The 'Poor Man's' Sandwich Stephen King Characters And Social Media Can't Resist

Stephen King is no stranger to controversy, even when it comes to food. Back in 2022, the author's 3-minute salmon recipe caused quite a firestorm on X and Reddit. But there's one culinary duo so cringe-worthy, influencers on social media can't resist trying it for themselves. In this case, it's not what King himself eats (well, maybe he does), but rather his characters. The monstrosity in question: a peanut butter and onion sandwich.

This goosebump-inducing sammie appears in King's beloved spooky classic "It," as a favorite of two characters: Mike Hanlon and John Koontz. The horror of having two characters eat the same unorthodox pairing lingered with fans on Reddit, with one noting that the mere mention of said sandwich counted as among the "most horrifying" Stephen King lines: "I know that it probably is a better flavor than it sounds, but the PB and Onion sandwich... just... no thanks."

But if you think the peanut butter and onion sandwich was created by the best-selling author just to gross out his constant readers, think again. This sandwich's nonfiction existence is even more thrilling than its inclusion in King's frightfully fantastical tale — that is, if you like food history. Similar to peanut butter-stuffed onions, the origins of the peanut butter and onion sandwich began during the Great Depression, when this "poor man's sandwich" became a popular staple with mothers, due to the ingredients' long-shelf life and low-cost, belly-filling nutritional density, as touted by the Bureau of Home Economics in 1937.

Stephen King's not the first author to fall for this unconventional sandwich. Ernest Hemingway was also a fan of the unusual combo, which he dubbed the "Mount Everest Special." You might assume onion and peanut butter would be disastrous, but instead, it's rather innocuous with peanut butter's thick-sticky viscosity, tempering the sharp edges of onion, leaving only juicy-sweet crunch and mild savoriness and ensuring the peanut butter doesn't stick to the roof of your mouth. But not everyone's convinced. On the aptly named "The Onion Lovers" subreddit, commenters speaking ill of the sandwich noted, "We're onion lovers, not monsters." This is an astute observation, considering 1989's "Little Monsters" featured the horrifying sandwich.

So, why does it endure? In an article on Alibaba, director of Yale's Modern Diet and Physiology Research Center Dr. Dana Small explained, "Fat doesn't just carry flavor — it modulates intensity and duration. A high-fat matrix-like peanut butter acts as a 'buffer' for pungent alliums, allowing their complex sulfur-derived aromas to unfold gradually rather than overwhelm." 

It's a symbiosis that will pleasantly surprise you. Which is why social media fans have been posting themselves trying it since as far back as 2020. In December 2025, one "morbidly curious" TikTok user pointed out that in "It", King specified Bermuda onions (though any sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla will do). Her opinion? "It's fine," she said, noting that the onion gives the sandwich a "nice crunch," before confessing that she wouldn't have it again. Still, if it's good enough for "Papa" Hemingway and the "King of Horror" it might just be worth a try.