The First Ever Menu Ordering Struggle Is Still Super Relatable

The cultural differences between one country to the next can make it difficult for vacationing guests to order from a restaurant. In the United States, what's known as fries are chips in the U.K., and when American chips are being referenced, Britons call them crisps (via Insider). When you hear folks in England and Ireland mention porridge, they're talking about Americanized oatmeal, and rocket is an interchangeable term for arugula.

It's easy to end up with the wrong thing when you misunderstand the terms. Per Iceland Magazine, a translation on an Icelandic cookie once led a vegan traveler astray. The cookies' packaging had the French term "en plus c'est vegan asti" written across it, vegan asti meaning road snack. According to the English translation, the package read "Plus, they are vegan." Unfortunately, the traveler had been eating the gas station treats for the duration of his Icelandic stay. This incident happened in 2015, but even in the 1800s, food-related misunderstandings were common.

In 1831, one man was confused at a New York City restaurant when his expectations of a menu item didn't meet reality. Per Mental Floss, the French term cornichon led him to believe he was ordering a pre-meal horn beverage, but when his selection made its way to the table, it was actually a plate of pickles. According to OOLA, these pickles are actually young, pickled cucumbers also known as gherkins. They are often served with burgers and salads, and they can be seasoned with peppercorns, salt, mustard seed, and onions.

The aforementioned restaurant was Delmonico's, which was the first in New York City that had a menu for customers to select from. In April of last year, the restaurant got into legal trouble after owing $300,000 in unpaid rent (via New York Post). After 185 years in business, the steakhouse was facing eviction, which led to its temporary closure. As of now, the future of the restaurant is unknown.