What Was She Having? The Actual Katz's Deli Order From When Harry Met Sally

New York's most famous sandwich is unarguably the pastrami on rye from Katz's Deli, which might also be the most famous deli in the country thanks, in part, to its cameo in the 1989 romantic comedy "When Harry Met Sally." However, the business's most iconic dish wasn't what Sally Albright was eating during the film's well-known fake orgasm scene, prompting a woman at a neighboring table to declare "I'll have what she's having." So what, exactly, was the character with an incredibly picky ordering quirk about to dine on, pre-climax? A plain turkey sandwich on white bread.

Before Sally begins enlightening Harry about a woman's ability to fake an orgasm like an Oscar winner, in a "blink and you'll miss it" moment she breaks down the sandwich sitting in front of her. Since the movie shows her regularly making elaborate and complicated requests at restaurants, viewers who notice this would realize that something is amiss with the filling as she quickly strips away layers of turkey. After Sally eventually lifts the thinner reconstructed sandwich from the plate, it's evident what she found displeasing: the amount of meat, which, based on a photo on Katz's website, is substantial. The lack of mess while unpacking the bird from the bread also indicates she wanted it dry and on club (white) bread (rye is the other option). Katz's does offer a variety of toppings, however, including Reuben dressing, mustard, sauerkraut, and mayo — the last of which comes with a diss on the menu: "If you must."

While we're not exactly sure what the turkey sandwich would've cost Sally in 1989, today it'll set you back $27.95. If that sounds like a high price tag for lunch, consider that Katz's has built its reputation on serving nothing but the finest quality of meats. On top of that, fifth-generation owner Jake Dell considers the turkey his favorite of all the sandwiches on the menu, telling Tasting Table, "It's like having a Thanksgiving turkey every day." The meat cooks anywhere from three to five hours, marinating in its own juices, making for butter knife-tender cuts.

Ordering turkey from the pastrami king of New York, operating since 1888, is a bit unusual — as was Sally Albright, albeit in the most charming of ways in a late '80s rom-com. But Katz's does clearly state online that the sandwich is "one of the most underrated items on our menu," so weigh your options should you make the deli pilgrimage. However, if you do end up with pastrami on rye, you can't go wrong. It was Anthony Bourdain's favorite New York source for the cured meat, especially late at night. Whatever you end up ordering, fans of "When Harry Met Sally" should try to snag their table, which is clearly marked by a circular sign hanging from the ceiling.