Saturday, May 23, 2015

Dinning In

     In the American culture food is very important part of life for us. I believe this is where British people stereotype us as being hungry all the time. Eating in London compared to eating in London is completely different in more then just the way they make the food.  Since eating is they way we survive, we had to experience these differences on a daily bases. Just like each day is different each restaurant was different.
      I am a waitress and a bartender for a living while in college, and the way restaurants here was like trying to understand a foreign language. In America we all know that a waitress will take care of your table and get that table whatever they need. Well most places in London are not like that at all, people have to go up to a counter and order their drinks and food. A number will be given and that’s how the runner of the food will recognize where the food is going. Most places do not even ask how your food was or if you need anything. This was so weird to me because that is what my job back home consists of.
      All the food that I have had here in London has been very delicious! But I am not going to lie I can tell it is not cooked American style. The restaurants we have been had will more then likely have fish and chips or pies (like pot pies) on the menu, which in America is not so popular to have. Also restaurants here hardly have salt and pepper on the table which I love salts so eating has been different for me. I believe that people in London are just not big on salt like America is because there as been several of times where the chips (fries) I have ordered has not had salt on them. Also there is no ranch in London, which most Americans live off of, so that was crazy to see. It is just little things like that, where I noticed a difference in the food. 

      When it comes to paying for the bill, British people thinks it is rude to bring the bill to a table if they did not ask for the bill yet. In America the bill gets brought to a table when the table looks like they are done eating. Asking for the check each time was kind of hard to get use to. Once the bill was brought to use there would always be a service charge added to is because waitresses in London do not work off of what a table wants to give them it all depends on the amount of the bill and the percentage of that. For me personally I work off nothing but the tips tables give me. When I first got here I felt bad each time not leaving a tip but just like everything else I got use to the new culture.

      Dinning in London has really been an experience that I will always compare when dinning in America now. It was interesting to see the differences but I think American waitress give better service because they are trying to work for a good tip instead of the percentage of the bill.  But no matter what even the lack of salt both American and the British culture of food is all good! I do understand the way that British culture suns their restaurants but I like the systems American restaurants have.




1 comment:

  1. I must say that you pointed out some really good differences between the food in America and London. I also thought it was different to have to go up to the bar to order your food instead of having someone come and wait on you. I also noticed that some places didn't put salt on their chips and to us that is just unheard of! I think we all tend to like salt on our fries and are used to it so when there wasn't it was weird! I have to say that it's so good to be home and have salt on your fries again and have someone wait on you again while you get to relax and remain seated.

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