35 Examples Of People Getting Absolutely Shamed By Servers In Foreign Countries
Interview With AuthorThe obvious needs to be said: other places around the world aren’t like where you grew up! Heck, your neighboring country or even the next town over might be very different in terms of culture, cuisine, and communication. That’s why we travel—to broaden our horizons, learn about how vast the world is, and discover new depths about ourselves as individuals… at least in theory.
Some people, however, use travel as an excuse to continue being exactly who they are, take selfies, behave like they never left home, and order cups of (non)coffee in historical European cities. Quelle horreur!
New York comedian Andy Haynes fired up a roaringly good thread over on Twitter about the experiences people from all over the world had while traveling. And a ton of the stories that social media users shared revolve around the one thing we all love best—food! The culture shock trying to order what they wanted was, well, shocking.
Scroll down for the funniest stories, upvote your fave ones, and be sure to drop by the comments to share your own tantalizing travel tales, dear Pandas! And, be honest, which of you ordered coffee with oat milk on your Eurotrip?
Andy, who's been a comedian for around 18 years, was kind enough to answer Bored Panda's questions about traveling abroad, standing out online with our wit, and his career in stand-up. Read on for our interview with him.
More info: Twitter | Instagram | YouTube | imandyhaynes.com

Image credits: imandyhaynes
Meanwhile, also scroll down for Bored Panda's chat about coffee culture and authentic food in Italy with travel expert, best-selling author, and investor Rick Orford. He revealed to us what to say if you want a latte and what reaction you're bound to get if you order a cappuccino after lunch!
This post may include affiliate links.
Has anyone thought that the poor server was either confused because ne one has ever asked that just question, or more simply because that particular dish tasted like boring old pasta without the meat?
For those calling the waiter an a**hole, you missed the *genuine confusion* part. For most food lovers, dishes are NOT just the sum of their ingredients. In France, outside of fast food, a restaurant's menu is a suppose to be culinary experiences, carefully curated by the chief. Asking them to change part of it can be perceived as a sign of distrust of their craft. Show a bit of trust and ask what they offer as vegetarian options. If they say none, then you can perhaps start going on your high horses
Not a vegetarian, but id never go to France if it's forcibly feeding people meat.. it just goes right through me. I don't want to spend my entire vacation on the pot. xD
No one is forcing them, they just aren't catering to them like they do at many places in the US. Big difference.
Load More Replies...Vegetarian or not, there are people who actually can’t have animal protein from meat. They’ll go into anaphylactic shock
Unless the customers suffer from actual food allergies and/or sensitivities, I agree with the servers on both of these, and I’m American.
provencal food : stuffed tomatoes, zucchinis, eggplants, oigons NO MEAT !!!! farcis-san...4c8be4.jpg
"I've been to Europe a few times. I actually split my time between London and New York now, but that's less of an adjustment than the Continent," stand-up comedian Andy told Bored Panda.
"In England, I just know that if I want a cold brew or some other caffeinated American indulgence, I have to go to Starbucks, or maybe a hip coffee shop. But everything is pretty much available," he said.
"For instance, Tesco has plant-based milk and meats, etc. In France, or Italy where I am now, it's pretty unlikely that I get something like that, unless I go to a specific restaurant or cafe, so I just kind of give up and go with the flow. That Oat Milk latte was a long shot, and clearly a miss."
well, yes. He was probably showing him a triple fried mocha vanilla double turn wheppuccino with a shot of cornsyrup and organic almond milk from the tibetian highlands
corn syrup and organic almond milk 😂🤣 That's so true though!
Load More Replies...I am *totally* with the Parisian barista! There are so MANY ways to make a coffee already without confusing a *traditional* barista in Europe. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Otherwise, just go HOME!
I never understood the idea of ordering something you can get back home in a new place. Barring some issues regarding allergies, sensitivities (like texture issues from spectrum stuff and such), and religious/cultural issues, I firmly believe you should try to immerse yourself in local cuisine, drinks, and entertainment. You're away from home, why do stuff you can do at home? Live in the place and moment! You'll find some of the best things that way. Fresh fish in New Orleans? Local wine in Italy or France? Sushi in Japan? Delicious! And if you go to local places, not the tourist ones, it's cheaper and nicer!
Load More Replies...I would be curious to see the menus of places like McDonald's in other countries. My understanding is that a few of their items are different. I would not want to eat at McDonald's, though. I'm one of the pickiest eaters ever, and even I wouldn't want to do that. If I lived there, yeah, but travel is to explore, and that includes food.
Load More Replies...If I went to another country, I would not expect it to be another America.
I guess that drink wasn't on menu, so barista wasn't obliged to make it.
I'd feel the same. America treats it's employees like dancing monkies for their customers and makes everything ten times more difficult than it needs to be. :/
When you're in another country experience the other country. Don't eat at Out Back steakhouse or expect the locals to make your Starbucks order
ah there is a video where a guy is talking about his first date with an american woman.. how she says she doesn't eat gluten and he says "gluten is my life - croissants, baguette!"
My sister-in-law has a gluten allergy and one bakery said something similar but in a tone that said she was inferior, so she replied "Yeah, gluten-free bread is hard to make unless you're a skilled baker" and left
I get that some people in the hospitality industry are infuriated by this whole gluten-free trend, especially when it's obvious that someone doesn't really have allergies, but make a fuss over gluten-free. However, there are people (such as my husband) who are coeliac and have huge problems if they eat/drink gluten and it is horrendous the way these people get treated sometimes. A lot of the time they don't get taken seriously and waiters / cooks put gluten in their food anyway, because they think they are just being "complicated."
Load More Replies...The French bake their baguettes longer, so it reduces the amount of gluten. The flour is also different. Discovered this when I was delighted to discover my usual gluten-related issues were only minimal over there.
I wonder if the high sugar content of American bread plays a part in your issues.
Load More Replies...Used to run a pretzel bakery. Had several people ask if we do gluten free. Did the research, it’s not possible to make gluten free pretzels (at least I could not find anyone who had been successful). Same woman kept coming back and calling and asking if we had gluten free yet. Drove me insane, especially since I explained to her that it wasn’t possible. Edit to add: I had also made it clear to this woman that even if I could make a gluten free pretzel, I could not guarantee cross contamination wouldn’t occur and that if she is truly allergic to gluten that she try to make a gluten free pretzel at home in a controlled environment or in a dedicated gluten free kitchen. I was always very polite to her as I know Celiacs is real and I always assume if someone is asking about a specific ingredient that it is due to a legit allergy. But I’ve seen way too many people throw a fit over gluten especially when they can eat it just fine.
That sounds so irritating. People who claim to be allergic or intolerant but never do research into what is involved in preventing cross contamination. If they did, they would realize it’s really hard for a regular bakery to make truly gluten free things, which is why there are specialty bakeries. That, and some things like pretzels just don’t work without gluten,
Load More Replies...There is a real difference between European wheat and American. A lot fewer gluten allergies.
Not true and coeliac disease was known about by the ancient Greeks. And do you even mean allergy? I have coeliac disease, I have food intolerances that make me very unwell. But I have allergies, I have a food allergy so severe I go into anaphylactic shock within 50 feet of my allergen and can't leave the house without 2 epipens, antihistamines, an inhaler and my mobile phone (to call an ambulance)
Load More Replies...You want glutten free, find a specialized bakery, restaurant, or go to a bigger supermarket, they usually have some glutten free stuff.
