• Matty_r@programming.dev
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    1 month ago

    I’m an Aussie, and had landed in America for a holiday. Was really hungry and figured I’d just get a Quarter Pounder meal from Maccas at the airport. Order a Large meal because that’s what I’d normally get at home. They bring out like a litre of coke, a gigantic box of fries, and the burger. It was absolutely atrocious.

    • r00ty@kbin.life
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      1 month ago

      Many many years ago. I did some work in Texas. We go into this sit down place. Now, having been caught by the huge portions a previous evening I’m cautious. I just order a chicken burger. The waitress is all like “Oh are you sure, just the chicken burger on its own?” I’m thinking, oh well maybe things are normal size at this place. I order some fries to go with it.

      Some time later the chicken burger arrives completely filling the full size plate it came on, and the fries came on an entirely separate plate.

      I’m not a small guy, but I could not eat all that.

      • spongebue@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        It’s funny, because usually when the fries aren’t included at a sit-down place it’s because the restaurant is trying to squeeze a couple extra dollars out of you (maybe the sandwich is $2 cheaper than you’d expect but then you pay $5 for the fries because of course you want fries!). That stinginess mentality seems to go hand in hand with a smaller than average sandwich. But maybe my fat American ass can’t scale portion sizes.

        • r00ty@kbin.life
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          1 month ago

          No, this is the thing. Compared to UK prices it was ridiculously cheap. In fact even when you add the higher expected tip it was cheap. And it was actually very nice. Just, so much food!

      • state_electrician@discuss.tchncs.de
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        1 month ago

        I once got a burger at South of the Border or smth like that in New Jersey. It was fucking huge and everybody including the waitress commented on how I ate with a fork and knife because it was just impossible to eat otherwise. And I ended up only eating half of it, because I was absolutely full. Insane portion sizes.

        • rumba@lemmy.zip
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          1 month ago

          smth like that in New Jersey.

          Jersey knows how to sandwich. Cannot f with Hoagies.

          We went into a Jersey Mike’s chain there. Have the same chain at home (not New Jersey)

          I ordered a whole sub, they just piled the meat on. More and more. The sub cost $26. It was amazing though.

          I went to a location in my home state, it was the same sub but like normal portions of meat. “Wait, I just had one of these in Jersey and it was like massive, what do I have to do to get one like that?” “Ohh you want double meat?” “double, triple, whatever they do up there, that was amazing”

    • Ricky Rigatoni@lemm.ee
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      1 month ago

      What is atrocious here is your ungratefulness for the generosity of the American food industry.

      • jballs@sh.itjust.works
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        1 month ago

        Yeah I’m reading this Aussie orders a large meal, received a large meal, and was ungrateful. When you’re in America, you accept your diabetes and say “thank you may I have another?”

        • frayedpickles@lemmy.cafe
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          1 month ago

          Don’t Australians all hate America for having figured out how to make actually good beer?

          • Smokeydope@lemmy.world
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            1 month ago

            Nah australians are too busy with other things to be hating. Surfing, smoking pot, hanging out with sasquaches, partying at the indigenous peoples sacred islands, and shooting the local wildlife. At least, thats what I learned from watching The Big Lez Show.

          • boonhet@lemm.ee
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            1 month ago

            I thought it was young Albert Einstein who figured out how to make actually good beer by splitting the beer atom and therefore introducing bubbles in an otherwise flat beer?

          • psud@aussie.zone
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            27 days ago

            Australia adopted American innovations in good beer. What we complain about is that your mainstream beers are weak and boring, where ours are strong and boring

            What I didn’t like is in some states (such as New York) when I was last there don’t require beer to carry alcohol content information, so buying good beer I had to trust that the beer was going to be about the right strength for the style

            One thing I liked about Amtrak is they sold good local beers on board, though I only experienced Amtrak in the north east (having been told that that was the best way to arrive in New York City)

    • droans@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      So you knew all the stories of American food portions and you still chose to order a meal that even we call “large”?

      • Matty_r@programming.dev
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        1 month ago

        Not everything you read and hear is true, either way - I was not prepared for that much of a difference. This was like 10 years ago mind you, so the difference is either far less or much worse.

      • BarbecueCowboy@lemmy.world
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        1 month ago

        I always find it interesting that people outside the US think this is a complete joke when really it’s just… only slightly exaggerated.

        Many gas stations have 64oz cups by default. I haven’t seen it in awhile, but the 128oz soda was real and used to be widely available.

          • frankpsy@lemm.ee
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            1 month ago

            I am a ‘big’ man and I would say that where things peaked in American culture as far as ridiculous sizes go was when a Starbucks-like chain operating in Florida was offering a 42-ounce version of a frappucino-type drink that Starbucks only provided a 24-ounce version of, this was shortly before Super Size Me came out which started to change the culture on those things.

          • JackbyDev@programming.dev
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            1 month ago

            I realize most of these are from gas stations, but most fast food sodas are like a third to a half way filled with ice lol.

      • Revan343@lemmy.ca
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        1 month ago

        I didn’t click the link, but I’m going to go ahead and assume that’s Super Troopers, with Farva trying to order a litre of cola