This week I am pulling question number nine from round four with the category of food and drink:
9. If you're working in a diner and the manager tells you to bring a table the twins, he doesn't mean Mary-Kate and Ashley, what does he mean?
A: Salt and Pepper
I became interested in other diner lingo I have not been exposed to and upon further research, I must admit: I am missing out on a lot of fun. Diner lingo is something unique to America- this type of lingo is virtually unheard of in other countries. It's a niche vocabulary used by the wait staff to convey orders to the cooks in order to speed up the process while making all of us look totally uncool. It varies by region and dialect and is all around just a better way of speaking.
Here are some of my favorite slang from diners across the United States:
Eve With a Lid On- Apple Pie
One on the City- Glass of Water (I would check the boil advisory status before ordering one of these!)
Family Reunion- Chicken and Egg Sandwich
Drag One Through the Garden- add lettuce, tomato, onion
Twist it, Choke it, Make it Cackle- Chocolate Malt with Egg (I think I speak for all of us when I say "ewww")
Mystery in the Alley- Side of Hash (There's actually a fair amount of hash hate: Gentleman will Take a Chance (side of hash), Sweep the Floor (order of hash))
Athlete's Foot- Stewed, Dried Peaches
One thing I have surely learned from this research is the wait staff at a diner is way cooler than I will ever hope to be. That being said, make sure to tip your wait staff well (and your bartenders at your local trivia night!) or else you may be called a George Eddy (a customer who doesn't tip well or at all). Even worse, keep your ears peeled for a Bend the Crab which means to overcharge a customer.
Good luck out there in the dining world. You'll be safe if you're reasonably nice, unless of course you're eating the hash! Let us know your favorite diner lingo and I will see you all next Friday for another installment of this lovely trivia breakdown.
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