American Reacts to Mistakes Americans Make in the UK (Part 1)
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- čas přidán 6. 08. 2023
- As an American I will openly admit we don't really know how ot behave in other countries such as the UK. Today I am very interested in learning more about the mistakes Americans tend to make when spending time in the UK. If you enjoyed the video feel free to leave a comment, like, or subscribe for more!
In a lot of British pubs you can order and pay for your drinks on their app and it will be brought to your table, no tipping.
British people do not want staff coming over once we have our order, we find it annoying to have our meal interrupted every 10 minutes, if we need something we will ask.
We dont even ask unless we have to, I would rather go to every empty table looking for a salt shaker than ask for one
Or just go to the counter to psy
@tenniskinsella7768 the point of my reply was that you don't have to go to the bar if you don't want to.
@@peterbrown1012that's only really in big chain pubs and a very recent adittion.
@@dib000Yep, table service in pubs is a post-COVID thing from when it was illegal to stand at the bar. I wouldn't necessarily expect it any more.
You will find that most British Pubs in the major cities have a couple of US tourists sat at a table in a corner, covered in dust and cobwebs where they have been sat for years and years waiting for some sort of waiter to come up to them. It has almost become a tradition now
and,naturally,we NEVER laugh at their dim-wittedness,do We????.......
Yes, Tyler, all Americans should wear weird hats so the pub staff can identify them! It's not just the UK resturants where the service staff will leave you alone but all over Europe too. You could wear the hat there also and tell them the British told you to do it.
Those hats with the propellor seem to work well.
🤣👍 Tbf though, I'm not sure it's all that necessary, we can usually hear the voices and clothing... and yes I did say we can hear their clothing! Just remembering 'that scene' in Trainspotting... eek!
Europeans go to pubs and restaurants to socialise with the people they are with. Not with the waiters. They DO NOT want to be pestered by the waiters every five minutes. They want to be left alone. The waiters should come when they are called. That is it.
The tube only stops at stations. It does not stop just anywhere and only the train driver operates the doors. Passengers cannot open or close doors for safety reasons. The doors of trains which travel outside London and between other cities and towns can be operated by passengers but only when the train has stopped. A passenger can press the button to open or close the door. The reason is that sometimes if nobody is either getting on or off the train there is no need to open that carriage door especially in the winter when it can be very cold and windy. Most Europeans use public transport all the time rather than their car because it is much faster and less hassle. No need to look for parking in the centre of cities where parking is always a problem. I , for example live outside London but whenever I go to London I very rarely drive there. I take the train because it is faster and the parking is difficult and expensive. The train is much easier. I park my car at the train station and take the train which is much more convenient.
With buses the driver will only stop at a bus stop if someone waiting there flags him down or if someone wanting to get off presses a button on one of the handrails to tell him. Saves time with unnecessary stopping and starting if no-one wants to get on or off.
german here, but in all those european restaurants i was at, people are allowed to sit and have a nice evening after eating (or even without eating anything) if they at least occasionally order a new drink. this, and the fact that many normal restaurants get the most income from beverages and not the food, are also the reason why there might be no free water (and many people prefer carbonated water which is not available from the tap) or free refills. And of course, you can't have a nice evening and chat with each other if a waiter appears every few minutes and interrupts your conversation. thus "good service" is to let you enjoy your time mostly undisturbed and not bother you too often unless you signal the waiter, including for getting the bill.
I get water in any restaurant I go in
Tyler’s not in the comments so he’ll never see this
When he said pubs are a British thing.
My first thought was, what about Germany? 😊
Also, our waitstaff aren't dependent on tips for income, so they don't feel the need to continuously check you're happy
Restaurants are not allowed to charge for tap water (or corporation pop, I my family sometimes calls it. This is definitely an age thing.)
Being left alone without being bothered by staff while you sit in a corner reading a book or working on your laptop is also a bonus. In the US servers keep hassling you. In the UK it would be very rare and you will usually be left in peace. The other thing is no server or member of staff is expecting a tip so they don't annoy
A pub is more than a drinkery. It's the third place where you reside between work and home. Not just to get wasted, but also to meet people and have a good time. Actually not that different to a german kneipe in that regard, but still not the same.
Absolutely. I NEVER want this to change.
Standard British conversation:
"you alright?"
"alright, you alright?"
"alright"
Back in the 1980s I worked in a pub in London. One day a very irate American man came up to the bar shouting that they had been sitting at a table for 15 minutes and nobody had come over to take their order yet. I explained that pubs don’t work like that, there were no waiters to take his order and he had to come to the bar. You could see the cogs whirring in his brain but he couldn’t seem to understand such an alien concept…
LMFAO. Yeah that must’ve been also hilarious to witness him making such a mistake.
I can confirm I have seen American tourists get angry at a pub because they're being 'ignored'. Hilariously, they demonstrated this anger by telling the barman he wasn't getting a tip, to which the barman responded "I don't need it - I get a wage".
Which, honestly, was a 0/10 customer service move but a 10/10 witty comeback.
I will admit I'm kind of confused by the fact that they don't seem to catch on while they sit there patiently (or impatiently) waiting for someone to come and take their order, while watching literally every other customer in the place go up to the bar, hand over money, and come back with drinks.
Yeah, self-awareness in their comedy and comings and goings isn’t very good it seems, or they wouldn’t make these same mistakes. Live and learn though.
You have to first know what we regard as a restaurant.. we certainly do not call fast food places like MacDonalds a restaurant
I think many American tourists do check youtube looking for advice.. especially the videos called Jess loves London who has lived in London for 10 years who I think gives the best advice for every subject for Americans coming to London/England
@@mariospacagna2132 A pub is...nothing like a fast food place. Think of a sports bar, now make it far more comfortable and remove about 30% of the sports fans (or all of them, depending on the pub and if it's football season), add in tables and a traditional family menu of extremely varying quality and you're...more or less there.
