Originally Posted by themadpooper

Yeah, the Whole Foods you get there are very small, not really the same as the massive ones you get here. One opening near me in Chicago is gonna be 3 floors big, Trader Joes is similar, you don't get those over there which is a pity. Next time you come to the States, check these spots out. The organic food scene here is substantially bigger than that of the UK, I can assure you of that

Can you get Monterrey jack over there? Very nice Mexican cheese you get everywhere here

Where does the UK get her oranges and grapefruit from, btw? Florida and California isn't it? Same with grapes, avocado and pretty much every other fruit. Enjoy

And bread. I tend to buy rye - lovely Jewish bread. No more sugar in that than a loaf of Hovis but unlike Hovis, you can't wildly get rye in the UK. Shame

As I said, you just don't get the choice there, so many things the UK just don't do - good Mexican food, numerous supermarket items, quality local beer among them. Just a fact of life I'm afraid, the US is just so much bigger, so many climates here, so many different cultures. Silly to deny this or turn it into a competition

Originally Posted by LondonSquirrel

Actually the Whole Foods I am talking about is huge and used to be Barkers, the department store in Kensington High St. You were the one turning it into a 'competition' by slagging off the UK's foods. Yeah you can get rye bread in loads of supermarkets here. The supermarkets sell wine too, which is very rare in the UK, have to make a special trip to a liquor store there. And not all our oranges and lemons come from the US actually, many come from Spain or elsewhere, but yeah thanks for that, I'm not actually stupid enough to believe we grow citrus fruits in the UK.

Originally Posted by moneypenny20

Did you mean US?

Originally Posted by themadpooper

Just like you don't get rows of different sourdough and numerous other breads. I hate to repeat myself but the choice just isn't there in the UK, it's a tiny country versus the US so comparisons are silly

Originally Posted by themadpooper

Most US supermarkets have many isles devoted to wine and beer, liquor stores are the US version of off licenses. Not sure where you're getting your information from about the US but I'd ask for a refund

I lived in London, I know where you're talking about. That Whole Foods is a food court, the others in London are tiny in comparison and there's only like 2 or 3 in the entire country (all in London). You don't get rye in loads of supermarkets there, you just don't. Just like you don't get rows of different sourdough and numerous other breads. I hate to repeat myself but the choice just isn't there in the UK, it's a tiny country versus the US so comparisons are silly

Originally Posted by themadpooper

So, I'm assuming everyone turns their noses up at chains like IHOP or Wendy's? Perkins or Arby's?

Originally Posted by themadpooper

So, I'm assuming everyone turns their noses up at chains like IHOP or Wendy's? Perkins or Arby's? Would love to know where you can get similar menus for similar prices in the UK without having to line up for ages just to get a table the size of a postage stamp and invariably treated shoddily by staff who wouldn't know what good customer service was if it slapped them in the face. The fact is the UK is just so small so the chains are limited, prices expensive and the food as average as the menus are limited. The current UK food scene can be summed up by pretentious gastropubs where food is served on chopping boards, overpriced gourmet burger restaurants or spots trying to be American (usually bbq). That Wetherspoons is probably the best thing about the UK food scene at the minute speaks volume about the standard of food over there - still as crap as ever. As for the supermarkets, 4/5 chains nationwide (if you live in a provincial town you'll be lucky to have half of them), full of the same crap and shitty 2 for 1 offers. Everyone raves about M&S - just an upmarket Sainsbury's for snobs. The best grocery shop in the UK is Whole Foods (American organic chain) but you only get those in a few spots in London

Originally Posted by themadpooper

So, I'm assuming everyone turns their noses up at chains like IHOP or Wendy's? Perkins or Arby's? Would love to know where you can get similar menus for similar prices in the UK without having to line up for ages just to get a table the size of a postage stamp and invariably treated shoddily by staff who wouldn't know what good customer service was if it slapped them in the face. The fact is the UK is just so small so the chains are limited, prices expensive and the food as average as the menus are limited. The current UK food scene can be summed up by pretentious gastropubs where food is served on chopping boards, overpriced gourmet burger restaurants or spots trying to be American (usually bbq). That Wetherspoons is probably the best thing about the UK food scene at the minute speaks volume about the standard of food over there - still as crap as ever. As for the supermarkets, 4/5 chains nationwide (if you live in a provincial town you'll be lucky to have half of them), full of the same crap and shitty 2 for 1 offers. Everyone raves about M&S - just an upmarket Sainsbury's for snobs. The best grocery shop in the UK is Whole Foods (American organic chain) but you only get those in a few spots in London

Originally Posted by themadpooper

Yeah, the Whole Foods you get there are very small, not really the same as the massive ones you get here. One opening near me in Chicago is gonna be 3 floors big, Trader Joes is similar, you don't get those over there which is a pity. Next time you come to the States, check these spots out. The organic food scene here is substantially bigger than that of the UK, I can assure you of that

Originally Posted by themadpooper

Most US supermarkets have many isles devoted to wine and beer, liquor stores are the US version of off licenses. Not sure where you're getting your information from about the US but I'd ask for a refund

Originally Posted by Bob

You do realise with your wondering generalisations, that you could equally be describing parts of the US, if you got out a bit.

Originally Posted by petitefrancaise

I would suggest that if the mods (errr, that'll be you Bob) won't ban this guy that we all refuse to comment on or about his posts. That we don't correct the information contained in the posts. Maybe when the quality of information deteriorates enough then he will be banned.

Originally Posted by LondonSquirrel

What a load of coddswallop. I work right near a Wholefoods and I've never been there. I find the supermarkets here fine. DH likes them too and he grew up with American ones. At least our bread isn't sugared, apples aren't waxed and cheese is actually tasty. And the UK caters much better for veggies than every other country I've ever been to with most places clearly marking veggie options with a V next to the item on the menu. I gave Wetherspoons as an example, not as the only place. And i'm not just speaking about London, my mum lives in Lincolnshire and she can find plenty of places to go out for a meal at a good price.