Albert:

Many establishments are afraid to enforce a dress code and I'm not sure why. It would certainly enhance their status and validate the customers who willingly comply. Sometimes it's just ignorance.

Maybe we should all print up some small cards with this website's URL for handing out to the uncouth we encounter.

Andy

 

Albert, maybe things are different in the UK, but in the US food courts are arguably the lowest form of dining establishment. While I believe people should dress up for restaurant dining, the idea of a dress code for a food court beyond "no shoes, no shirt, no service" seems dubious.

 

indeed, you may as well complain about people wearing t-shirts to Wal-Mart.




--------------
"If only we'd stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time."
- Edith Wharton

 

quote:Originally posted by faustian bargain

indeed, you may as well complain about people wearing t-shirts to Wal-Mart.

I think it's pretty much screwed-up if some awful chap runs around in his stinking sweat suit between the food that I might buy --- highly inconsiderate. It's just completely unhyhienic.

And we are not talking about Wal Mart. Fortnum & Mason is one the best high-end food store in town (since when do you dine at a food court??).

 

In the US, food courts are areas in shopping malls where a large number of fast food establishments are located and where people like you would break down sobbing, confused, and broken.

"Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein."

"Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take a boat in the air you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughtta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keels. Makes her home."

We will not walk in fear, one of another.

 

quote:Originally posted by Albert

(since when do you dine at a food court??).

Aha!

In the US, a "food court" is an area, usually in a mall, where there is a common seating area for many different food retailers. Definitely one of the lowest forms of dining.

In the UK, aparently it's akin to a supermarket or similar?

------------
cpac

 

Fortnum's Food Court:

Regards

 

Yes, I can see now how a sweatsuit would endanger Albert's life. Simply unconscionable, that.

"Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein."

"Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take a boat in the air you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughtta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keels. Makes her home."

We will not walk in fear, one of another.

 

quote:Originally posted by lameduck

Fortnum's Food Court:

Regards

Ah, that explains the reaction, because this is what Americans think of when "food court" is mentioned:

 

*shudder* ...Albert just broke out in hives.

Albert's picture looks more like a US delicatessen.




--------------
"If only we'd stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time."
- Edith Wharton

 

This is where I want to eat. Reminds me of Harrods, my daughter and I were there last year, the food court was so very different than in the US, but alas there were plenty of badly dressed tourists there...myself probably one of them, in chords and wool jacket for the cold. But I was certainly at the upper levels of the heap. Sweats are inexcuseable to me for anything but working out or lounging in ones own home.

quote:Originally posted by lameduck

Fortnum's Food Court:

Regards

guit

 

quote:Originally posted by faustian bargain

*shudder* ...Albert just broke out in hives.

LOL

No, I have just vomited into my desk drawer.

quote:Albert's picture looks more like a US delicatessen.

You are right - sorry for the confusion. Am trained in BE.

Cheers,
A.

+++++++

"You look like you're ready for bed."

(HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh to the President of Nigeria, who was dressed in traditional robes)

 

When I first saw the title of this thread, my reaction was, "Hunh? I thought that was the usual and customary apparel for a food court," thinking in American terms.

However, the title remains a bit confusing. When I was at Oxford, I was under the impression that what we Americans called a "sweat suit" was what the British called a "track suit." Has the American usage crossed the Atlantic, pray tell?

I can remember being bemused when a dour East Anglian friend of mine referred to his undershirt as a "vest." He replied, "It's a lot nicer than what you call them." "And what might that be?" I answered. "Sweat shirts." "No, Phil, what we call a 'sweat shirt' is what you call a 'track shirt.' What you call a vest, we call an 'undershirt,' and what we call a 'vest,' you call a 'weskit.'"

Ah, the difficulties of Trans-Altantic communication! Reminds me of the time I went all over Oxford looking for thumbtacks. Nobody knew what the hell I wanted. One store thought I was looking for cufflinks! Finally, one nice lady exclaimed (after I had explained in detail what I was looking for), "Oh, you want drawing pins!" Problem solved.

