited vegan.

But go to local independent Italian, Chinese, Indian, Thai, lebanese restaurants and you're hard pushed to get even more than one vegan option and even rarer to be able to join anyone for Sunday lunch anywhere. That's not me slating them cos any restaurant is well within their rights to offer what they offer. You must just be lucky (or should I say unlucky) that everywhere you go caters for vegans more than veggies.

@Everythinggreen

Delusional? 🤣 ok.

Cheeze used to have animal fat added to it. This practice ended around 40 years ago though.

Vegetarianism is your life choice. Not his. YABU.

The entitlement of some people.

I just can’t understand the general response here. Why should it be rude or offensive to politely ask someone if they really need something or whether another would suit because of your requirements. He just has to say, no I want this one. No need for his wife to comment.
Most places I’ve lived in outside the UK, this would be totally ok and would be an opportunity to exchange pleasantries. On MN almost all behaviour can be seen as cause to be on the defensive. Lighten up and be pleasant

You should be cringing with embarrassment that you asked that. Even if it was about an allergy you would be wrong to ask him. Items on the shelves are for anyone to buy for whatever reason. You don't get to vet people's choices.

Exactly the same

I wouldn't do it myself but I wouldn't mind someone else asking me.

He didn't have to "really need" it.
He had chosen it and picked it up, most normal people would have accepted it was off limits to them at that point.
Op's requirements weren't such that they could only be met by that guy's sandwich!

He selected it because he wanted it.
It's no longer an option available to OP the minute someone else selects it. She needs to select something else.

I actually think it was ok to politely ask him. He could say no. I’d have given you the cheese. Perhaps it’s more normal for me, I was cabin crew and always had to nicely ask people to swap their meal choices!

This thread is hilarious.

FWIW I also would have been ok with you asking for a cheese sandwich if it's the last one you could actually eat. Assuming you didn't grab it from the poor man who cannot possibly use his big boy voice and ran away with it screaming "death to the carnivores!"

I can’t see the issue. I don’t think it’s entitled to ask. Heaven help us if we’re all so snippy when someone asks us a favour. The comments on this thread have saddened me.

I'm vegetarian and way too socially awkward to ever ask this of a stranger. I maybe would have asked a friend I was with but not just a random man who happened to take a sandwich first.
The wife having a go is funny, bet she's still going on about it now.

But it wasn't the last thing that the Op could eat. She could have eaten a non vegetarian sandwich or picked something else entirely. The bloke had already removed it from the shelf. Up to what point do you think its okay to ask someone for something they've already selected? At the till? What if you see something in someone's trolly that you really want, is it okay to ask them then, or just when they are standing nearby with it in their hand?

Of course it's rude and entitled.

I don't think having this behaviour pointed out to this CF was going "batshit" in the slightest.

😂😂😂😂😂 fucking hell this has got to be a wind up

You come over as being a pretty entitled person insisting someone gives up their sandwich preference for you.

I just really want a sandwich now!

Lots of cheese is not vegetarian.
Well hard cheeses anyway not the soft ones.

Some hard cheeses have calf’s stomach in them to make them hard.
Veggie ones have artificial rennet instead.

It's also quite sad that people feel they are more entitled to a sandwich than the person who already selected it, especially as there will undoubtedly be other options.

Asking nicely is not "insisting" by any stretch.

You were confident, I'll give you that. I was standing in front of some reduced sandwiches, so phoned my daughters to ask what they wanted. As I was doing so, a man grinned and reached around me to swipe all the good ones.

1. He was there first
2. You could have bought a loaf/pack of rolls and filling for very little more than the cost of a pre made sandwich