Katz' deli Vegetarian sandwich containing 12 slices of cheese slammed as an 'abomination'

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Katz’s deli in New York is known for two things: a famous scene in the cult Eighties film When Harry Met Sally and obnoxiously large salt beef sandwiches.

While the former involves Meg Ryan and a very convincing fake orgasm, the latter bares a slightly different – yet no less significant – cultural notoriety.

However, despite attracting fans far and wide in the pursuit of pastrami perfection, the Lower East Side delicatessen has been slammed online for its “abomination” of a vegetarian alternative.

“Today i learned if you order a 'cheese sandwich' at katz's deli, this is the abomination you are presented with,” wrote J.R. Hennessay on Twitter alongside a snap of a rather grotesquely overstuffed cheese sandwich.

The not-so-tantalising treat appears to be 5 per cent salad, 10 per cent bread and 75 per cent cheese, a unique ratio, to say the least.

The tweet quickly went viral online, with 5,342 likes and 807 retweets.

Fellow fans were shocked at the iconic deli's meagre offering for veggies.

“It’s like getting a sandwich with five chicken breasts,” wrote one person on Twitter.

“That's just...I'm developing lactose intolerance just looking at that picture,” added another.

However, not everyone was entirely saddened by the state of the cheese stack masking as a sandwich.

“This is a daring and exciting ratio,” wrote one admiring tweeter.

As it turns out, the veggie sandwich has been on the menu for 15 years and weighs the exact same as its meaty counterparts.

According to Jake Dell, owner of the century-old deli, the sandwich is not hugely popular and is rarely ordered, reports Eater.

Hennessy later revealed to his followers that he did not personally order the sandwich.