 

quote:Originally posted by JLibourel

I can remember being bemused when a dour East Anglian friend of mine referred to his undershirt as a "vest." He replied, "It's a lot nicer than what you call them." "And what might that be?" I answered. "Sweat shirts." "No, Phil, what we call a 'sweat shirt' is what you call a 'track shirt.' What you call a vest, we call an 'undershirt,' and what we call a 'vest,' you call a 'weskit.'"

And don't even mention a "fanny pack"....

 

That one's easy to explain. In America, it's a noun. Across the pond, it's a verb.

"Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein."

"Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take a boat in the air you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughtta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keels. Makes her home."

We will not walk in fear, one of another.

 

I love Fortnum's. Hope they manage to pull it out of the red. The coming redesign by Madonna's decorator or somesuch is inauspicious though.

They buried him among the kings because he had done good toward God and toward his house.Inscription upon the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, Westminster Abbey

 

Interestingly the Times had an article on Fortnums saying that it was losing money because it was full of tourists just there to gawp and not buy anything. I expect your sweat-suited gentleman may have been one of these people.

I think violence would have been a little over the top, but perhaps you could have asked the gentleman in question if he would come and clear out a rather large turd that was refusing to flush from the men's lavatories. If he protested, you could look him up and down and say 'Oh I'm sorry, I assumed you were the plumber'.





'The casual idea is the triumph of misguided egalitarianism. By playing to the desire to seem non-judgmental, the Slob has succeeded in forcing his tastes on the world at large (because to object to inappropriate dress would be judgmental)'- Patrick07690

 

quote:Originally posted by Hugh Morrison

Interestingly the Times had an article on Fortnums saying that it was losing money because it was full of tourists just there to gawp and not buy anything. I expect your sweat-suited gentleman may have been one of these people.

There is a nice quotation of Prince Philipp about this topic. Will put it into my signature.

quote:I think violence would have been a little over the top, but perhaps you could have asked the gentleman in question if he would come and clear out a rather large turd that was refusing to flush from the men's lavatories. If he protested, you could look him up and down and say 'Oh I'm sorry, I assumed you were the plumber'.

LOL - nice one. Apparently, I still have to learn British wits. Are you attending these regular AAAC dinners in London?

Cheers,
A.

 

Albert - re AA London dinners - yes, they've been very pleasant. Re HRH Prince Philip - I look forward to seeing the quote.

'The casual idea is the triumph of misguided egalitarianism. By playing to the desire to seem non-judgmental, the Slob has succeeded in forcing his tastes on the world at large (because to object to inappropriate dress would be judgmental)'- Patrick07690

 

quote:Originally posted by Hugh Morrison

Albert - re AA London dinners - yes, they've been very pleasant. Re HRH Prince Philip - I look forward to seeing the quote.

Thanks. May I kindly ask about the time and venue of your meetings? We launched something yesterday and my working hours are now a bit more reasonable. I remember reading something about two pubs, one in the City and one on Fleet Street (?).

Cheers,
A.

+++++++

"The problem with London is the tourists. They cause the congestion. If we could just stop tourism we could stop the congestion."

(HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh commenting on the London traffic debate, after mayor Ken Livingstone launched his plan to charge motorists £5 to enter the city)

 

The London chapter organises its meetings fairly informally. I'm not sure when the next one is, but they are usually held in the Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street. Since you've expressed interest you'll probably get an email invitation at some point!

'The casual idea is the triumph of misguided egalitarianism. By playing to the desire to seem non-judgmental, the Slob has succeeded in forcing his tastes on the world at large (because to object to inappropriate dress would be judgmental)'- Patrick07690

 

I thought 'food court' was an american TV show where Judge Judy passed judgement on badly dressed fast food patrons. Don't you just love America?

AZTEC

**************************************

 

quote:Originally posted by AZTEC

Don't you just love America?

Yes. Actually, I do.

 

DESPITE my tongue in cheek remark, so do I! really!

AZTEC

**************************************

 

quote:Originally posted by Hugh Morrison

The London chapter organises its meetings fairly informally. I'm not sure when the next one is, but they are usually held in the Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street. Since you've expressed interest you'll probably get an email invitation at some point!

Great, thank you very much.

A.

+++++++

"The problem with London is the tourists. They cause the congestion. If we could just stop tourism we could stop the congestion."

(HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh commenting on the London traffic debate, after mayor Ken Livingstone launched his plan to charge motorists £5 to enter the city)