sh*t they don't do here
In terms of eating out, not the fact that they (the British) don't have a constitution. Otherwise known as all the things my dad was alarmed to find out Londoners do differently here!
to understand this madness, keep on reading!
No refills, no ice...
Anddd, the cups are so small here. In America, it's not uncommon for your water "glass" to actually be more like a carafe, and drinks almost always have about an entire tray's worth of ice cubes filling them up. Free refills of soft drinks are a regular fixture of most restaurants as well, so we can drink keep on drinking soda until our poor teeth dissolve in our mouths from the sugar.
But not here, folks! If you order a Coke in the UK, that's what you get - a single Coke, not 7. You want another one? Pay up! And when you order your drink, you've also got to ask for tap water. It won't necessarily be waiting on the tables like they would be in California, and they definitely won't have ice. Probably because at home it's basically summer all year round, while we're just hoping it doesn't snow in MARCH. Climate change anyone?
But I digress. Let's get to -
menu SUBSTITUTIONS...
So no refills and no ice. And now, no substitutions?! In the States, we're all used to asking for our avocado toast with whole grain bread NOT white and feta cheese NOT goat cheese, and for god's sake you've toasted it too much take the whole thing back and do it again! Here in the UK, you get what's on the damn menu. If you're mad about it, go elsewhere.
While this lack of tolerance in complying with substitutions deters most diners from making special requests in the UK, it is also due to the fact that Americans are loud, entitled and not afraid to send back their Cobb salad three times. This is completely opposite to British people, who will probably eat their own hand before complaining to the waiter that their steak is still moo-ing when they asked for medium well.
Dismayed picky Americans aside, I quite like UK restaurants' resistant stance towards menu substitutions. Keeps it simple!
Starters vs. appetisers...
Something I noticed when I first started eating out in London (those study abroad takeaway days were dark) and especially when my parents visited was that 'starters' here are more individual in nature. In California, we refer to the dish that precedes your main course as an 'appetiser', and they are usually quite a large portion, meant to be shared with the entire table. For a special occasion, parties often order 3-4 appetisers for the entire table.
However, in the UK, this first course dish is referred to as a 'starter', and it's just that. A small dish really only meant for one person. I definitely prefer the appetiser sharing culture of California and the States, because I want to try the calamari and the cauliflower bites, damn it! What's the fun in having a lonely, solitary dining experience when you could be having a 'lil bit of everything???
**Please note, I'm being dramatic for emphasis. I'm sure plenty of British people do like to share!**
Customer service...
Phew, this one's a big 'un. The level of customer service varies hugely between the US and the UK. In the States, your server, let's call her Becky, is out here doing the most. Becky's asking you about your wife, your kids, where you went to university and how your current sports team is doing all with the cheeriest smile. She'll get your four punch refills and mop up the mess when your annoying kid inevitably spills.
Unfortunately, Becky does not live in London. Here, servers are much more low key and do not have the same pep in their customer service step as do American servers. My parents found it quite jarring at first and were ready to complain to the manager before I informed them that it's just a cultural difference. And the reason for this discrepancy in dish duty? Well, let's first cover -
Tipping...
Tipping is probably one of the most significant differences in food culture between here and home. Going back to the level of customer service, the reason why it's so good in America is because servers aren't always paid by the hour and so they really depend on the cash they make from tips.
Tipping is ingrained in American culture - if you don't tip and tip well, you're scum. We tip for everything. My parents always have a wad of $1 bills on them for the next valet/waiter/cab/cleaning person they run into. The base percentage for restaurant tips in the States is 15%, but can go up to 18% or even higher, so you can imagine how shocked Americans are when they come to London and see the 12.5% optional service charge! Of course no one in London is going to turn down a little extra money, but tipping simply isn't as big of a deal here. I mean, in the States you even need to tip the bartender, which is why I plan to stay in London as long as humanly possible. Well, one of the reasons...
For more differences in British-American food culture, check out my previous post. Otherwise, ta ta for now!
xo,
the GAl from Cali
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