Pubs were traditionally a communal gathering place almost the entire working class would go to at the end of a long day's physical labour. You wanted a strong drink and a hot meal, both at a decent price, and so that's what they offered.
But you don't use them for 'fast food' really - it'd be really unusual to ask a pub for a take away meal and they might not do it. It's somewhere you go, sit down, eat and have a few drinks and a chat.
@@aecides3203 I have no idea why you are preaching to me. I have been using pubs for the last 60 years !!
Just for clarity, a Brit can easily say 'are you alright?' or words to that effect when there is 'a reason'. It's about context, body language and type of enunciation. I say 'alright' as my standard greeting, but if for instance I saw someone in obvious distress, I could easily say 'are you alright?' But I'd say it in a totally different way!
And tbh, in that case I can't imagine saying simply 'alright?' anyway!
I think Americans hear “alright” or “you alright” and translate it as asking the question “are you alright?”.
If a fellow Brit asked me “are you alright?” I would presume they thought something was wrong.
@@JarlGrimmToys excellent summary-Yanks have got a predisposition to adding/subtracting from everything-case in point MATH.....
My pronunciation of "are you alright?" is rather different to my pronunciation of "y'a'ight?"
"Howdy" and "how do you do?" both mean the same thing, and are both likely derived from "how do ye?" which is the olden way of saying "how are you?"
I think I last responded to "howdy" with "good afternoon". I'm pretty sure my response wasn't "my plates are aching"... hmmm, I can't find any Texan/Cockney conversation skits on CZcams.
I think "are you alright?" morphed into "you alright?" into "yallwright?" and now "arright?" pronounced like 'R White' without the W, just "arr-ite". I think the US equivalent would be something like "how's it going" which I assume is a standard US greeting, and not and invitation to spill all of life's woes on someone just being friendly. Or maybe I've misunderstood "hows it going" for a long time.
That's why I know say " 'ight?". It's to stop confusing americans
In British pubs/ restaurants a staff member will usually come and do a check in with the table about 5 minutes after the food gets to your table and ask if everything’s ok with the food.
I remember on a holiday to Florida it got quite annoying how often the waiter kept coming over and interrupting our meal, he was also over-friendly. It's very different from the UK, it's much more relaxed.
Yes. It’s all about tips.
@@nilocnolnah6788I tip them to keep them away lol
@nilocnolnah6788
So annoy people by constantly interrupting their meal in order to get more in tips?
That doesn't make sense.
I guess that's just a cultural difference, if I want something I'll take a look around and flag it to a member of staff walking by, expecting someone to hover around just feels creepy to me and would certainly be a big negative to my feelings towards a restaurant.
Yeah I DEFINITELY would not enjoy the US waiter experience.
I found it a complete shock when I was in the US. The server came around about 6 times asking it everything was ok. In the UK they may come once to ask but they leave you alone. If you want more drinks etc you gral the attention of the waiter and ask them. I prefer our method of doing it. I was also totally amazed the bill was just given to me before I was even finished!
In an old job, I often used to travel to Northbrook in Illinois. One hotel had a downstairs bar called The Great British Beer Company. Apparently, American barpeople had crossed the ponds to learn how to act in British pubs, and vice versa. The pub had genuine British real ales. I only had two gripes:
They served the beer in 16-ounce American pints rather than 20-ounce British pints. The landlord told me that he couldn't do that, since the 16-ounce pint was a statute measure. I suggested he sell it as 1.25 American pints, but alas no.
The beer was the temperature of liquid oxygen, like American beer. It is not true that we like warm beer: we like it cool, what's called cellar temperature. We do not need to anaesthetise our taste buds, as we want to taste it.
I think a British pint is 20 fluid ounces
A pint of pure water weighs a pound and a quarter
@@josephinelong3214 Right you are. I haven’t used fluid ounces in years. Thank you, I’ll correct it.
If a waiter in a British pub/ restaurant brings you the bill without asking, it means you goofed up and are being politely asked to leave
Sometimes it happens if they spot one person is putting their coat or similar, and they think maybe you're getting ready to leave already.
Found out after one of the guy who we were with for lunch got a call from work, small emergency he needed to go back to handle, but obviously the waiter assumed we were all leaving and bought the bill.
The bill coming is the end of the meal. A lot of people like to sit for awhile after a meal, and maybe have another drink. It’s not unheard of people sitting there for the rest of the night drinking. Maybe more so in a pub than a restaurant.
That’s not really a thing in the US. Where they want you to leave shortly after finishing a meal. Especially when you’re drinking free refills of fizzy pop.
In Europe if the waiters come near you and start taking your plates away that will be considered very rude (ex: if 1 person is still eating the main course and all the others are done with it, the waiter can only take away the plates after everyone has finished. They won't start serving the dessert if someone isn't ready for it).
Another thing, in most European countries the public transport is very efficient. The tram, train, underground and bus will only stop if someone wants it to stop (reducing the amount of time wasted). If you are inside you must press the button to stop/open the doors when you're about to arrive or when you arrive (depending on the company)
As someone from the UK, the underground and other trains stop at specific places regardless of if someone is getting off or not. (For trains you have a button to open the doors but the underground is just automatic)
The bus is the one that has specific stops but will go past almost all of them if not given any reason to stop.
"Are you alright?" "Are you alright!" But you are right about tones of voice, even here in the UK, it can mean different things as a friendly greeting or in mid-conversation for instance.