Ask an Italian baker instead. There are also sorts of fantastic cakes and desserts that are without gluten.
But are they free from cross contamination? That’s a huge concern with Celiac’s.
Load More Replies...Consistency, according to Andy, is the secret to standing out on social media. "I will say that Twitter is my weakest link. I've never had a tweet explode like that, but on other visual mediums, it's just about putting out content on a regular basis and trying to make sure it's of decent to better quality," he said.
"I think social media is all about feeding the beast. I mean most influencers aren't very deep, it's more like look at my body, or money, with a hit song to accompany it. Disclaimer: I'm not very deep either," he quipped.
Andy started doing comedy right out of college, about 18 years ago. It started out as a hobby. But once he got more work, he turned it into a full-time job.
"I love it, and I feel extremely grateful for the life it's given me, but I also don't have the traditional career trajectory. Where most comics get a little momentum and either build their fanbase and go on tour, write for television, or act, I've kind of done a million parts of the job and keep on going," he opened up to Bored Panda.
Hahahaha! Kerry Gold (Irish butter) was on sale at the grocery store today, so I stocked up. The lady filling the cold case kind of raised her eyebrows at me. I was like, "everything's better with butter". And she says, "True that!".
Load More Replies...A world without butter?!?!? Being from Wisconsin, I would say that's a NIGHTMARE
I went to a nice restaurant a couple years ago that had a side of aged butter with honey. I ate it with a fork and still think about how great it was occasionally
A sandwich made with cured ham, raclette cheese, slices of cooked potato, cornichons (small French pickles), and butter. The name means mountaineer.
Load More Replies...Cant eat butter, am lactose intolerant and I'd end up with a very nasty stomach cramp.
Walmart vitamine/ supplement section, acidophilus is supplement that deals w lactose intolerance. Research it. My kids are lactose intolerant. Hope this helps ☺️
Load More Replies...I can't be sure for the whole Italy, but you can't find almond milk in Italian bars, practically none of them has it (our bar aren't the same as the Usa, it's a place where you can go to get breakfast, they doesn't serve mainly alcohol). All the kinds of milk that aren't cow's are pretty rare in our bars
I didn't have any issues getting oatmilk, soy, etc, in Bolognia. And they have many vegan or vegetarian dishes so I didn't go hungry either. Almond milk maybe isn't as normal as oat milk though, not everyone has that.
Load More Replies...This is not very funny. Loads of people suffer from lactose intolerance and similar food allergies, the fact that some countries make this into a joke and they are actually proud they don't accommodate other dietary needs only tells me they don't respect others.
Actually I just make sure I'm aware of where I am. Food allergies, even dairy, run through just about everyone in our home. As a chef, Im well aware of how many countries are about their food. It is a history, and they dont take to people changing it up well in many places. Remember, whole skirmishes have been started over food and wine. Plan accordingly always.
Load More Replies...NOT unreasonable! Not all countries have the same unbelievably & ridiculous range of options as the US. I found ordering a cup of tea in the US to be tedious beyond belief, only to end up with a cup of tepid water and a tea bag! I get it; you (ie the USA) *love* your coffee, and in six million different ways; but a decent cup of tea is NOT a difficult concept for the rest of us! Ironically, a *decent* cup of coffee (ie NOT out of a stewed pot) is also an alien concept to you.
I'm American. Yes, I love coffee. I brew it at home. I've never been to a coffee bar, and I drink mine black. I also enjoy tea. In America, tea is usually served cold. There aren't a lot of Americans (in general) that order hot tea in restaurants to make it worth the restaurant's worthwhile to supply more than the bare minimum. In fact, a restaurant isn't going to have a lot of options for hot coffee, either. Cream and/or sugar is pretty much it. Now, if I were in your country, complaining about the lack of coffees, you would say to embrace the local culture, and to eat/drink the local selections. Why does that not go the other way? Why shouldn't a visitor to the US not try the local selections?
Load More Replies...I live in Venice and more and more bars are offering soy milk for lactose-intolerant customers. It's not a big deal here. Don't know about the other types.
A barista running a cafe here. I know there are ppl with lactose intolerant since my brother is one. Thankfully I have no allergies, but I still provide lactose-free options. My brother said he would always check the restaurant options, but mostly he'd avoid any milk at all. Maybe the customer should try to look for their options first before condemning the providers.
The fact they were thrown out for asking that, I am sure you can agree, is the problem.
Load More Replies...Reminds me of a joke I love: every time I go to a coffee shop I think about the time last summer when I asked for a latte with oat milk and the poor lad behind the counter somehow managed to say with a straight face "sir am sorry a cannae make a latte withoot milk"
Sounds like France doesn't have anyone with lactose intolerance? LLAP
Load More Replies...Listen people, just because you don't like oat milk doesn't mean it shouldn't exist. I myself drink oat milk. I do completely understand, however, that oat milk is not milk, it is a milk substitute that tastes completely different (just can be used in similar ways). Essentially, don't get all high and mighty because of someone else's preferences (at least when it's not hurting anyone).
I DON'T care what anyone says, you CAN'T get milk from oats, almonds or pea's unless there's something we don't know about Biology 😂😂😂😂😂
Weird, you can get it from coconuts just fine, unless you have another name for that stuff that's been called coconut milk for at least a century. But if you are worried about precision, you can always call the stuff that comes from mammalian moms lactation product or mammary secretions.
Load More Replies...Oof.. he probably wouldn't had been so pissed if he he didn't already have to go through all that in the first place. :(
I feel for that barista.... You won't believe how many customers, both the entitled and the confusedly polite, who came asking for goddamn Starbucks coffee.... Ffs, my cafe is not Starbucks. Go there if you want. 🙄
Load More Replies...In Europe milk comes only from cows, goats and sheeps, yuo can't - BY EUROPEAN LAWS - call "milk" something made from vegetables, they are simply oak beverage, almond beverage, and so on. That's the simple reason of the misunderstandment.
None of those are even veggies, either (legumes, fruit, seed, etc. Not vegetable and does coconut milk not count? Coconut milk and almond milk have existed for a very long time)
Load More Replies..."I mainly perform around the cities I'm in, and then make my money doing consulting work or the random gig that comes up. Ideally, I'd like to be successful enough to keep on jumping between continents and selling tickets to shows," he said.
As for his passion for comedy, Andy noted that it "ebbs and flows."
"It's like a marriage, you've got to be kind and patient, and sometimes you have to remind yourself why you married it in the first place. Don't show this to my wife," he joked.
well, yes. That makes finding a dessert very difficult and I still don't understand how ppl expect every restaurant to have options ready.. my lactose intolerant kid knows he has to take his pills with him or chances will be high he's not getting dessert
Yes, but at least your child has the option of taking a pill. People with gluten allergies don't have this luxury. I don't think people with gluten allergies EXPECT every restaurant to have options ready, but there is no harm in asking, as quite a few restaurants actually do have gluten-free option,
Load More Replies...For some reason, it seems Americans get off on being as difficult as possible in restaurants because it makes them feel important. This is a relatively new development over the past 20 years.
Gluten allergies don't make you difficult. Someone with celiac disease can get violently I'll if they consume gluten. It's not trendy, it's painful and horrible. No one wants to have celiac disease.
