Last meal

A condemned prisoner's last meal is a customary ritual preceding execution. In many countries, the prisoner may, within reason, select what the last meal will be.

Contemporary restrictions in the United States
Contrary to the common belief that all last meal requests, regardless of their complexity, must be fulfilled, various restrictions are in place over what can be requested.

In the United States, most states give the meal a day or two before execution and use the euphemism "special meal". Alcohol and tobacco are usually, but not always, denied. Unorthodox or unavailable requests are replaced with similar substitutes. Some states place tight restrictions. Sometimes, a prisoner asks to share the last meal with another inmate (as Francis Crowley did with John Resko in 1932) or has the meal distributed among other inmates (as requested by Raymond Fernandez in 1951).

In Florida, the food for the last meal must be purchased locally and the cost is limited to $40. In Oklahoma, the cost is limited to $25. In Louisiana, the prison warden traditionally joins the condemned prisoner for the last meal. On one occasion, the warden paid for an inmate's lobster dinner.

In Texas, the tradition of customized last meals is thought to have been established around 1924. However, in September 2011, the state of Texas abolished all special meal requests after condemned prisoner Lawrence Russell Brewer requested a large and expensive last meal. Brewer did not eat any of it, stating that he was not hungry. Since then, the prisoner's last meal is whatever is being served in the Huntsville Unit cafeteria on the day of execution.

Documented last meal requests
This represents the items requested, as reported, but does not in all cases represent what the prisoner actually received.

Texas
After Texas abolished last meal requests in 2011, all death row inmates in Texas have been served regular prison food.