I think the idea is in many European restaurants because staff don't need tips to keep you at the table ordering more drinks or desserts etc. In my experience many European countries take a very long dinner 3-4 hours isn't abnormal.
Many brits do the international pretend to write a cheque in the air gesture when asking for the bill across a crowded restaurant! 😆
We were laughing at a group of Americans in a pub in England.
We heard them before they even came in, they were shouting like crazy😂
The came in and just sat at a table. After about 10 minutes of them shouting i couldn't stand it anymore, so said to them you have to go to the bar to get served.
They couldn't understand me, being English 🙄, kept shouting "what" then all got up and left haha
I was asked by an American couple in a pub whether they should tip or not. This was the standard order at the bar, take your drinks and someone will bring the food to you. Sensible people. Pubs usually have signs telling you what to do. It also depends whether you are eating in the bar or restaurant section. Bar is usually a more comfy chair area.
I'm British, born and raised in London, and have used the Tube all my life. I wouldn't say you hitting the button on the Tube 'makes you look stupid'. I always hit the button, repeatedly, until the doors open, lol. The driver opens the doors but the button is there 'just in case' the automatic doors don't trigger (amongst other things). I don't know, maybe it's just me though - I just enjoy pushing buttons
Not surprising that there are no pubs like in the UK. It's the customer who makes the place, it can vary from pub to pub. The atmosphere can vary from the lounge to the bar (if they still have one).
This is like weekly deja vu.
Pubs. You alright? The Tube.
Pubs. You alright? The Tube.
Pubs. You alright? The Tube.
In the pubs that I was used to in the UK, there was no service at all. If you were in a group, drinks were ordered in "rounds" i.e one person asked all others what they wanted then went to the bar, ordered, paid and brought the drinks to wherever the group was. One person after the other in the group did this
I tend to say "Alright mate." to people as a greeting, and it is said with a smile on my face and a smile in my voice, hope that helps.
"You alright?" "Yeah, still breathing, mate" is a standard work interaction on a Monday morning.
If you want food in a pub you'll usually find instructions on how to order at the top of the menu.
When a train arrives at a station a bell rings and the 'open door' button lights up. That seems self explanatory to me. Open door buttons on the Underground are in case of system failure.
Just clarify when you go to a new pub for the first time and ask at the bar if it’s table or counter service for food. The drinks are always ordered at the bar which is your opportunity to say you want to order some food as well and then ask the burning question. Simple 😊
Quite often, if you're sitting in the restaurant section of a pub, they will take drinks orders at the table, like in a restaurant.
The pampering thing in restaurants is a function of the tipping, in the uk usually a tip is given if the food is really good or something like that (pubs and some restaurants you pay as you order, rarely do you run a tab)
What you will find that when you travel round the world the U.S really is the exception to the rest of the world - that is not to say that countries don't have their specific cultural ruals. As for train doors (this applies to most European countries) there is a safety feature on the doors) even if the button is lit up, if you press it before the train has stopped the door won't open for you until the train has stopped -You will have to press the button again.
I think the train/tram/subway doors all work similarly, except the London underground. In the London underground the doors open automatically regardless of if someone pressed the button on some lines(those which don't go aboveground).
This also causes confusion because tourists often don't recognise the pattern and/or start trying to tell other people to press the button mistaking how the doors work.
Also in the UK, there are request stops for trains (often in rural areas) so when the ticket inspector comes along, you tell him you need the train to stop at said request stop, otherwise the train will just barrel through (unless someone is waiting to get on the train. If you are waiting at one of these stops, you wave your arm so the driver knows to stop
Hi Tyler, if you order and eat food in a pub, then you'll be expected to pay for it when ordering at the bar. In a restaurant, you order everything from the waiter while you're sat at the table, but you need to ask for the bill.. it's just in case you maybe want to order something else, it's quite common in UK (also in Europe) to stay sat at the table, order snakcs, more drinks.. in fact go on for hours
The big issue at the end of the meal is often then once you've ordered everything you are likely to want, the waiting staff pretty much ignore you, so catching their eye if they are busy can be a tricky process. We like being ignored to get on ith our food- it's just that bit at the end which can take longer than expected. I tend to avoid this by asking for the bill when our last orders are served.
Good idea. It has happened that I had to sit for a lot longer than I intended while trying to get the bill... From now on I will also ask for it along with our last order. Thanks for the tip.
Or some pubs and restaurants you pre pay for your food and then they bring it to the table and leave you to eat in peace.
Being a small British island just off the coast of France, we get a lot of French tourists. In France, if you sit at a table outside a bar a waiter will eventually come to your table and ask you what you want to order for drinks. Here French tourists will sit down outside one of our pubs and you will see them patiently wait for someone to come and take their order. We politely advise them "Service au la bar".
In pubs, there are only bar staff (behind the bar dispensing drinks) and a "pot man" who wanders round picking up empty glasses to return to the bar for washing.
One of the key things about pubs (often overlooked by reviewers), is that they are fundamentally egalitarian in nature - it's a basic component that creates the unique, casually friendly atmosphere in a British pub. So no fawning waiters, thank you very much!
In UK restaurants, should a waiter remove a diners' plate before others had finished eating, or present the bill before being asked for it, it would guarantee that no would be tip forthcoming. We see it as the height of rudeness.
"Y'all right?" is a standard greeting on the UK. Much like the US, "What's up?" (the sky, clouds, tree tops), it can be confusing.
Regarding train doors. In our defence, there is a very large, obvious button beside each door that lights up, saying "OPEN". So.......
I have a question about UK pubs. Does the queuing system still apply or is it a free for all? I don't want to get in the way of a British person and their drink.
