mary, mary, QUITE contrary!
Thanks to my lovely friends and followers, I've gotten some great questions about the differences between food/dining culture here in the UK versus home in the US. I've gathered a few of the best ones and dished out the deal below!
PORTION CONTROL
Though obesity is still a significant issue in the UK, it's nowhere as prevalent as in the US, where you can get a gallon(!) of soda anytime you want from your local 7/11 or order a 16x16 patty/cheese burger from In-N-Out. Most of that is due to the huge difference in portion sizes, because people are normal here and don't need to supersize every single thing!
Although they do seem to count mayo as a food group, the portions on British plates look a lot less heart attack inducing than the typical serving size of a Californian course. Thus, everyone usually finishes their whole plate at dinner here without leaving much left over, unless it's an unusually large meal!
This leads to my next point...
TO-GO = TAKEAWAY
First off, the little container you ask for at the end of your meal to scoop up the remnants of your plate so you can eat it for lunch the next day is called TAKEAWAY in the UK, not a to-go
box!!! If you ask for a to-go box, most wait staff will simply look at you with an evil smirk and wait for you to realise the error of your non-British ways, even though THEY TOTALLY KNOW WHAT TO-GO MEANS!
Anyways, because portions are more normal sized here in the UK, people usually don't take anything home, unlike in the US, where no one would blink an eye if you packed up half of your meal, the sauce that came with it, and even the dinner rolls to boot! Just don't steal the cutlery, people.
The Brits also use the work 'takeaway' to refer to what we Americans would call 'takeout' - they're crafty using one word instead of two, I know!
Which leads us to my final point...
TAKEAWAY CULTURE
Takeaway culture, aka getting 'takeout' food, is huge in the UK. Eating out is quite expensive in London, so it's more of a special occasion for Brits to go out for dinner. However, they're definitely not shy when it comes to getting a cheeky takeaway delivered, or picking up lunch from one of the thousands of takeaway chains peppering nearly every block in central London.
Craving a ham sandwich, curry, and/or a bit of sushi? You can get all three and more on any London high street, individually wrapped and ready to go. Even the supermarkets have a huge selection of ready made sandwich combos, referred to as a 'meal-deal', since you can get a sarnie, crisps and drink for one low price. In my experience, you'd hardly ever find someone in California running to the nearest drugstore or market to grab lunch, which is why I actually really like the takeaway culture here. In such a busy city where everyone is on the run, I relish the security of knowing I can get my favourite Wasabi katsu curry bowl anywhere in the city!
Whichever way you slice it, I will end this post with the declaration that whether you're on the West Coast or in the big city, Subway sandwiches are universally gross and never an acceptable option for a meal. If you disagree, you're probably gross too.
xo,
the GAL FROM CALi
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