Load More Replies...My wife and I found the perfect dessert place. The most delectable cakes imaginable and the warmest, most charming staff. And then I was diagnosed with celiac disease a week later. Sorry, dessert for me. ☹️
I have celiac. I was 41 when I was diagnosed...so I know how REAL desserts taste vs gluten free. I'm sad FOR you.
Load More Replies...Having one option is wise because often if you're with a group of people and one person isn't getting dessert the group will simply opt out of desserts completely. You want to make the money, you have at least one.
I genuinely don't get it. I don't have food allergies, but struggle a lot with food from autism sensorial issues, to disordered eating, to chronic gastritis and intestinal issues, food is always an issue. But when I go somewhere where there isn't anything I can eat I just don't eat there. It's not fun and can be frustrating but I just don't see why I'd be expecting to get dessert, for instance, when I know I either dislike or get sick witg the most common ones.
Yeah, allergy shaming people is so funny!!! (irony) wow -.- Because why can't we just eat gluten or milk like a normal person, right? Of course it's our choice that we will s**t our pants in public when we eat gluten or milk, or that we go straight to the hospital for eating a piece of a nut! Look, I'm not saying that there aren't people out there being obnoxious about it, or may don't even have real allergies. But stop generalizing us as" oversensitive people needing attention or being food picky". Our life actually depends on being picky.
That is the reason some Americans should either stay home or get educated...
I'm confused. There is no chicken in a Caesar Salad. It's romaine lettuce and croutons dressed with lemon juice, olive oil, egg, Worcestershire sauce, anchovies, garlic, Dijon mustard, Parmesan cheese, and black pepper.
A lot of Cesar salads are with either shrimp or chicken
Load More Replies...The woman just wanted no chicken in her Caesar salad. Maybe she just doesn't like chicken, or maybe she doesn't like chicken in salad. Y'all are inferring way too much; y'ain't Sherlock Holmes.
Woah a contraction in a contraction now that's southern
Load More Replies...Caesar salad, invented in Tijuana, Mexico by Italian restaurateur Caesar Cardini in the 1920s, is a green salad of romaine with a highly seasoned dressing of pounded anchovies, olive oil, lemon juice, egg, and Parmesan cheese, garnished with croutons.
As a general rule, asking for menu changes in France and Italy are not well received. It interferes with preparation in the kitchen, the fresh ingredients they typically purchased fresh at local markets and the chef's vision. I found more success by contacting the restaurant prior a day or so before and asking what they could offer that meets my needs. This allows them to plan and avoids the awkward and lengthy discussions while the waiter is trying to get everyone's orders. Good news that vegetarianism is slowly growing in popularity there, with wonderful results.
I am from Italy, i live in a small village the Alps near Turin; a couple of weeks ago we went to a very traditional Trattoria (something in between an Hotel and a BnB, with a fixed daily manu), where we expected there will be nothing for my vegetarian mother a part from some cheese or salad. They made for her aubergine with porcini and fonduta, that was not on the menu, and we ended up all agreeing it was the best dish of the dinner ahaha
Load More Replies...This never happened. There is no chicken in a Caesar salad and the French would not offer it on their menu.
I like when people drink coffee with skimmed milk. Like how much of it is there? 0.5 ml?
The milk of any fat % cools down the coffee, so one can drink it *now* instead of 45 minutes from now when it's not going to burn your mouth
Load More Replies...Lol because American comments are hilarious. And no offence, but they can be pretty loud speakers.
Load More Replies...Well for us lactose and/or milk sensitive people, skim milk is more stomach friendly, cause most places use whole milk not even 2% milk, but they usually have skim, and they never have lactose free, and I'm not about to drink some stupid nut juice or soy juice or oat juice yes juice cause they're not MILK, but usually I just order the drink the regular way as it comes (with whole milk) cause it's not much milk in it to begin with, it's not like a milkshake aka all milk
B******t! As a lactose sensitive person, I call b******t on that claim.
Load More Replies...Reminded me of my month Long work t netherlands. I was the smallest in the kitchen I worked at And Everybody asked me if I drank enough milk as a kid😂 I told them "yeah, seconds it left the cows udder but nothing helped" 😂😂
You CAN get goats milk in Spain. I know because I've seen it in the cafes, and supermarkets. Its their preferred choice, there are more goats over there than cows.
True, you can buy it in just about every big supermarket. I can however understand that the places they serve coffee, don't buy that. Why? Because you can also by lactose free milk here for the same price as normal milk, so there is no need to buy the triple more expensive goat milk ;)
Load More Replies...As an American, Americans who are wealthy enough to travel to foreign nations are also wealthy enough to be more likely to be spoiled, entitled brats. Many Americans understand to be respectful of other cultures, they’re just often not the ones who get to travel to other nations. And I guarantee those wealthy, spoiled vacationers act the exact same way in back America, too.
Travel expert, investor, and best-selling author Rick shared his insights about coffee culture and the best dishes he'd recommend while you're visiting Italy.
"Italy is very different from the US when it comes to food and drinks. And coffee is no different. For example, coffee in Italy is usually served in a small cup—similar to what you'd expect an 'espresso' to be in the States. But in Italy, it's known as a 'Caffè.' Now, if you ask for a latte, you'll probably get a glass of milk because 'Latte" means milk in Italian. You'd be better off asking for a 'Caffè Latte' instead," he said.
"And last, never order a cappuccino after lunch. Many Italian restaurants will frown or downright deny the request."
Yes, no substitutions When I used to waitress we had specials and there was no substitutions on this specials. It was a pasta place. We had pasta your way option where you could pick pasta, sauce, add-ins whatever. So anytime people would want substitutions on the specials we would refer them to the pasta your way, cause NO SUBSTITUTIONS
Load More Replies...Wish America did this. Reeeealy do. The Karen's would explode all across the country. Lol
😂 every single one of these has made me laugh! The French do not play when it comes to gastronomy, ever!!
Bread of some kind, with stuff like lettuce, tomatoes, onion ect
Load More Replies...So very refreshing, I can actually appreciate the fact that there are food-sellers that say no. If you want something specific, you go and find that specific food, you do not automatically expect someone that makes and sells it in a certain way to accommodate you.
I guess this is a made up story, it's a common known joke that has been around for years.
Load More Replies...You do know that accent came partly from Scotland. Nova Scotia means new Scotland.
Load More Replies...In Europe milk comes only from cows, goats and sheeps, yuo can't - BY EUROPEAN LAWS - call "milk" something made from vegetables, they are simply oak beverage, almond beverage, and so on. That's the simple reason of the misunderstandment
That only came in last year (due to heavy lobbying from the dairy industry). Up till then they were called oat milk, etc. Everyone still calls it oat milk, just the manufacturer has to call it oat drink.
Load More Replies...What is it with the Americans and oat milk?? I'm American myself but have never had it, but then I don't patronize coffee shops much either.
It tastes good and is thicker than other non-dairy milks. I can’t have milk anymore so it’s nice to have an alternative option.
Load More Replies...Oat milk is no milk at all. Stop calling "milk" any whitish líquid.