@@TheCanadiangirl4 It's a free-for-all' though that's one of the skills of the bar staff - they generally know who's to be served next. Being polite Brits, we may well point to someone else waiting, and tell the barman, "no, she was before me". The only exceptions are real long time regulars (like me!) who MAY get preferential treatment at the bar, as the staff know exactly what we're drinking, and can sort it quickly.
@@TheCanadiangirl4Orderly single-file queues aren't formed in pubs, but people generally exhibit the common etiquette of letting people that you know were there before you order first. Bartenders will generally keep track of this to the best of their ability, too, but will occasionally ask, "so who's first?", and leave it to the patrons to be honest about.
It's an invisible queue. Unless there's a huge crowd at a very large bar, you know who was there before you, and the bar staff know the order that people turned up. You're not lined up one behind the other, but it's still a queue.
@@user-zu6ir6kj5g And being polite Brits, we'll probably say when someone points out we were there first, say, it's alright, and let them be served first 😅
I think the best tip in the end is there are always exceptions to any advice and its important to pay attention to whats going on, for example if you are sat in a pub and everybody else is going to the bar and bringing back drinks rather than waiting staff wandering about you can deduce you have to order from the bar. Occasionally a place does table service (for example some pubs with reserved eating areas and you would likely have been escorted to a seat .This person was unlucky usually more than 1 person is getting on and off the train so they would have pushed the button. The thing you have to beware of is there is an emergency stop system which if you use it without an emergency you will be fined. Trains will stop at all scheduled stops you just have to get ff at the right one, however some stops have to be requested if they are in the middle of nowhere. Its important to listen to the instructions .
Alright can soundlike A'right, y'reet 'right, depending on accent, its often accompanied with a slight nod of the head, Some places this is ow doo, ey'up,
Evidently, Tyler has never been to a pub or bar in the US, there are no waitress or waiter, you go up to the bartender and order your drinks and food and you get up to get your drinks and the bartender will deliver your food to the table after ,it is ready
Not just in Britain. In Europe, we often spend entire nights at a restaurant. It is, so to speak, neutral ground for friends to get together, enjoy a nice meal, some drinks, in a generally quiet and pleasant atmosphere, and with great conversation without one of them having to host. Therefore, we may order dinner, drinks, a dessert, a coffee and what not in the course of hours and do take offence in a waiter giving us the check the minute we put down the fork and knife… We are used to have several items pile up over the course of the evening, not just dinner. So, one might decide an hour after finishing dinner that NOW is the time to order a dessert or coffee or liquor. The more every individual will consume, the higher the tip runs per individual (we also usually do not split bills) which is great, too, as a certain percentage of tipps are usually not expected…
As someone who used to work at a hotel, one thing I found Americans doing that was really odd was tipping unnecessarily.
For example, if we had a guest who couldn't find their room, one of the reception staff would happily escort them to the room and show them the way. No problem, its part of our job. But often, American guests would then offer you a fiver for it. Most of the time we rejected it as not needed, and that made the guests really angry sometimes. Sometimes they would up the stakes to a tenner, not understanding that we weren't rejecting it because it wasn't enough (£5 for 2 minutes walking is a huge reward), but because in the UK tipping culture is entirely voluntary and really only reserved for exceptional service or as an extra thanks at the end of your stay.
The difference between tipping culture in the US vs UK. Is that while the US minimum wage is $7.25 (£5.66), the minimum wage for tipped staff is $2.13 (£1.66). So waiters in the US need to make $5 an hour tips to make minimum wage. And their employers get to pay their staff next to nothing. Knowing that customers will be shamed into tipping by their tipping culture.
While everyone in the UK is guaranteed at least a minimum wage of £10.42 ($13.33) whether they receive tips or not.
@@JarlGrimmToys that's going to be the difference in finding somewhere to eat when I venture to the US, cos ama f gunna eat where wages come from tips. I may end up with a bag of veg from a local shop each day out 🤣
@@JarlGrimmToys Oh absolutely mate I totally understand why Americans tip service staff as described above, but its that understanding of circumstances as youve said. We dont expect it in the UK, whereas its an expectation in the US.
@@oORussellOo it’s an unfair system. That shames customers in paying the wages of staff. That their employers get away with paying a pittance.
And the irony is I know people who work as wait staff in touristy areas of the UK. Who will try to avoid being the one to serve Americans, even though they know they might get a tip. It’s because on average American customers are the most demanding. And have them running back and too to the kitchen’s because this or that thing wasn’t right. They’re more likely to get angry if the food isn’t quick enough etc.
if their party orders £100 worth of food they might get £20, which in touristy areas wait staff often get a lot more than minimum wage. Which might be put into a tips pot to be divided by staff equally if that’s the restaurants tip policy.
Or they might just give you £10 or nothing. Knowing that tipping isn’t expected in the UK. Making it not worth rushing to serve them to get a tip.
My friends seem to think that the tipping culture in the US. Has led Americans to be more demanding of their wait staff and complain over minor things. Because the wait staff in America has to bow and scrape to them for tips.
When I go out for food, I want to enjoy the food and the company of the people I am with. I do not want o be bothered every 5 minutes, a meal out is supposed to be relaxing and a moment for you to catch up with your friends or family. It's a much slower experience eating out in the UK.
On a bus, you press a bell to let the driver know you want to get off and the doors open automatically. On the trains, you have to press the button to open the door.
Our trams and buses here have both kinds of buttons. Usually red ones spread across the vehicle to signal to stop, and blue ones at the door to open that specific door.
They tend to stop at every station anyway most of the time, but especially in winter they'll keep the doors closed until you actually want to leave. Heating isn't free.
