Many people contend that the name “grilled cheese” sandwich is not true, and that it should be called a “fried cheese” sandwich because it’s usually not made on a grill. “The thing about grilled cheese is that it’s fried, not grilled + if you gave someone a grilled cheese you made on a grill they’d be all WTF?” was posted on Twitter on August 13, 2009. “Why is it called ‘grilled cheese’ when neither the cheese is grilled, nor do you put it on a grill? It’s fried bread with cheese in it!” was posted on Twitter on November 5, 2009.
 
“Why is it called grilled cheese, when it is in fact, not grilled on a grill? #philosophicalquestions” was posted on Twitter on June 29, 2011. “Grilled cheese sandwiches should be called fried cheese sandwiches since you fry them in a pan and not on a grill.  #foodforthought” was posted on Twitter on September 20, 2014. “Grilled cheese sandwiches are not grilled. The cheese is also not ‘grilled cheese’. It’s basically a pan-seared cheese sandwich” was posted on Reddit—Shower Thoughts on October 3, 2017. “Grilled cheese sandwiches aren’t even grilled. They are generally pan fried” was posted on Reddit—Shower Thoughts on April 20, 2018. Some have suggested the name “griddled cheese” in addition to “fried cheese.”
 
“A ‘grill’ is a large, flat cooking surface in restaurants. It’s not just a grate with an open flame underneath it. Grilled cheese is named after this,” is an answer that was posted on Reddit—NoStupidQuestions on October 25, 2017.
 
 
Wikipedia: Cheese sandwich
A cheese sandwich is a basic sandwich generally made with one or more varieties of cheese on any sort of bread, such as flat bread or wheat bread, that may include spreads such as butter or mayonnaise. A grilled cheese sandwich is made by grilling the sandwich with butter or toasting it.
     
Twitter 
Vanessa Wolf
@vanessawolf
The thing about grilled cheese is that it’s fried, not grilled + if you gave someone a grilled cheese you made on a grill they’d be all WTF?
12:47 PM - 13 Aug 2009
   
Twitter
Framel
@Cishma
Cheese toast!!! (Where I’m from its called cheese toast, not grilled cheese. Think about it. You can’t grill cheese!!!)
9:08 PM - 21 Aug 2009
     
Twitter
Tokkar
@Tokkar
Why is it called “grilled cheese” when neither the cheese is grilled, nor do you put it on a grill? It’s fried bread with cheese in it!
7:45 PM - 5 Nov 2009
 
Twitter
ROBERT HIGGINS
@iamBlackRob
These fools are arguing me that a grill cheese is not grilled.. Talkn bout u fry a grilled cheese!! Why dnt u call it a fried cheese then!
4:57 PM - 7 Mar 2010
   
Twitter
Don’t Join
@zombiezune
Why is it called grilled cheese, when it is in fact, not grilled on a grill? #philosophicalquestions
6:31 PM - 29 Jun 2011
   
Twitter
🌎 T e j o t a
@TXXJ_
why they call it grilled cheese if its not grilled on the grill?
10:19 PM - 8 Jan 2012
   
Twitter
Kye
@__kyee__
Why is it called a grilled cheese when its not grilled on a grill , its fried in a pan… RIGHT ????? #RandomThought
1:35 AM - 14 Jul 2012
 
YouTube   
Grilled Grilled Cheese
Alton Brown
Published on May 14, 2014
Not just a grilled cheese sandwich, but a grilled, grilled cheese sandwich.
Get the recipe at http://altonbrown.com/grilled-grilled...
         
Twitter
Marla Blevins
@marlablevins28
Grilled cheese sandwiches should be called fried cheese sandwiches since you fry them in a pan and not on a grill.  #foodforthought
10:09 PM - 20 Sep 2014
 
Twitter
Chinua AcheBae
@SorahyaM
That’s “fried cheese.” Not grilled cheese…..because it’s not made on a grill. Or something like that.Chinua AcheBae added,
Nigga, I’m Deaf!  ✨ 🌊 ✨
@AquafarE
Replying to @SorahyaM
@SorahyaM This gets even more hilarious! Butter, two pieces of bread with cheese on a hot griddle?!? Lmfao
7:03 PM - 12 Jul 2015
   
Twitter
StonerTalk
@420Gibberish
The cheese doesn’t touch the grill. The bread does. Ergo the cheese is not grilled, only heated, & ergo GRILLED CHEESE IS A LIE @NASA FIX IT
10:33 AM - 8 Sep 2015
 
Reddit—NoStupidQuestions
Why is a grilled cheese sandwich not grilled?
submitted August 28, 2016 by broccolisbane
As I understand it, grilling usually refers to cooking done on a metal grid or parallel bars. As far as I can tell a grilled cheese is actually fried (cooked in an oil or fat, in this case butter). Am I missing something?
COMMENTS
ameoba
It’s referring to the flat-top grill you see in most restaurant kitchens, not a barbeque grill.
   
Twitter
sopito maruchach
@the_Moosen
Hey National Grilled Cheese day,
It’s not fucken grilled cheese. No grill marks, no Weber, it’s not grilled.
6:18 PM - 12 Apr 2017
 
Reddit—Shower Thoughts
Grilled cheese sandwiches are not grilled. The cheese is also not “grilled cheese”. It’s basically a pan-seared cheese sandwich
submitted October 3, 2017 by BrostFyte
COMMENTS
Falstaffe
Griddled cheese?
 
FuckingAbortionParty
A flattop is a type of grill, thus grilled cheese.
 
Reddit—NoStupidQuestions
Why is it called a “Grilled Cheese” if it’s fried and not grilled?
submitted October 25, 2017 by PM_ME_UR__RECIPES
COMMENTS
ameoba
A “grill” is a large, flat cooking surface in restaurants. It’s not just a grate with an open flame underneath it. Grilled cheese is named after this.
   
RadicalFiretruck
I thought a large flat cooking surface was a griddle.
I always thought a grill needs to have open flame and I’ve wondered the same as OP.

ameoba
In the home, it’s used that way but in a restaurant, they’re called grills.
     
Twitter
Nick Kovalcik
@NickKovalcik
Why do you call it a grilled cheese when it’s fried on a stove, not grilled on a grill???
11:32 PM - 19 Nov 2017
 
Reddit—Grilled Cheese
PSA: McDonalds grilled cheese is not grilled (self.grilledcheese)
submitted December 30, 2017 by B-Weisshaar
The buns are toasted and the cheese goes inbetween then its in a queing oven. Like a microwave. And warmed up. Its an imposter.
 
Reddit—Shower Thoughts
Grilled cheese sandwiches aren’t even grilled. They are generally pan fried.
submitted April 20, 2018 by agro_knight256
COMMENTS
shazmonkee
What. You don’t spend 30 minutes waiting for your mesquite coals to burn hot, only to put two pieces of bread and cheese on there for two minutes? Damn it!
 
Twitter
Ansley Bounds
@ansley_bounds
It just occurred to me that grilled cheese isn’t even really grilled cheese…if you tried to actully grill cheese..it would melt and die…so when you make a grilled cheese from now on I would like it if you simply referred to it as pan fried bread with cheese.
1:08 AM - 21 Apr 2018