NeuroDivine

🥪 When “Set Menus” Aren’t Actually Set

A NeuroDivine reflection on clarity, communication, and the humble Tuna Melt

Today’s small frustration: ordering a simple Tuna Melt in Supermac’s SuperSubs and discovering (again) that a “set sub” isn’t actually a set sub at all.

The menu says Tuna Melt.
The ingredients listed are tuna, cheddar, mayo.
But when you order it, you’re suddenly asked about extra ingredients that weren’t mentioned, and you can’t just say “Tuna Melt” and trust that the thing you named is the thing you’ll receive.

For many neurodivergent people, this isn’t a tiny quirk of customer service — it’s a real point of friction.
We rely on clear information, predictable outcomes, and language that matches reality. When a menu item is presented as fixed, we expect it to be fixed. When it isn’t, the whole interaction becomes confusing, awkward, and unexpectedly draining.

And here’s the part that often goes unspoken:
When we express confusion — simply trying to understand what’s happening — it can be misread as rudeness.
Not because we are rude, but because we’re processing out loud, asking for clarity, or trying to match the words on the board with the words being spoken to us.

For many of us, seeking clarity is not confrontation.
It’s how we navigate the world.
But in a culture that assumes everyone can handle ambiguity effortlessly, even a straightforward question can be misunderstood.

It’s not about the sandwich.
It’s about clarity, consistency, and the right to ask for information without being treated as difficult.

If you’ve ever felt thrown off by something as simple as ordering food, you’re not alone. These moments matter. They’re part of the everyday landscape of being neurodivergent in a world that often forgets that clarity is a kindness.

And sometimes, all we want is a Tuna Melt — just tuna, cheddar, and mayo — without needing to negotiate for it or apologise for asking a question.