Don't forget the universal hand gesture to request the bill(signing in mid air above your head)
Waiters in the US hover around the tables for two principal reasons:
1. To gain your attention in the hope you will leave a good tip.*
2. To ensure you move on as soon as the diners have finished their meal**
* Tips are essential to make up their wages.
** Turn over of customers. I joined a Canadian cousin and her son in France some years ago and one afternoon we stopped at a local restaurant for coffee and a snack.
We sat and chatted but after we had drunk our coffee and eaten the snacks I noticed my coz was getting uncomfortable, I asked her what was worrying her . She said
she thought the waiter was waiting for us to go. She was genuinely surprised to learn we could sit there for as long as we wished, the fact that the little girl waitress
popped her head out of the door from time to time was simply to check whether we wanted anything else, or, if we had left, to clear the table.
Eating in Europe is for pleasure.
British servers bring the food then basically leave you alone to enjoy it. The expectation is you'll let them know if you want anything - including the bill. It's because British people are unintrusive and also because servers obviously like tips but don't rely on them. Also, when we book a table for a meal, we book it for the whole of the dining period, so the whole lunchtime or dinnertime. It's not a ship 'em in, ship 'em out situation. We like to linger.
The button on the train is not to stop the train, its for the doors to open. On some trains when the train stops at a station all the doors don't open automatically. What is actually worst is a few station have short platforms. I have been caught when the train has pulled into the station only to find that I have to run the length of 3 carriages to try to get to door that is going to open before the train pulls out.
You may be served at the table in a pub at certain establishments, you can normally tell if they are going to come to you if there is a desk at the entrance, usually with a sign saying "wait here" on it. If you are seated by a waiter or waitress, most likely they will come to ask for your order, if you seat yourself, you will probably have to order by yourself at the bar
It's usual in a pub to go to the bar, peruse the beers on show, ask the barman what he would recommend.
This will automatically ensure a conversion which, almost inevitably another customer will recommend with the barman a drink to try. A good barman will give you a taster of a couple of beers so you pick whichever you prefer.
My personal choice is hand pulled pale ale, usually somewhere around 5% alcohol strength.
Many serve via electric pumps, this is a totally different taste as there is gas added to make it flow under pressure, all lager beers are served in this way, detrimental to the taste in my opinion, still, each to their own preference.
Restaurants here are usually a socialising thing which can last the whole evening. Unless your waitress/waiter tells you the table is also booked for a particular time, then basically as long as you keep ordering drinks and there's not a massive queue, you can chill with your friends/family and enjoy each others company without being hurried out. If the place is busy and you still want to hang out you may move and find a pub to chill in.
Trains stop at every stop. There's just sometimes a button on the door to open/close it where if you don't, that door won't open. A lot of trains have buttons that light up which is a big hint you need to press it. Busses have a button which lets the driver know someone wants to use the next stop. If you're able, it's good practice to start walking to the door as the bus approaches the stop so you can get on/off quicker but if you're unable, the bus will stop anyway so you can get your things and get off. I've had it before where an elderly lady was being a bit slow and the driver didn't notice and a bunch of people shouted for him to wait for her to get to the door.
Yes. I've called a restaurant, and asked to book a table for a particular time, but been told that "It's ok, but we will need the table back by ? time, as we have another reservation". This gives you the opportunity to decide if the time is enough for you, you want to alter the time of your booking there, or just see if a different restaurant has availability for you to spend all evening eating & drinking.
Two of the pubs I frequent most often , in England, do have table service, if you want it. One is a Railway themed establishment which has a single signal on each table, so if you want service you set the signal so waiters/waitresses can see that you are ready to be served, you can still go to the bar if you wish to look at what beer or cider they have that day and purchase you drink of choice directly from the bar. The other is mainly bar service but the staff do walk around spotting anyone that needs serving.
Here in Canada 🇨🇦 when your on trains the doors will open up for you at each station and they will announce it as well.
Buses you must press a button to ring the bell for your stop.
"Are you alight/okay?" and "How are you?" have the same answer: "yes, I'm fine" or "yeah, I'm good" - we ask to be polite or as an ice-breaker (small talk), but don't actually want to now how messed up your life is... If you are visibly distressed, then being asked "are you alright?" will need to be answered with a "I'll be fine in a minute/just having a bad day" (i.e, leave me alone to get over my panic attack) or a quick explanation if the person asking CAN help. For example; answering that you are lost is a good answer, because the person asking may be able to help. Answering that your dog just died will just ruin the day of the person asking and they will not be able to offer any support in this instance
Many pubs have separate dining, that's normally table service, but where it's the bar combined, you either order through their app or order at the bar.
In pubs you usually pay for your meal at the point of order (before you get your meal)... at a restaurant you usually pay at the end of the meal. Trains usually stop at most stations but you have to press button to open the doors, buses you have to press the stop button to request the next stop. Some train stations are request stops and you have to inform the conductor beforehand so he can inform the driver stops there.
Pubs are not primarily restaurants, but bars that may sell food. Nowadays more seem like restaurants first & pubs in name only. Pubs were really social centres, comfortable home from homes, where locals can socialise, discuss local affairs, in a relaxed atmosphere.
Brits drink & eat at their own pace, they like their privacy.
You alright - how's it going- what's up? More often just 'alright', just a greeting.
Train drivers tell riders by intercom where & when the next stop is, except on the tube which stops at every station. Some overground train s do not stop at all available stations, but however only tube train doors open automatically.
There is a book called "Watch8ng the English'" where an anthropologist studies the Ennglish and she carries out this exact experim3nt in London, observing foreign tourists and timing how long it takes for groups to realise the cultural norm of no table service in pubs.
