I'm not getting at Americans in general, but...

I was in the pub Saturday night having a rather nice meal and there was this American familly on the table behind us and after their food was brought out, the father started complaining about the size of the portions and made a big fuss.

He handed back his dinner (trio of fish) and said that he refused to eat and pay for it. He said it was the sort of size he would expect for a starter. The Land lady was not pleased and stated that it cost as much as it did (£12) because of the price of fish in this country and that they couldn't do it any cheaper.

I must say that my girlfriend had the same dish and, whilst it wasn't a huge portion, she was very satisfied with the results and was suitably filled up afterwards.

I know that meals out in America are cheaper than this country and that you would probably get a dinner twice the size but I think he was just plain rude! :mad:

So that one d00d represents Americans?

mendhak

Quote:

---

So that one d00d represents Americans?

---

Can I refer you to the thread title?

Quote:

---

Originally posted by mendhak
So that one d00d represents Americans?

---

Saw that sorta thing yesterday in a very upmarket chinese restaurant.
American guy sent his meal back.
My mother and I couldn't finish our own meals, but he sent his back.

Christ sake like ...

Quote:

---

Originally posted by simonm
mendhak

Can I refer you to the thread title?

---

hmm... sure.

Yes please don't lump us all in to one group. I am now over here on business and I hope I don't cause any disrespect like that family did.

That is the reason I think I lot of Americans have a bad reputation is because they expect eveything to be just like home. I get so aggravated when they do that even when they travel from state to state. They need to learn to adjust to other peoples ways of life not other people adjusting to theirs.

Maybe I will be able to meet up with some of you folks while I am here although I am so far north it may be tough.

Steve

Quote:

---

Originally posted by steve65
Yes please don't lump us all in to one group. I am now over here on business and I hope I don't cause any disrespect like that family did.

That is the reason I think I lot of Americans have a bad reputation is because they expect eveything to be just like home. I get so aggravated when they do that even when they travel from state to state. They need to learn to adjust to other peoples ways of life not other people adjusting to theirs.

Maybe I will be able to meet up with some of you folks while I am here although I am so far north it may be tough.

Steve

---

Enjoy it :) If I was to give one piece of advice that all my US colleagues avoid when they get over here is this: Ask the locals about where to eat. We are not culinary experts when it comes to day-to-day food such as sandwiches etc, but it's hard to beat the variety offered in some cities :)

TO ALL AMERICANS READING THIS THREAD

I thought I made it clear in the thread title but obviously not so I shall say it again.

I am not making generalisations about all Americans, just complaining about one particular individual, who happened to be American, who I thought was out of order.

Why did I even mention his nationality, you ask? Because, whilst I realise that he was not representitive of all Americans, I cannot imagine any other nationality doing that. To me, it smacked of a particular arrogance and rudeness that reflected a bad element and I only hope that it is not typical American behaviour.

Simon, I think you are a victim of lazy typing from Mendhak to be honest....

Gaffer

Quote:

---

If I was to give one piece of advice that all my US colleagues avoid when they get over here is this: Ask the locals about where to eat.

---

The thing that gets me is that this was the sort of place that I would recommend to people to go. It was a very nice free house set out in a tiny village in the middle of Devon and does very good real ale and food. Slightly on the pricey side for a pub and the portions aren't overlly big but you can't fault them on quality.

Some people will never be happy...

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Gaffer
Simon, I think you are a victim of lazy typing from Mendhak to be honest....

---

Frog is just a little tired:p

So Simon, u are trying to say that all Americans are fat ugly hawaiian shirt wearing trogladites? .. or did i read that wrong :D

Then they should have been diced up and thrown to the pigs :D

BeachBum

Quote:

---

So Simon, u are trying to say that all Americans are fat ugly hawaiian shirt wearing trogladites? .. or did i read that wrong

---

Finally, someone understands what I'm trying to say...:rolleyes:

You always get this kind of people Simon at one time or another. Don't let them spoil your dinner. It may sound harsh but the more you get into this, the more they will complain.

Many people (if not most) are friendly, some are born an oaf. There's little you can do about it.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by simonm
BeachBum

Finally, someone understands what I'm trying to say...:rolleyes:

---

How dare you! Your statement is a loose interpretation of dubious facts and personally, I find it to be idle speculation rooted in irrational sentiment.

Hrmph.

I understand what you are trying to say Simon. It's tough when you mention American, Irish, Black, Indian, White, Etc right away you stereo typed something and it is tough to get out of it. What could have been said was this dumb father was traveling with his family and was so rude about our customs and food. Then we of the same group as that father would know it was not that group trying to be singled out but the Father.

Just my two cents...

Not that I am perfect I have formed my opinions about poeple and I have a lot of baggage that I need to unload to be fair to others.

Quote:

---

You always get this kind of people Simon at one time or another. Don't let them spoil your dinner.

---

Yep, I was so upset that I had to hand my dinner back without paying for it aswell...;)

Quote:

---

Originally posted by beachbum
So Simon, u are trying to say that all Americans are fat ugly hawaiian shirt wearing trogladites? .. or did i read that wrong :D

---

LOL :D

simonm, I understand that you are referring to one circumstance and not all Americans, but it is akin to saying "I'm not saying all blacks are like this, but this one black guy did...."

I was in Germany for over 3 years during my last military tour. Americans ran the full gamut of being totally arrogant *****s to being extremely courteous. Unfortunately, the bad ones stand out.