Once in southern England as a kid visiting family I asked a greengrocer for a threepenny - pronounced thruppenny - apple. I was confused when he gave me two tiny baby ones. I left the shop hearing one older lady whispering to another older lady, "Scottish," with knowing nods at each other. The penny dropped. He heard two threehapenny apples. I shared one with my cousin as we walked home. I was too polite to say nah, ah'm a Geordie.
see, i work in a coffee shop in scotland. and generally i've never come across this issue. but the issue we DO have is that, in a scottish accent, OAT and WHOLE sound very similar. so you have to double check a lot of the time to make sure you dont make a serious mistake :P
I have to say this now, because this is the third or fourth where they spelled without - withoot. It's not cute, and I will blame you people in ten years hence, when all the kids are spelling it that way, because they learned to read online.. Grammar lessons from dog and cat videos. 🤦🏽
The "withoot" is intentional because the writer is emulating the Scottish accent. You've completely missed a key point of the joke just for the chance to make a "kids these days" grandpa-ism. Bad look lol
Load More Replies...Close to my hometown I asked for cofee to go. The waiter asked me where the heck i want to go with it :-)
Many European cars don't have cup holders because you're meant to take a minute, relax and drink it. Not gogogo with it like here in the usa
It does if you bring your own mug. We travelled all through Scandinavia (Europe, USA )with travel mugs and no-one refused to serve their coffee in them for "to go". Americans looked at us a bit oddly though.
It reminds me of my family’s yearly visit to Norway at summer. It’s “next door”. I was about 4 or 5 and went in to a mini shop along a reeeeeely narrow road as they are outside and north of Oslo. I wanted ice cream. Made on milk/cream called “glass”. Now in Sweden there is two categories of ice cream, the other is made of water and lemonade and then frozen. in Norwegian the milk/cream ice cream is called “is”. My mom had to drag a very angry mini-me back to our car when I thought the lady i the store tried to force a frozen water/lemonade on me no matter how much I screamed “glass!!!” to her.
When it comes to travel, Rick suggests that anyone who's scared of taking the first step ought to see themselves as an explorer, who is ready to learn about other cultures.
"Sit back, relax, enjoy the scenery and the food, and try not to do too much... after all, you're on holiday!" he said.
Authentic food in Italy is regional, Rick told Bored Panda. "This means each region has a food or dish that they are specialized in. Here are a few of my favorite things to eat in the most famous cities:
- Rome: Pasta Carbonara (Nothing beats authentic carbonara!)
- Naples: Pizza (Pizza in Naples is something else. It's out of this world!)
- Florence: Fiorentina (The most delicious T-Bone steak you've ever had.)
- Venice: Cicchetti (The Italian version of tapas.)
- Sicily: Cannoli (Probably one of the best deserts around.)"
Then for dessert (and for those lovers of all things sweet like yours truly) is gelato. Rick said that you can find it "no matter where you are in Italy."
"People eat gelato in Italy year-round, and for a good reason—it's the best!"
In her head: "can I have a vegetarian menu:. In actual French "my grandmother eats monkeys"
A separate menu of just vegetarian options? Either look through the normal menu for vegetarian options or go to a restaurant that you know has vegetarian options. It's a good thing I'm seeing screenshots and not the original posts, because I'm smh so much
Vegetarian is a north american dad, most other countries they are just glad for any food they can get. An example of why most countries hate the north american self indulgent self righteous attitudes of the woke .
Try ordering a steak "well done" in Tuscany (where "bistecca alla Fiorentina" is basically a religion)! I used to work in a restaurant and this one time a pregnant lady ordered it well done and the cook was so furious! She sent it back three times because she found it too rear, in the end it was basically a shoe sole!
Unfortunately that's life for pregnant and organ transplant peeps. The sadness on my husband's face when he eats steak... 😢
Load More Replies...My wife's aunt told me she wanted prime rib for a holiday we were hosting. I made it: encrusted with brown sugar, salt, cracked pepper, and spritzed with bourbon to set the crust. I also made a zip sauce and horseradish sauce from scratch. It came our perfect after many hours of effort. Sliced her a perfectly pink center cut and she asked for it cooked well done. I told her the oven was still on and to help herself. I refuse to cook any premium meat past medium, it is a waste of the cut.
OMG I'm salivating just thinking about that crust you made. I'm with you on this one. My daughter won't eat meat that's not well done (and every time I served anything meat, I had to put in the blender so she no longer eat red meat TG), my oldest son eats it blue and my youngest son likes it rare-medium.
Load More Replies...I was with a friend in Santa Barbara, CA, USA maybe 25 years ago, in a fancy little restaurant for the nearby 5! golf clubs - and he ordered his steak 'well done' (I almost always order 'chef's choice') and the 50-ish yr old waiter said, 'I'm sorry, but we have too much respect for our cattle.'
I order my steaks rare, always. When asked once why I told them that the animal already died for it, it doesnt' have to die twice. I really really like the flavour of meat, no seasoning, just seared a tiny bit on the edges. Yum.
My husband (a chef) always says " wave a cigarette lighter over it." Or " so rare a vet could get it back on its feet".
Load More Replies...I just make steak at home. I eat it medium well but if you order medium well you usually get bloody. I don't eat blood unless it gives me immortality.
On every f****n tweet you are with the waiter. Under every tweet I can find the same dumb comment of you. Maybe you are just a resentful and frustrated person. 🤷
Load More Replies...In the tail end of september, me and my twin brother visited our old parents together. There, we cooked filet of moose with lots of other things to go with it. We made the meat ranging from rare to semi-well-done-ish. 2 members of my family (we were 15 people at the table) asked if they could cook their pieces of meat until it was done in a skillet. To wish both me and my brother refused. I mean, we had cooked a few pieces too long anyway for them. Not everything needs to be turned into a *!*+% shoe sole. Especially when it is about as good a cut as there is on a moose
surely they must have a brussel sprout or two hidden somewhere
Oh please. So ignorant. Alain Passard's L'Arpege is 3 stars michelin and a vegetarian restaurant. Among many excellent others!!!
We have lots of vegetarian and vegan friendly restaurants in Brussels, je was just not willing to make an effort :p
From my experience as a tourist: yes! And wonderfully yummy!
Load More Replies...there are vegetarian options in Belgium ... might be on the falafel side though ...
Stand-up comedian Andy’s thread got a jaw-dropping amount of attention online. He got over 203k likes. But the true beauty of his tweet about asking for an oat milk coffee in Paris was how much he inspired other travelers to open up about their own gastronomic and other experiences while abroad.
Andy focuses on doing stand-up professionally. He also has a podcast with his wife, called Find Your Beach.
Us, personally? We live for travel. There is nothing like the thought of having a trip waiting for you in the near future to energize and motivate you. It doesn’t necessarily even have to be a flight to Paris, New York, or Tokyo, either. Sometimes even hopping on a train or driving for a couple of hours is enough to give you a completely different perspective on life.
Life’s an adventure. Or, well, it’s supposed to be. But how many of us live it to the fullest? Or anything even close to resembling that? It takes quite a bit of energy and courage to step out of your comfort zone. Leaving your 9-5 and pile of unwashed dishes for a few days or weeks can be daunting. However, the result is very much worth it, we feel. Travel is good for the soul.
why do people have to make up all these rules around food. like, it doesn't affect you whatsoever when this lady drinks her coffee. give her her dam coffee
Calling food culture that developed over hundreds of years 'made up rules' and expecting to get away with breaking this rules is a bit of an offensive move.
Load More Replies...Travelling is about leaving your comfort zone and experiencing other ways to do things. If you are not willing or able to do this, don't travel.
Load More Replies...I drink coffee with my meal but if that's not how they do it where I'm visiting, that's what I'll follow. How hard is it to go along with local custom?!