In a pub, you usually pay when you order. The correct reply to 'Alright?' is 'Alright?'. There's only one batch of tube trains with door buttons. But given the passenger throughput on the tube, their ony impact was to increase the dwell times at the platforms; the door opening was delayed by the passengers' reaction times. So London Underground stopped ordering buttons on their trains and disabled the buttons on their existing trains. However there are trains in London with functioning buttons eg the overground and dlr.
There is normally a sign somewhere on the bar that identifies the spot you order your food. It’s better than a server coming up twice when you aren’t ready, and is then nowhere to be seen when you are ready. You always know when you are ready to order, they don’t, so it makes perfect sense.
Again, with 5he bill. You know when you are ready to leave. They don’t. Are you waiting 10 minutes after dessert, to then have a coffee. Do you still have some catching up to do, and want yo sit and chat after the meal? You tell them when you are finished, they don’t tell you when you are finished.
A British person in the US would see the unsolicited delivery of the bill, as “we are finished with you…. Get out now”.
pubs in england, or the resturant, do not try to turn tables, if you book at 8pm and the close 11pm, you can stay at the same table, not one will rush you out you can sit, buy drinks after the meal, and have to shout for your bill end of the night
Pubs in the UK dont have waiters, you go and get your own drinks from the staff behind the bar, if you're a regular the staff will remember and start a conversation while getting your drink order and you are expect to pay for the round and food at the point of ordering.
If the pub serves food, then you order your food at the bar, but they will bring it over when its ready. Depending on the bar you are in, you either have a table number or something with an order number on, I've seen plastic markers, wooden spoons with a number written on.
Eating in a restaurant is a lot more relaxed, the staff only come over to take your order, normally starting with drinks, then food if you are still deciding or waiting on people. Also when ordering food you order your starter and main, then when you've finished your main the servers will asked if you want dessert, or coffee, if you do you order what you want, otherwise you can ask for the bill.
The other difference is that you may be served by more than one waiter/waitress during the meal as staff are not assigned tables as they are in the US.
If you leave a tip, it goes into a kitty for all the staff in the restaurant, Kitchen, front of house and is divided between them all at the end of the night, although there is a trend to add a 5-15% service charge to all bills, sometimes its optional sometimes its mandatory.
You don’t press a button to get the train to stop. However you might need to press a button to get the door to open. Not all train doors open automatically.
Some UK pubs have a bar area and a separate restaurant area, with different menus. In the bar, you might order food at the bar and pay for it when you order (you might be given a wooden spoon with a number on it to identify your table). But in the restaurant area, you will be served at the table and pay at the end. (sometimes they give you the bill when requested, and you might pay them or pay at the bar)
Many Brits struggle with the ordering protocol at a strange pub.
Even if it is a restaurant, there's no guarantee, so I always ask a member of staff. They're normally happy to help, as it makes their job easier when people follow the "house" rules
I have never struggled to order in a pub in my life 😂🤣😂
One of my local pubs has 2 different set of rules depending on which side of the pub you sit.
On the left side its restaurant rules. You wait at the desk and a waiter will take you to an available table, or your reserved table. Then take your orders and bring them to your table, and when you’re finished you ask for the bill.
But if you right it’s pub rules. You can sit where you like, and go the bar to order.
@@dib000 Me neither.
Trains have a locking mechanism on their doors that is centrally controlled. It is illuminated green when unlocked and there is a sound to say that this has happened. Most trains are so overcrowded that someone will do it for you if you don't. Pretty well the same in Europe too and is designed so that doors cannot be opened whilst trains are travelling at speed.
Pub is short for public house which was founded in Victorian times where men used to congregate after work to unwind women were not allowed in these establishments during those times sometimes they had rooms upstairs where sometimes brothels operated and some customers would utilize these services discreetly
It was only in the 70s it changed to abbreviation of pub
Ah also here in Spain, you may be asked during your meal if everything is ok but not be bothered by the staff unless you call them over, it is considered rude to be asking all the time, and you don’t get the bill until you ask for it, even if while clearing the table the waiter asks you “can I get you anything else" and you answer "no" that still doesn’t mean you re planning to leave anytime soon and being given the bill would be very rude.
British restaurant culture = "don't bother me while I'm eating or talking, if I want something I'll ask you." (also, in my experience, and I'm quite well travelled, the USA is the anomaly. Most countries seem to operate in the ways described in the video)
😂 yes we don’t like to be bothered while we’re eating so many places now have those QR codes on the tables, so if you want to order more drinks you don’t have to talk to anyone it’s absolutely fantastic 😂
I found American restaurant chains to be like factories. Get you in, get your order quick, start cleaning up plates as soon as anyone has finished, and bring the bill as soon as everyone has finished. So they can get you out and get the next lot in.
The serving time is pretty quick, and I’ve heard plenty of Americans complain about British restaurants or pubs that the food takes too long.
But if I’m in a rush I’ll go to a fast food place. If I want a nice meal with family or friends. I want to be served drinks straight away, and some time to pour over the menu. Then a bit of time to drink and chat, maybe order another drink to have with the meal. Then after the meal time to sit and chat while you digest, with another drink. Over the span of 1-2 hours.
@@JarlGrimmToys Why would you pour your drink over the menu? 😛
If you ordering food in a pub then you will need a table number, unless its a "Carvery" where you buy a ticket on entry and take it up to the buffet style counter - if you are just buying drinks then you just go to the bar order and pay.
In a resturant to get the bill, just catch the waiters eye and gesture by rubbing your thumb against the first two finger tips, they will understand the "cash" gesture and nod.
