<P> A condemned prisoner's last meal is a customary ritual preceding execution . Various countries have various traditions in this regard . A "little glass of rum," but no formal last meal, was granted to the condemned in historical France in the minutes before execution; no meal was offered as the condemned learned of their impending execution only on the fatal morning, generally just minutes in advance . </P> <P> In many countries, the prisoner may, within reason, select what the last meal will be . </P> <P> In the United States, most states give the meal a day or two before execution and use the euphemism "special meal". Alcohol or tobacco are usually denied . Unorthodox or unavailable requests are replaced with substitutes . Some states place tight restrictions . In Florida, the food for the last meal must be purchased locally and the cost is limited to $40 . In Oklahoma, cost is limited to $15 . 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 . </P> <P> Sometimes, a prisoner shares the last meal with another inmate (as Francis Crowley did with John Resko) or has the meal distributed among other inmates (as requested by Raymond Fernandez). </P>

Do inmates on death row get a last meal