But how hard is it to just give her some coffee?
Load More Replies...I used to work fancy banquet stuff. Normally, coffee was served after as a course. However, when you host a Norwegian Elderhostel full of old retired midwestern farmers you make sure that every table has 3 carafes and you keep that coffee running the whole time. A 5 pot Hobart is not enough. Also, you will run out of smoked salmon.
EXACTLY! I *always* want my coffee AFTER the meal, and France was the ONLY place in the world so far where they understood that (NB: I have not been to Italy yet!.)
Or Spain. Or most of Europe. The concept of someone having coffee WITH their meal is surely alien.
Load More Replies...I order coffee BEFORE my meal, so I'll have caffeine in my system to deal with others (whoever I'm dining with) during the meal
May I add how resigned the baristas and waiters in Venice (and most of Italy, I imagine) have become to the nonchalance with which foreigners -- particularly Americans -- order cappuccino after lunch or dinner. This is strictly a morning drink and its components so drastically do not align with whatever you've just eaten (anchovy pizza? No problem!) that to the locals the mere idea remains equally incomprehensible and repulsive. I guess because cappuccino is milky and sweet it seems kind of like dessert. But real food requires real coffee afterward! After years here it seems obvious even to me, but no.... cappuccino after spaghetti and clams makes me shudder. To get back to the subject at hand, waiters bring it, sure. They don't care, just pay the bill and move along.
I remember the first time I went to the states with my parents. I was 9 and was asked at the restaurant, how I wanted my steak and I gave the server my best smile(which made me look a little unhinged but I didnt know that at the time) and said: Cooked please :) The server laughed and my Dad intervened: well done. I had no idea there was a differences between rare and cooked at the time.
Load More Replies...Even when cooked properly, a steak being cooked "well-done" is usually considered a waste of good meat, in the culinary world, according to my best friend, whom was a formerly trained and successful chef before dieing to sickness in June. From a biological stand point, the more you cook the meat, the more you are breaking down the proteins and any other nutrients in the meat, so getting quality beef, such as steak, cooked "well-done" basically just turns it into being near pointless to eat. I WANT TO BE CLEAR THOUGH, THOROUGHLY COOK CHICKEN AND PORK BEFORE EATING! IN THE CASE OF THOSE MEATS, IT IS MUCH HEALTHIER TO EAT IT FULLY COOKED DUE TO THE HIGH OCCURRENCE OF INFECTIOUS ORGANISMS FOUND WITHIN.
Took my ex-BIL (he's ex because my sister finally saw the light) to a high-end steak place in my town for his birthday. I'm a regular there because it's where we take clients when they're in town, so they know me quite well. He proceeds to order a filet mignon, well done. I step outside for a smoke and there's the maitre-d' out there also having one. He turns to me and says "Look, I know you and I like you - you tip well, and you don't try to screw-around with the menu. But if you ever bring that guy to my restaurant again then I have to tell you that you're no longer welcome here. Your waiter took your order to the kitchen and it took three of us to prevent the sous-chef from running into the dining room with a cleaver." Moral of the story: if you're going to eat the steak, have enough respect for the animal it came from and the people cooking it not to ask to have it turned into shoe-leather.
My Grandma does that .... Ordered a fillet mignon well done, not only that, but had it butterflied as well and when it came out dry and tough she asked for a cup of au jus to dunk it in. And when that didn't make it better she gave up halfway and sent the rest to the trash ... That poor cow that had to die to become that dinner, completely disrespected.
Load More Replies...This reminds me of something my dad told me. He went to a restaurant in France and asked for his steak to be cooked medium. It came out basically rare so he had it sent back to be cooked more. The waiter came back with it and there was barely any difference, so he had it sent back again. When the waiter came back a third time he said, “The chef said he cannot cook it anymore” before handing it to him. (Paraphrasing of course because this happened before I was born)
Well done steak are fine. Very well done steaks are going to get on dry side.
YES! You have to cook "well-done" steak very differently from "medium" steak, or it tastes like sawdust. That's why a lot of people think well-done steak is so terrible; they're eating simply overcooked steak. A well-done steak must be brought to room temperature, cooked low temperatures after an initial hot sear, cooked with plenty of butter (or oil if you're grilling), basted, unmolested by forks, and given time to slowly cool after cooking.
Med rare or rare only otherwise get something else because you don't know how to eat a ste
I was sitting with my 13 year old son on an Air France flight to Paris when the stewardess asked my son what he would like to drink with his meal. He replied "milk" and she asked if that would be white or red? My completely confused son told her"White, of course." The stewardess brought him a glass of white wine. Later, my son informed me that he loves French milk.
Taking the first step can be incredibly frightening. You don’t know what’s waiting for you on the other side! So it’s no surprise that some people cling to everything and anything that’s familiar: the language, behavior, food, and drinks that they’re used to. However, if you open yourself up to new experiences and go with the local flow, you’ll end up enriching yourself beyond taking a few selfies at popular tourist spots.
By being open to exploring the unfamiliar and unexpected, at the end of your trip you might find that you’ve made a ton of new friends with people whom you would otherwise never would have considered talking to. You’ll have visited places that might not even be in the tourist guides. And you’ll have tasted things that help you develop your palate. It’s fine to set aside your love of latte for a week and live like a local.
The mindset with which you head out on your journey matters a lot. Taking the time to learn a bit of the local language and customs can help improve your entire trip. Besides, the locals will probably be far friendlier when they realize that you’re not just any other tourist.
Uh, no. I got upgraded to business on Air France and I got the vegetarian meal I've ordered when I booked economy, plus the most delicious bread rolls I even eaten, extra dessert, a cocktail and a small bottle of champagne to make up for the economy meal!
Just because you didn't experience what the poster did doesn't mean they're wrong o_O
Load More Replies...They do vegetarian food but you have to ordered it beforehand.
My brother was a flight attendant for years, and when I would fly he would order me the vegetarian meal, at the time of booking. It is considered a "special meal" just like kosher meals. I want vegetarian then, but he assured me the vegetarian meal would be fresher and tastier than the regular meals. They always were very delicious, so I always trusted his expert opinion and went with his recommendations. Vegetarian meals most definitely had to be ordered ahead of time. They would have exactly that many and none for people wanting one once the flight was underway. It's not that kind of a kitchen on an airplane
I asked for vegetarian sandwich during short distance flight to Manchester, they gave me Tuna sandwich, ok asked what Tuna is he said fish ma'am:)
Many years back short distance flight to Manchester, I asked for vegetarian sandwich and they gave me tuna sandwich, I asked what's Tuna he said it's a fish ma'am:)
In general, the French are accepting if they need to be. I wonder what the previous customer who asked did? Maybe the steward or stewardess was just in a sour mood?
I was flying first with Air France on my last trip to Europe and the attendant stopped me from leaving because "they had to let first class out first" (the first class sections are split by a galley). I looked him square in the eye and said "oh, you mean like all of us sitting in this section here?" then he mumbled some choice words about Americans and and me in general in French.... Responding to him in kind, in French, and pointing out that he shouldn't assume the American doesn't speak French is still one of my favorite moments.
Oh please, in Germany we have Starbucks, World Coffee, Double Coffee, Espresso House, Tchibo, and who knows how many other places that have oat milk or other kinds of milk substitutes on the menu.