"You alright" or "Alight" is used as a greeting (and no we dont want you medical history!) "are you alright" would be used if you had concerns for your well being.
Trains are heated in winter, and air-conditioned in summer. The train will stop at every designated stop on suburban runs, but there’s no point in every door opening if no one is getting off or on through that door. The carriage just loses its heat/cool for no reason. Underground trains open every door at every stop because the platforms are temperature controlled too, and there’s also so many people bearding and alighting, that it makes sense.
Not all pubs have numbers on the tables, sometimes when you order food at the bar they will give you a wooden spoon with a number on it that you put in the little pot on your table.
there's a difference between 'y'aright?' and 'are you ok?' case in point: I'm menopausal and look like I've run a marathon in plated armour on the hottest day of the year, and I'm used to folk asking me 'are you ok?' - I'm fine, just having a hot flush in the middle of the supermarket/wherever I am - as is now a normal and (finally) accepted thing. I do glow a bit, like a stop light 🤣 there are no amount of sweatbands I could wear when out shopping that would stop me from glowing brightly. I have a tendancy to melt icepacks within seconds - so no good at all!
and 'y'aright?' which is a greeting which requires the response 'yeah - you?' or 'aright' sometimes with a thumbs up gesture and a grin.
that thing about trains - sometimes, some trains miss certain stops - it happens and it's happened here too. there are times when, in order to go to Manchester by train, you have to catch a train going in the opposite direction for one stop, then cross the railway bridge, wait on the platform for the train and then be on your way - passing through the stop you caught the original train from. it's fine if you're good at running, not so good if you're bad on your legs.
it used to be that way between 4 - 6pm mon - fri here. it confused people who didn't know already 🤣
trains with 'limited stops' is a thing.
As a British person one of the most frustrating things about restaurants in the UK is that when you have finished eating and want to pay the bill the waiter/waitress is usually nowhere to be seen. You usually end up desperately trying to grab their attention to bring the bill over but then have to wait an equally long time to get them to come back with a card machine to actually pay the bill.
Agreed, this is so frustrating and can really ruin a meal. I just want to pay and get out of there.
At a push you can always go to the counter and pay up (So rude though!)
@@SimSim-zf9if It feels quite rude. It really depends upon the establishment though I suppose.
@@SimSim-zf9if I really don’t mind that.
In the US, waiting staff get tips( half their wages) In the UK staff are salaried, & we don't like constant interruptions while eating. We might chat & have rounds of drinks that are added to the bill by the end of the night. You can ask for the bill to be served with the meal, so you can eat & go!
When we say you alright we say it in a caring way too, if the person is in pain or has a problem and they need help with, when some falls over, we say are you alright
Tyler, yes we have boats as well. We are on an island…
The standard pronunciation of ‘You alright?’ when used as a greeting is to drop all unnecessary letters. What you are left with is an abrupt but cheerful bark of ‘Yawrye?’ with a sweeping upwards inflection and not looking for more than a friendly bark back. Yup. Banging. Fan-bloody-tastic, etc.
An obviously distressed or injured person would get the full caring wording of ‘Are you alright?’ with the expectation of a reply of some sort saying what the problem is, such as ‘My dogs just died’ or ‘I think I’ve broken my leg.’
It’s all about the context.
Mostly it’s like she said for getting your bill at the end of a meal, you have to ask for it, but in some bigger cities where they generally get much higher customer levels, you might be given a time slot for your meal, generally two hours or perhaps even for 2 1/2 hours (which should be adequate for most people I think), when you’re making your table reservation (& often it is very advisable to make a reservation, not just turn up ‘on spec’ as although they may be able able to accommodate you, you might have to wait for a while until a table becomes available, or they may simply tell you they’re fully booked). Within the time slot allocated then it’s up to you to have your meal and pay up a little ahead of the end of your time slot at the latest. This even happens in the small town where I live, particularly at busy times of the year when there are many visitors/tourists in town - in the summer in the quite touristy town where I live it gets pretty busy, in the winter it’s a lot different as although very few places close in the winter it’s still usually less busy, except for periods like Christmas or Easter.
As for trains, the driver/guard controls when the door can actually be opened once the train has come to a full stop at a station, the door button then usually is illuminated by the guard to signal that the train doors can be opened when a passenger wishes to exit or enter the train. It’s very simple once you are familiar with the system, and is an obvious safety feature to prevent doors being opened when the train is still moving or when there may be other reasons, for example the train comes to an unscheduled stop away from a station where there are no platforms.
Buses nowadays do require you to press a button to request the doors open at the next stop. However, when waiting on the street at a bus stop check on the sign to see if itvsays 'request', in which case you need to stick out your arm to show the oncoming bus driver you need him to stop. If not a request sign then the bus will stop, even if no-one at the stop needs that bus, though someone might be getting off, of course. Complicated until you get used to the system, so if your bus is approaching stick out your arm anyway! Of course if bus is full, and nobody on the bus wants to get off, then the bus will go sailing past. Very frustrating especially in rush hour, when that can happen a few times. Tube/underground trains open their doors automatically at each stop. Overground trains do require you to push the button, once the train is fully stopped.
Pubs that have a specific dining area usually have waiting staff,but a lot of the time you ask for the menus at the bar. Sometimes there are daily specials written up on a blackboard somewhere that arnt in the printed menu.
What Americans think about “you alright?” I think about “what’s up?”. Erm, nothing is up!
The key to manners in England is that you don’t bother other people - so don’ttalk to people on public transportt - or rush them in anyway
Oh Mr. Porter, what shall I do?
I want to go to Birmingham
But here I am at Crewe
Take me back to London
As quickly as you can
Oh Mr. Porter what a silly girl I am.
