"I’m 700 pages into The Count of Monte Cristo,…

The Count of Monte Cristo (1846) is a very long novel (about 1,200 pages) by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. The Monte Cristo sandwich is an egg-dipped ham and cheese sandwich that is pan-fried. The novel itself has nothing to do with the sandwich, which became popular in France (not under this name) in the late 1800s and early 1900s, but there are jokes about the “Monte Cristo” novel and sandwich. The novel became popular on the American stage and in movies in the early 1900s, and the “Monte Cristo” sandwich was cited in print in San Francisco by at least 1920.

“I’m 700 pages into The Count of Monte Cristo, when is he gonna invent this sandwich” was posted on X/Twitter by Kenny Keil on October 20, 2021. “Reading ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ like, ‘Damn, this is a long ass origin story for a sandwich’” was posted on Facebook by Stephen Henry on November 3, 2025. “I’m 200 pages into The Count of Monte Cristo and I have not read a single word about the sandwich yet. Feels like a lot of unnecessary backstory” was posted on X/Twitter by Tom Fornelli on January 20, 2026, and this received over 11,000 likes.

Wikipedia: Monte Cristo sandwich
A Monte Cristo sandwich is an egg-dipped ham and cheese sandwich that is pan-fried. It is a variation of the French croque monsieur.

History
The first documented reference to a “Monte Cristo Sandwich” was in an American restaurant industry publication in 1923.

Wikipedia: The Count of Monte Cristo
The Count of Monte Cristo (French: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. It was serialised from 1844 to 1846, then published in book form in 1846. It is one of his most popular works, along with The Three Musketeers (1844) and Man in the Iron Mask (1850).

X/Twitter
Kenny Keil
@kennykeil
I’m 700 pages into The Count of Monte Cristo, when is he gonna invent this sandwich
11:10 AM · Oct 20, 2021

X/Twitter
Joe
@VirtueAgonist
just finished reading the count of monte cristo (1144 pages) and not once does anyone eat a ham and cheese sandwich, nor was one ever even mentioned. in short, the total count of monte cristos was zero
9:59 PM · Aug 23, 2022

Bluesky
Mark Stack @ ECCC E-17
‪@markwwc.bsky.social‬
I haven’t finished reading it but does The Count of Monte Cristo get his revenge by poisoning people with a delicious new sandwich he invented
1:36 AM · Aug 7, 2023

X/Twitter
Shayne Mathis
@MetalShayne2000
Me 900 pages into The Count of Monte Cristo: “When does this motherfucker invent the sandwich?”
2:09 PM · Apr 11, 2024

X/Twitter
Starbage
@TGP144
Can’t believe I’m over 1,000 pages in only to realize the Count of Monte Cristo is not and never was, in fact, about a sandwich.
12:52 PM · Nov 23, 2024

X/Twitter
Epion
@EpionV
Reading the count of monte cristo and getting mad it never mentions the sandwich
1:48 PM · Oct 4, 2025

Facebook
Stephen Henry
November 3, 2025 at 5:03 PM ·
Reading “The Count of Monte Cristo” like, “Damn, this is a long ass origin story for a sandwich.”

Facebook
De R Peardon
December 29, 2025 at 10:26 PM ·
I’m reading The Count of Monte Cristo. I’m about 100 pages into a 1200 page book. And NOT ONCE do they mention the famous sandwich. I’m starting to think they might not bring it up at all.

X/Twitter
Tom Fornelli
@TomFornelli
I’m 200 pages into The Count of Monte Cristo and I have not read a single word about the sandwich yet. Feels like a lot of unnecessary backstory.
11:27 PM · Jan 20, 2026

Facebook
All You Can Eat
February 12, 2026 at 9:01 AM ·
Total letdown. 🤣
(“I’m 200 pages into The Count of Monte Cristo and I have not read a single word about the sandwich yet. Feels like a lot of unnecessary backstory” is shown on an image.—ed.)