There was an article by an Australian who stated that she had no allergy issues when eating bread in France, but when she returned home they flared up again. She ended up sourcing french flour so she could make her own bread. There are serious differences in the strains and growing of crops and animals in Europe. The food doesn't cause allergies on the scale that US and Australian foods do.
Italians in Berlin frown upon decaf also :/ but there are great local roasters who offer gorgeous fair trade organic beans that are decaf *__*
I'm caffeine intolerant, has the opposite impact on me by making me feel weak, wobbly and quite ill. It can be frustrating when people frown on something because it is perceived as a fad, so I'd be very grateful to those local roasters.
Load More Replies...😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣 I 😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂🤣🤣 Can't 🤣🤣😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣 Breathe 🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂
Definitely better to drop your principles temporarily than starve.
A vegan MRE was an option. Their principles were pretty weak.
Load More Replies...being vegetarian or vegan is usually an option for people who have it all - if you have to eat what you can get your hands on you don't fuss about it
I have a vegan coworker who doesn't have much choice. She's allergic to all dairy and meat, both of which are hidden in almost everything. Some people don't have a choice and have to label themselves as vegan because of severe food allergies, not just out of a place of privilege.
Load More Replies...For those not familiar with military jargon, MRE means Meal Rejected by Enemy. Military rations, originally Meal Ready to Eat.
Apparently the normal French MRE is not bad, by MRE standard. It can be exchanged four or five US MREs.
Load More Replies...I know a vegan who drives a BMW with leather seats. I guess sitting on a dead animal was not the same for her as eating it. On to a similar topic: I have always been dismayed by those animal activists who, in the 1970's and 80's, had the courage to harass old ladies wearing fur coats, but were unable to display the same sort of courage in the presence of a leather-clad biker. I guess it's alright if the dead animal's skin no longer has hair...
I agree that there is sometimes some hypocricy there, but not always. I don't eat meat because of the co2 impact, a leather chair that lasts decennia or even longer doesn't have that same impact, so depending on the reasons for going vegetarian, it isn't necessarily hypocritic Same for fur: leather of often a byproduct of the meat industry (as more animals get slaughtered for meat) but fur has its own industry and the animals are usually only slaughtered for their fur. Although I absolutely hate the harrassing ways of some activists, and I think there are ways in which leather and fur can be more sustainable than their polyester alternatives, but still: leather and fur are not entirely the same.
Load More Replies...Previously, Professor Christine Vogt, the Director of the Center for Sustainable Tourism at Arizona State University, told Bored Panda that the more we prepare for the journey in terms of knowledge, the more of a positive impression we’ll leave with the locals.
“More than likely that [the local language and customs] is what draws a person to visit a certain place. The more local knowledge a traveler has, the more a traveler can feel like a local and fit in," she told us some time ago.
The Monty Python cheese shop sketch comes to mind.
Load More Replies...That was the right answer. It was the question that was wrong, what can you recommend
Yeah different cheeses have WAY different tastes. Waiter probably didn't want to deal with having a guessing game with a hangry foreigner who thinks all cheese is the same.
Load More Replies...I'm slowly learning that I don't wanna go to France at all if all they can do is being snobby about goddamn food. I'mma go to Japan instead.
Load More Replies...Please don't act ridiculous in other countries. You know a few names of cheese yes?
Maybe they wanted to be surprised? I've certainly been with diners who said "surprise me." I wouldn't do it, as I always thought I might be slightly annoyed at having to make the decision if I was the server, but I never thought it was ridiculous, either.
Load More Replies...They have more than 350 varieties of cheese. Of course they said no, you were woefully unprepared.
Not snobby. It’s that there are over 400 different kinds of cheese in France. There are so many different and yummy things to choose from!
Load More Replies...You can't make them choose the cheese for you, it's like "I would like any soup.", they serve you greenpea soup and then you tell them you don't like that.... Choose what you want, don't put that on someone else ;) My SO sometimes does the same when I ask him what he wants on his sandwich. When his answer is "anything", I'll just wait for him to make his voice a little less complicated ;)
Lost in translation. Presume the first one was out of stock and the second was his suggestion of the best alternative to it.
Or the waiter knows wine and pairing to compliment a meal
Load More Replies...In France, the posh restaurants 'pride' themselves on pairing wines with food - specific wines for specific meats or fish. I would guess this was either 'no, that wine does not go with that dish' or, 'hey, I recommend this wine' (which is 40 euros more expensive)
Just to remind people, waiter is a profession in France, it's a section of culinary school, so they know what they are doing, and don't ask you every 5s how is your meal, and they know the menu and what wine works best
Frankly he was probably right about what you chose being a bad choice... or maybe out of stock and this was the substitute for the night and the translation was just off
Similarly, I have heard that one shouldn't take a bottle of wine to a dinner party in France, as the host will already have provided wine that pairs with the meal. Also,
It could be that the wine wasn't complementary with the dish you ordered. Wine with a meal can make or brake a taste ;)
Similar thing in my region. There is this god awfull drink that people drink, mixing coke with red wine. Young people mostly. If you try to oreder that in a fancy restoran in Dalmatian, I don't think they would serve you. They wolud probably serve coke and a glass of wine. But to mix them..... It is beyond me. On the other hand, people from different parts of the Word are very suprised to see we drink our wine with water.
Don't even know what a Paddy's is, some sort of special whiskey? Seems like a reasonable response, TBH.
Paddy is very nice, which is somewhat surprising given it is at the low end of the price scale. Just over half the price of Jameson, the last time I bought it.
Load More Replies...The pub in my village would have just given the 2 separate drinks assuming you meant it as 'A Paddy's, and a Coke'. The idea of mixing them would just be alien.
Huh? I’m Irish and have literally never heard of someone being denied a whisky and coke. It’s a normal drink.
Dutch living in Ireland and I see whiskey get mixed all the time.
Load More Replies...If you want to damn your soul for such an abomination (in his mind at least) then this on you...
There's a drink called a black-and-tan - half Guinness, half lager (or heavy, if you're in Scotland). Do not order this in Ireland. For one, there are historical reasons not to mention black-and-tans. For another, messing with Guinness is grounds for extreme violence in some of the less reputable bars.
I had a friend from Trinidad who made Guinness punch for Christmas parties. As soon as he told me what it was I couldn't hide my disdain. Told him "Back jn Belfast someone would have shot you for doing that."
Load More Replies..."Local customs can include how a traveler dresses, eats, uses a cell phone, etc. When a traveler is out in a community such as walking in a downtown area or eating in a restaurant, these local customs can come into play,” she explained.
Best show ever. Now I just laugh at the decor and clothing at the time...
I'm totally confused by this thread of comments and I'm laughing so hard my husband thinks I'm crazy.
The was a funny Brit-com in the 90s called Keeping up Appearances. The main character was Hyacinth Bucket (pronouned Bouquet).
Load More Replies...She would be given a lemon with her tea in Poland, that's the norm. They will look at you weirdly if you ask for milk.
My Polish grandpa loved lemon with his tea, especially when made by his British wife
Load More Replies...Yes; vegetarian is not a big thing in France. They assume it means you don't eat RED meat.
The funny thing is we have plenty of traditional dishes without meat, and a few that could be vegan, but we don't think of them like that.
Load More Replies...How do you know if someone is "vegetarian/vegan " ?? They tell you, again, and again, and again.
There are people here in town who have chickens as pets. Funeral services when the birds eventually die. WTF?