Most people would say 'alright' without the 'you'. Friendly informal greeting. Said in a longer sentence, even 'are you alright' more likely to be an expression of concern for your wellbeing
So when you go to a pub with a friend or friends you find a table, occupy that table, make a note of the table number (if it has one and you wish to eat), then one or two or whatever of the group goes to the bar to order drinks and food the waiting staff will bring the food to that table number. If the pub has a separate designated eating area then it will be likely to be more like a regular restaurant procedure.
We don't have waiters in pubs. Usually you would take your drink with you from the bar, table service is very rare.
Sometimes someone will come to your table and take your order in a pub (usually a smaller independently owned pub)
but it’s way more standard practice to order at the same time as you order your drinks at the bar.
The trains where you need to press a button to open the doors are not an issue; but the older trains where you had to open a window and reach outside to open the door were what got me when first coming back to the UK.
At cafés, you have to read the room as it were. At some, somebody will come to the table and take your order; at others you have to order at the counter and then they'll bring you your coffee etc; and at others you order at the counter and they give you your coffee to take back to your table yourself.
The good old “slam door trains” - diesel trains.
It’s a bit weird having to wind down the window to open the door
They’ve all been withdrawn now
Right, so in the UK we have pub/resturant combinations too, hslf of the area is more of a pub, the other half is a waited resturant. The easy way to tell, is the half that is the resturant, there will be a stand with a please wait here to be seated sign and the wait staff will take you to a table. And yeah, we get the attention of wait staff if needed and that includes for the bill at the end.
Trains are not request stops but many do have buttons to open the doors. On a bus you request the driver to stop by pressing a button
In most U.K. pubs you collect your own drinks and take them to your table
We definitely have buttons on buses for requesting stops, but trains will stop at every designated station. The only time you have to request a stop on a train is if the station is a request stop (because the station is rarely used)
Transportation: There are different actions required dependant on type:
The Tube (London): The train stops at each stop on its route, the doors will open when the train stops, some (rare) platforms (stations) are short and the front door (or sometime rear door) will not open if you want to get off there you move to the doors that will open, there will be an announcement on the train. There are button at the doors they light up when the train stops, you don't need to press them (historically you did need to) pressing them does not do anything bad, other than show you are new here.
Trains (not Tube): In general similar to tube but when the train stops (and you want to leave you need to press the lite button to open the door.
Trains (not Tube) special: There are some station (they are very rare) which are request stops, if you are going to use this type of station, get some instructions, generally it involves telling the train guard where you want to get off. If you want to get on you wave the train down, the driver should blow the whistle to say he has understood your signal.
Buses: there are Normal Stops, Request Stops and Request Areas. In general (I will) treat all stops as Request Stops, signal the bus by raising you arm at 90degrees to your body in front of the bus, some buses will stop whether requested or not (but that's OK), if you are on the bus there are generally Red buttons labelled Press or Stop, press this once to get of at the next stop.
If its a request area (rare) then when you ring the bell, the bus will stop at the next safe place, people may also stop the bus by raising their arm (to hail it down) from the near side of the road.
Trams are generally like buses.
I think the young lady got her wires crossed a little.
If you go to a pub that serves food you can either order your meal at the bar or sit down when a waiter will normally come for your order either way the food is usually brought to your table along with any drinks, you can get them at the bar and carry them to your table while you wait for your meal.
If the pub does not serve meals just snacks, then you choose an empty table and then go to the bar and order any drinks, it’s usual to pay at that time, then carry them to your table.
When you have finished your drink(s) you again go to the bar and pay for another round.
You usually get fresh glasses but around where I live you can keep the same glass but this is less common these days.
Just to let you know. The train button she means is the button by the door to open the door not the button where you sit. If you pull that button where you sit to stop the train, it's an emergency button or cord and the train will literally stop and you'd likely be fined.
Pubs are primarily drinking establishments, and we pay our staff a living wage(in theory) in this country, so we dont work for tips. A pub isnt a restaurant, its a pub that serves food.
In a more traditional British pub, you would order your drinks and wait for them. You would then take your drinks to your table.
You alright is really said how a Texan would say "You all" ie; Y'all
So "You alright comes out as Yawright" ?
We also add bits.. Like you would say "Hi" We say "Hi-Ya". We would NEVER say "Hey" as hello though. The greeting does change wherever you are in the UK too.
Here in Peterborough we would say "Wotcha" when greeting a mate.
Here in Canada 🇨🇦 you have to go to the bartender to put your drink order in before sitting at a table. We don't have bars here.
You also have to ask for the bill in any restaurant or pub. Just not at Fast Food Restaurants you pay at the kiosk or the cashier.
We don't say the full "Are you alright?" or "You alright" or even "Alright" - It's always abbreviated, sometimes just the alright to "aight" or "arite" and sometimes the "you"gets abbreviated with that in the same way as y'all, to have "y'aight" or "y'arite", and you just reply by copying what they say. It's the same as in French when they ask how you are by saying "ça-va" and you say you're fine by repeating "ça-va"
Usually if the person doesn't push the lit-up button to open the train door someone else will reach round to do it or someone waiting to get on will do it on the outside button. Of course if no one is waiting to get on and you are the only one getting off at that door you have a problem. One time I was trying to get off a train with my bike but someone in a powered wheelchair was in front. I was waiting for him to get off but then realised he had fallen asleep. I could get to the button to open the door but I could not get past with a bike and had to wait until the next station.
Its pretty normal in the uk for pretty much every shop that sells food or drink where you can sit down. Everything from coffee shops to pubs, require you to gk to the counter buy what you want.