National French Dip Day is a holiday on which everyone is encouraged to enjoy the delicious goodness of a French dip sandwich and is celebrated on the 12th of November every year. A French dip is a sandwich that’s made with a French roll or baguette and is typically piled high with sliced roast beef—although other types of lunch meats can also be used.

It can be served plain or topped with cheese and/or onions. The real beauty of this sandwich, however, is that it’s served with Au Jus that the sandwich can be dipped into. It’s a delicious sandwich that’s celebrated with a delicious holiday.

The Origin Stories Behind The French Dip Sandwich

As we researched National French Dip Day, we noticed that this sandwich has several different origin stories. No one really knows who invented it or when it was invented, but there are plenty of stories positing their own theories about the origin point of these sandwiches, so we thought that we’d share a couple of these stories below.

French Dip Theory One: The Sandwich Drop

One of the most widely accepted stories about this sandwich’s origin is that a server accidentally dropped a roast beef sandwich into the meat cooking pan’s juices and the customer took the sandwich anyway and ended up liking it.

French Dip Theory Two: Bread That’s Too Stale

Another theory is that a customer complained that the bread of their sandwich was too stale, so the sandwich was dipped into Au Jus to make it more edible.

Observing National French Dip Day

There’s only one way to celebrate this holiday, and that’s by taking the time to make a French dip sandwich. Traditionally, a French dip is a beef sandwich served on a baguette with Au Jus on the side, but there are also variations on this that are quite interesting.

It’s also a good day to encourage your friends and family members to try this sandwich. And if you’ve made the perfect French dip sandwich, feel free to share a picture of it online using the hashtag #NationalFrenchDipDay.