This is because in Italian "Latte" means literally milk. So if you ask for latte, we assume you want a glass of milk (in Italian "un bicchiere di latte). If you want hot milk with a splash of coffee, you have to ask for a "latte macchiato"
thank you for the explanation about what milk latte is, I am italiana and ordering a "milk milk" seemed to me really strange
Load More Replies...They aren’t expats, they’re immigrants. Stop dressing up white people immigrating as something fancy.
No necessarily. In general expats are only planning on being in the different country for a set period of time before returning to thier home country, and depending on that time may only have a long stay visa not a resident's card and if they do get a resident's card it is a temporary one with a set expiration date after which they cant be renewed. Immigrants on the other hand have moved to the new country for the rest of thier lives and will either get a permanent resident's card or will apply for citizenship in the new country. Editted for spelling
Load More Replies...I would because black coffee gives me heartburn and has since I was 19.
The confusion is that in Italian latte just means milk. She didn't say anything about coffee. So the waiter thought she wanted plain milk.
Load More Replies...Once I ordered latte in one of London's coffee shops. The waiter asked me if I want hot or cold. And... he brought me a cup with hot milk 😂. I called him again and said that I would like a coffee. He, then asked me if I want coffee with my latte. I said - no, I want coffee in my latte. It happened in Covent Garden, London.
“For example, in Buddhist countries, a woman who has not covered her shoulders or legs may not be allowed into temples or even a restaurant. Learn as many local customs as you can and a few keywords to enhance your experience.”
It is one thing to suggest "no, I believe you will find this wine will complement the meal best" but another thing to be entitled enough to force your choice of alcohol on another. Of course, it could be they had a stock issue, were out white (unlikely I know) and didn't explain. Or he was just rude.
Thank you. Sometimes, it's more about how it's being said. Your tone matters.
Load More Replies...If you were eating a meal, then he was probably bringing you what went best with it. If you aren't then he was just being a git
This strains credulity. I can understand the waiter having his beliefs about wine but not that he would impose them on the customer. Even in Paris, I find this very doubtful..
he probably brought them a really good wine. people visiting foreign countries need to stop pretending like they know what everything is going to taste like ;)
I've been to Paris a few times for work. If you order a mismatched wine with your meal, they, at most, will ask if you meant something else, and give you a chance, but if you repeat yourself, they'll just bring it.
That's odd, and the friend was rude. Whilst the phrase doggy bag did originate in the USA in the 1940s, it isn't an unknown expression in the UK. Some places in the UK will actively offer it to customers who seem to be struggling with the portion size (rather than wait for it to be requested), and I've been to one place in the UK which encourages regulars to bring a plastic box with them in anticipation of leftovers. Of course, it depends on the size of the portions as to where it might be regularly requested, but it cuts food waste.
But the concept has been there for millenia. The earliest reference I've read to this (albeit not the actual phrase "doggy bag") is in book 10 of the Odyssey, where Homer describes the scene thusly:"... waving their long tails and fawning, the way that dogs go fawning about their master, when he comes home from dining out, for he always brings back something to please them."
Load More Replies...I generally don't have leftovers. But my wife will often save some meat and a few other bits for the dogs, and I've yet to visit a place in the UK that hasn't been more than happy to put it into a container for us.
My experience in Germany and my exchange family, taking leftover food home means you’re poor, they were embarrassed when my parents wanted to do it
Lasagna almost sounds like lasagna in French
Load More Replies...Years ago we stayed a couple of days in Buenos Aires . One money we stopped at a cafe for coffee. My wife ordered a ‘café con leche’ and I ordered a Gatorade (since they had bottles of Gatorade in the display). Waiter arrives at the table with my wife’s coffee and my slice of lemon meringue pie. I was too embarrassed and sat there at 8.30 am eating dessert.
I don’t understand. They thought you couldn’t possibly want a Gatorade for breakfast? I can’t imagine a scenario where pronouncing Gatorade could sound like : Pie de limón? Or the waiter thought you just needed sugar… 😛
Load More Replies...Tell us your funniest food ordering stories while you were traveling abroad, Pandas! Have you ever been in a situation like the people in this thread? Do you enjoy lattes and oat milk in your coffee? What city or country do you hope to visit soon? Share your thoughts, experiences, and future plans in the comments.
I think some people only like runny eggs? Makes me want to 🤢
Load More Replies...Eggs are NOT supposed to be cooked until solid, they should be fluffy and moist
You can cook eggs in many ways, not all should be fluffy and moist
Load More Replies...I'm no cartographer, but I don't think Morocco is in the USA.
Load More Replies...So zero waste life hack, carry an old tupperware or tiffin in your backpack so if they don't have to go boxes you brought your own.
Who the hell brings a backpack into a restaurant first of all? I'd pay the bill and walk out immediately if anyone I was eating with started pulling out Tupperware
Load More Replies...All over Western Europe now, leftovers are taken home. The economies have changed.
Nope, bread is always served for free in French restaurant. Same for water (not the bottled water).
And, did he just ordered bread while still waiting? Maybe that's the problem.
Load More Replies...Sorry, I don't believe this. Having recently spent about 8 weeks in France where bread was placed on the table at every meal without request.
I have had bread on the table both in france and Italy and never had to order it. One thing they will NOT do is give you butter or olive oil. If they do is because they cater to tourists.
no bread in a french restaurant ???? sure Bread is definetely NOT a french thing ! Total BS ! lol
Do these places not have menus or are these people just picking a food they want and expecting the restaurant to accommodate any request? Are these type of stories why people hate American tourists? If so I can see why.
I'm sad to say that American tourists are indeed often very rude to service personnel and make lots of odd requests. They're very used of things going their way and very surprised when they don't get what they want. I've met some very nice Americans who were very smart and capable, but even some of them had to be explained that some things just don't work a certain way in Europe. I think part of it is because European countries are very different, sometimes to the extreme, even with different languages and cultures, while the USA is so big and the differences between the states are less and most Americans only travel within their own states.
Load More Replies...Yea they surprised me too if it's even true. Any place that has tourism will have staple items almost everywhere. It was on the menu so I got a grilled chicken salad my first stop in Cambodia. Oddly enough I didn't know till a year ago ranch was just an American thing I don't really eat it often but I know it's very popular here in the US
Load More Replies...When I go to a resturant I always get a menu because I never know what I want. Hardly order the same thing twice in a row. So if I was in a forgien country and they had menu in English I tell them what I want and also point to the meal I want so as no confudion.
Yea screw confudion... nobody wants to eat that. I'd make sure there was none of that on my plate too
Load More Replies...Unfortunately nobody does their homework and realizes that certain foods we eat and THINK are foreign are NOT. Sometimes they even give you an American menu because they know this
Agreed! My mom is french and we grew up spending our summers there. Since 1978...or so, you bring your own nets to shop. These are bags used for shopping that looks like nets. They don't offer paper or plastic to anyone. It's expected of you to bring your own nets. In most places they just hand you the item to put in your net!
I have never been to France but it would seem to me buy what I have been reading here that they don't like Americans too much. Also, When I was a young fellow in the Military stationed in Bosnia I saw a young French military girl and tried to say hello in Cajun French. She looked at me, called me a peasant turned and walked away.
It’s irritating no matter what the bag is made of. Don’t hand it back all high and mighty. Clean up after yourself, don’t ask them to do it!
Same thing happened to me in Paris. I said no thank you and handed back the bag which they crumpled and threw in the garbage.
