It’s food-themed semantic argument week here on Consumerist, so here is another one. Should a meatless menu have fish?

Reader Spencer noticed that Portillo’s (yummy) had fish on its “meatless menu.”

He says:

I mentioned this to the cashier and she got pissed stating “fish isn’t meat!” I decided arguing with a cashier was not worth it, so I just chuckled as I walked off to get my hot dogs.

Wikipedia says that “meat” is what food processors call things that are not fish or poultry. Spencer interpreted this menu as a “vegetarian” menu, but (and perhaps it’s just the Catholic upbringing talking), we think of “meatless” as including fish, so maybe this isn’t a “vegetarian” menu. Then again, many vegetarians don’t eat fish and think of it as “meat.”

So which is it? Let the internet decide.

Or we could just talk about how much we love hot dogs and Italian beef sammiches. Your call.

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