For example, this is a story I related here before, but it's the exact same topic so I'll tell it again.

I was in a Pizza Hut in Germany and an American started giving the waitress a hard time because her English was almost non-existent. He went so far to say something along the lines that Pizza Hut is an American restaurant and therefore, the employees should all speak English.

I was not with him, nor did I know him, but I was really embarrassed by his behavior and knew that every German in the restaurant now had that much more ammo against "rude Americans."

The manager came out and told the American that it was, in fact, a German restaurant and if he didn't like the service he could leave, but if he gave the waitress any more grief dining there would no longer be an option for him.

On top of that, the waitress wasn't that difficult to understand and all the menu items were in German and English. He could have simply pointed, so I don't know what his problem was. The waitress also spoke English well enough that I could understand her, although it took some effort. In any case, we're in their country and it's not their responsibility to learn English to appease us.

On the flip side, nothing like this ever happened with me or people I was with. I may have done some bonehead things by not understanding certain ways things are done, but I never had the attitude that Germans should bend over backwards to understand me.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by beachbum
So Simon, u are trying to say that all Americans are fat ugly hawaiian shirt wearing trogladites? .. or did i read that wrong :D

---

I forgot to bring my shirt :D

Quote:

---

Originally posted by beachbum
So Simon, u are trying to say that all Americans are fat ugly hawaiian shirt wearing trogladites? .. or did i read that wrong :D

---

I don't have a Hawaiian shirt. The closest thing I've got is polka-dot underwear. The ladies dig 'em. :)

Quote:

---

Originally posted by beachbum
So Simon, u are trying to say that all Americans are fat ugly hawaiian shirt wearing trogladites? .. or did i read that wrong :D

---

You mean some of them aren't ?

steve65

I mentioned this guy's nationality because he conformed to a particular bad American stereotype.

I realise that most Americans aren't actually like that, indeed, there was another American familly in the pub that night (I think we're being taken over) and they seemed to be enjoying their meal with no complaint.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by simonm
there was another American familly in the pub that night (I think we're being taken over) and they seemed to be enjoying their meal with no complaint.

---

They were probably embarrassed by that guy too.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by honeybee

On the same note, Cafeenman, what if the waitress had bent over backwards .....

---

She probably would have been really uncomfortable and eventually fallen down.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by simonm
steve65

I mentioned this guy's nationality because he conformed to a particular bad American stereotype.

I realise that most Americans aren't actually like that, indeed, there was another American familly in the pub that night (I think we're being taken over) and they seemed to be enjoying their meal with no complaint.

---

Oh I don't know, quite a lot are (present companyt exepted) - fraid tht's the way it is. Just like the Brits on holiday on the Costa Del Sol.... you and I and most of VBF aren't like that, but our countrymen certainly are.

reality check:
the Yanks on holiday in the UK are on the whole a right pain in the arse : loud and brash.
Brits abroad - same, but drunk as well.
Aussies in London - moaning pack of bastards.
Kiwis in London - every sentence has "New Zealand" in it.

Many many people like that. Many not though :)

Quote:

---

Originally posted by simonm
steve65

I mentioned this guy's nationality because he conformed to a particular bad American stereotype.

I realise that most Americans aren't actually like that, indeed, there was another American familly in the pub that night (I think we're being taken over) and they seemed to be enjoying their meal with no complaint.

---

I understand completely. I am actually looking forward to visiting a few spots like that while I am here. There are a lot of them around where I am staying but I was just too tired last night to get out and have a look around.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by steve65


I understand completely. I am actually looking forward to visiting a few spots like that while I am here. There are a lot of them around where I am staying but I was just too tired last night to get out and have a look around.

---

Where exactly are you?

Quote:

---

Kiwis in London - every sentence has "New Zealand" in it.

---

Now you see our problem:p

Sorry, addendum:

Aussies in London - moaning pack of bastards and start each sentecne with "In Stralia" :p:D

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Gaffer


Oh I don't know, quite a lot are (present companyt exepted) - fraid tht's the way it is. Just like the Brits on holiday on the Costa Del Sol.... you and I and most of VBF aren't like that, but our countrymen certainly are.

reality check:
the Yanks on holiday in the UK are on the whole a right pain in the arse : loud and brash.
Brits abroad - same, but drunk as well.
Aussies in London - moaning pack of bastards.
Kiwis in London - every sentence has "New Zealand" in it.

Many many people like that. Many not though :)

---

I have done a lot have traveling all over the world and you really ruin it for yourself acting like this family did. First you don't make and friends and you are not going to learn anything new. I can't wait to go some place new I have a great time just talking to the local folks. If I am rude they are not going to want to talk to me.

Dutch : loud and obnoxious
French : Arrogant and obnoxious outside France
Germans in Ibiza : Drunken louts who'll pick a fight with anyone who happens to pass by

...

could go on and on :D

Funnily, no-one has problems with Belgians :p

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Gaffer


Where exactly are you?

---

In Tees Sides

Steve

Where exactly are you staying in the UK when you come over?

Quote:

---

Originally posted by simonm
Steve

Where exactly are you staying in the UK when you come over?

---

I'm here now.

Oops...:o

I guess that question's already been answered...

Belgians - horrendous hygeine problems. Propensity to steal cars. Can't say "splurge" properly. :p

Steve - Teeside? ****, get ready for deep fried mars bars....

I am trying to figure out a way to get my butt into London before I leave.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by Wally Pipp
Funnily, no-one has problems with Belgians :p

---

Who?