So, people ordered something that was not on the menu, got offended when they didn't get it.
I used to like BP for the art and animal related content but now it's a lot of "More Reasons Why Americans Are Idiots" and "OMG, this Karen!!".
It was interesting to learn that we seem to be the only ones who drink oats and don't eat meat. Reminds me of people I was up north with asking for grits and sweet tea.
Load More Replies...So what I've learned here is that France is full of rude people. Asking for a dairy substitute is not being difficult. I can't handle dairy and was devastated to miss out on a lot of coffee choices until oat milk and almond milk became more common. I've never heard a single person here in the US act as elitist and rude as some of the people in these stories were.
that's just France for you, not all of France of course, but some of them are extremely uppity about their cuisine, in that it's the most perfect cuisine and doesn't need/should not/CANNOT possibly be altered in any way, including to cater for those with intolerances. It's honestly quite pathetic.
Load More Replies...To be honest, some of these experiences imply that the waiter/waitress was just plain rude or mocking the customer. There is nothing wrong with asking for changes or plant based milk. It‘s also ok, if the Restaurant/Cafe says no, but there is nothing funny about ridiculing the customer. Most of these stories are just servers being playful though and that of course is prefectly fine :).
It's perfectly fine to be rude to Americans. They deserve every bit of it.
Load More Replies...People who have intolerances to various foods should not be shamed and shunned. It isn't funny. Yea some (and probably a good amount of people in this list) people just jump on the GF or dairy free etc bandwagon for "health benefits" but otherwise, for those that are genuinely intolerant, it's not nice and they shouldn't face s**t like that :/
The people in this comment section are acting like the Americans are weird for wanting vegetarian/dairy-free options, meanwhile it's completely normal to have that in countries like Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. It's honestly not just about culture with the French. Because if you'd ask them to remove the tomato from your meat sandwich then they'll easily do it. You can't see from someone's appearance if they don't want something because of an allergy or simply because it's their preference to not have it. We as workers in the service industry don't have any right to shame someone about it if they ask it in a normal way
It's only ever happened to me once. I was returning from a work trip to Italy (Bergamo I think) and I'd had a long and tedious trip in which I'd not not any downtime in a part of Italy I really like. I thought what the hell I'll indulge myself in a cappucino assuming the faux pas would be tolerated. Instead I got a polite, but firm. "Sorry that is not served this afternoon". Respect, I suppose!
Good way to handle it! But its also a bit different than having food allergies or intolerances like many people who are GF or DF.
Load More Replies...This TERRIFIES me about traveling. I have so many dietary restrictions, that I would end up starving to death.
I think you would be fine in most of Europe if a) you are friendly and able to communicate (English would most probably be sufficient) and b) if you are free to eat where ever you like. A restaurant might not be able to provide something special for you but maybe the next grocery store? Unfortunately, this is often not helpful if you are travelling with a group, have limited time and transportation or no possibility to prepare something for yourself. I usually carry something dry and packed (like a cereal bar or some cookies) with me, in case I really get absolutely nothing somewhere...
Load More Replies...As someone with a gluten allergy that makes it nigh impossible to continue eating once "glutened" I guess French cuisine will be permanently off limits to me. I'm sorry, but I refuse to suffer 3 hours of pain as my body tries (and time and again FAILS) to break gluten down.
Yeah, I have a different take than most of the people here, I think. There are a lot of ways tourists, even specifically American tourists, are obnoxious and entitled, but politely asking about options is not one of them. Most of these don't have anyone "flipping out" when they're told no, in a rude-a*s way mind you, they're just ASKING. And to show my whole a*s, there's nothing wrong with wanting to use less or no animal products in your life, no matter how some french waiter snoots at you.
So, people ordered something that was not on the menu, got offended when they didn't get it.
I used to like BP for the art and animal related content but now it's a lot of "More Reasons Why Americans Are Idiots" and "OMG, this Karen!!".
It was interesting to learn that we seem to be the only ones who drink oats and don't eat meat. Reminds me of people I was up north with asking for grits and sweet tea.
Load More Replies...So what I've learned here is that France is full of rude people. Asking for a dairy substitute is not being difficult. I can't handle dairy and was devastated to miss out on a lot of coffee choices until oat milk and almond milk became more common. I've never heard a single person here in the US act as elitist and rude as some of the people in these stories were.
that's just France for you, not all of France of course, but some of them are extremely uppity about their cuisine, in that it's the most perfect cuisine and doesn't need/should not/CANNOT possibly be altered in any way, including to cater for those with intolerances. It's honestly quite pathetic.
Load More Replies...To be honest, some of these experiences imply that the waiter/waitress was just plain rude or mocking the customer. There is nothing wrong with asking for changes or plant based milk. It‘s also ok, if the Restaurant/Cafe says no, but there is nothing funny about ridiculing the customer. Most of these stories are just servers being playful though and that of course is prefectly fine :).
It's perfectly fine to be rude to Americans. They deserve every bit of it.
Load More Replies...People who have intolerances to various foods should not be shamed and shunned. It isn't funny. Yea some (and probably a good amount of people in this list) people just jump on the GF or dairy free etc bandwagon for "health benefits" but otherwise, for those that are genuinely intolerant, it's not nice and they shouldn't face s**t like that :/
The people in this comment section are acting like the Americans are weird for wanting vegetarian/dairy-free options, meanwhile it's completely normal to have that in countries like Belgium, Netherlands and Germany. It's honestly not just about culture with the French. Because if you'd ask them to remove the tomato from your meat sandwich then they'll easily do it. You can't see from someone's appearance if they don't want something because of an allergy or simply because it's their preference to not have it. We as workers in the service industry don't have any right to shame someone about it if they ask it in a normal way
It's only ever happened to me once. I was returning from a work trip to Italy (Bergamo I think) and I'd had a long and tedious trip in which I'd not not any downtime in a part of Italy I really like. I thought what the hell I'll indulge myself in a cappucino assuming the faux pas would be tolerated. Instead I got a polite, but firm. "Sorry that is not served this afternoon". Respect, I suppose!
Good way to handle it! But its also a bit different than having food allergies or intolerances like many people who are GF or DF.
Load More Replies...This TERRIFIES me about traveling. I have so many dietary restrictions, that I would end up starving to death.
I think you would be fine in most of Europe if a) you are friendly and able to communicate (English would most probably be sufficient) and b) if you are free to eat where ever you like. A restaurant might not be able to provide something special for you but maybe the next grocery store? Unfortunately, this is often not helpful if you are travelling with a group, have limited time and transportation or no possibility to prepare something for yourself. I usually carry something dry and packed (like a cereal bar or some cookies) with me, in case I really get absolutely nothing somewhere...
Load More Replies...As someone with a gluten allergy that makes it nigh impossible to continue eating once "glutened" I guess French cuisine will be permanently off limits to me. I'm sorry, but I refuse to suffer 3 hours of pain as my body tries (and time and again FAILS) to break gluten down.
Yeah, I have a different take than most of the people here, I think. There are a lot of ways tourists, even specifically American tourists, are obnoxious and entitled, but politely asking about options is not one of them. Most of these don't have anyone "flipping out" when they're told no, in a rude-a*s way mind you, they're just ASKING. And to show my whole a*s, there's nothing wrong with wanting to use less or no animal products in your life, no matter how some french waiter snoots at you.
