Dining with White Trash Snobs
With the holidays upon us, chances are you have friends and relatives visiting with whom you'll be going out to dinner. These aren't the people you generally dine with, so there could be a White Trash Snob infiltrating the group.
The White Trash Snob is a difficult creature, one who feels excruciatingly uncomfortable in a nice restaurant. Typically, he will force you to drive 40 minutes to the nearest Olive Garden so he will feel at ease. The WTS also likes to claim that money is the issue, but this is simply not true, as you will see later in my magnificent chart. Besides, I have taken some WTSs to dinners in which my parents paid, and I have also witnessed them at Christmas parties (in which the company paid), and they still squirmed around in their chairs like there were mischievous gerbils burrowing up their asses. So to clarify, money is not the issue, the self-image of the WTS is the problem.
I'm not here to mock you, WTS—okay, I am, but go on, it's Christmas, have a scallop! When celebrating a special occasion, the WTS too feels the need to have a "nice dinner." He, however, will only feel comfortable at a chain restaurant. What the WTS doesn't realize is that he has been seduced by an expensive and well thought out marketing plan that says, "Come in WTS and spend your money, you belong here." Places the WTS feels at home: Applebee's (or as I like to call it, Applequeefs), The Olive Garden, Chili's, and Outback Steakhouse. Upon my first visit to The Olive Garden, I thought to myself, "Maybe it's me with the problem, maybe I'm stuck up; I should give The Olive Garden a chance. I'm just a big bitch." So I did. Then I took one bite of what tasted like a bicycle tire, and knew I was right to shun The Garden.
If and when you do drag a WTS into a nice restaurant, you will be met with many challenges. First of all, you've already accomplished the hard part: you got him in. He sits down and begins to examine the room, you try to have a conversation with him, but he's too busy investigating the people in the restaurant. "They're all judging me, I don't belong here," the WTS thinks to himself. The WTS will quickly try to regain confidence by mocking fellow patrons. "Look at these douchebags in their polos, who are these people?" says the WTS. The WTS will pay no attention to the obese fanny pack/scrunchy wearing tourist who feels right at home—this would go against his set of beliefs about the evil restaurant.
Next, the WTS looks at the menu. The WTS's confidence plummets as he becomes confused with the food descriptions. "What's pizza margherita? I like pizza and I like margaritas!" Once again, the WTS will ridicule the food items to bolster his self-esteem. The WTS will order something simple, like spaghetti, thus not taking advantage of the fine dishes the restaurant has to offer. When your meal arrives, the WTS will look at your plate and scowl, "I don't eat duck/lamb/venison/scallops." At this point, you may probe the WTS. "Come on, have you ever tried it? Take a bite." But the WTS will refuse and instead gobble up his safe spaghetti. He will certainly not expand his horizons, therefore dooming him from ever escaping the WTS cage he has imprisoned himself in.
Let's now examine a meal price comparison between The Olive Garden in Vallejo, CA (a white trash haven) and Uva in Napa, CA (a nice, moderately-priced Italian restaurant).
The Olive Garden | Uva | |||
Food | Price | Food | Price | |
Appetizer | Calamari | $9.50 | Calamari Fritti | $8.50 |
Entrée | Manicotti Formaggio | $13.75 | Linguine con Melanzane | $13.50 |
Dessert | Black Tie Mousse Cake | $6.75 | Chocolate budino, pistachio gelato, farmer's market bing cherries | $7.00 |
Booze (1 bottle for the lonely alcoholic) | Pinot Grigio Bottega Vinaia | $31 | Chandon Brut Classic | $32 |
Total | $61 | $61 | ||
See, WTS, it's the same price. The Uva also has these added benefits: no corkage fee, live music, and a bar with attractive and youthful singles. Plus, the fine staff at Uva allowed me to bring a penis cake for a friend's birthday.
I'm not here to mock you, WTS—okay, I am, but go on, it's Christmas, have a scallop! I promise you, it's delicious! Moreover, Jesus was a fisherman, he'd want you to eat it. Nice restaurants are there to be enjoyed, not to intimidate you. Why not try a non-chain restaurant for once? Applequeefs will still be there next week, it's not going anywhere.
But the most important lesson is this: do not invite me to The Olive Garden; if I want to gnaw a rubber tire, I'll steal a child's bicycle.
*Obviously, women can be WTSs too, it just sounded awkward to keep saying "his or her" and "their."
















18 Comments
Who pays 61 dollars for a dinner for 1?
I can have a whole bottle of wine and like 20 packages of Ramen for 10 bucks.
Now THAT'S good eatin.
x speaks the truth
I dont think people who eat at chain resturants are white trash, they just have poor taste in food. To qualify with the prestegious title of white trash one must live in a run down trailer park and be willing to knife a member of their family for the last piece of chicken in the bucket.
X, I believe you mean "jug" of red wine, which just makes your point even more poignant - why would I spend $61 on a meal when I can spend $10 on a gallon of Rosi and a bunch of Ramens?
I had a breakup conversation that went like this once:
Jake: What's your favorite restaurant?
Lauren: Galatoire's in New Orleans. Expensive, but totally worth it. What's yours?
Jake: Olive Garden...
Lauren: This isn't gonna work...we're obviously two very different kinds of people.
Maybe this is just me...but jesus does your picture make you look like "Sweet Dee" from It's Always Sunny. I meant that as a compliment. also, LCD, lamesauce.
Actually, this phenomenon is not limited to "white trash", it's universal, but thanks for bringing your ugly racism to the table. Familiarity is a strong motivator for food, people like to eat the same thing again and again. The culinary adventurousness currently in fashion is unprecedented among the masses. Frankly, a chain restaurant serves reliable food, if frozen and microwaved, while local restaurants are hit-and-miss, and the food can vary (the food was crap because I went during the head chef's vacation?).
You should try getting a Chinese worker to eat a sandwich. They'll flat-out refuse that weird food, I know, I've tried. They like to eat the same damn noodles they eat every day. Try getting an indigenous Bolivian indian into Uva. Familiar food is just a characteristic of the working class. Putting race into the issue is just projection.
Since when did we become afraid to get our hands dirty by acknowledging un-PC stereotypes that are nevertheless instantly recognizable? Your point that because other people patronize familiar food purveyors, Ms Parks' observations constitute racism is absurd. The charge of racism itself is being overused by people like you who find it convenient shorthand for an argument they can't make.
I hear you sister. These places without flashy commercials are so dangerous and spooky.
I hate white people and I don't care if the whole world knows it!!
Perhaps the most pretentious and shallow article I have read on here for a long time. Allison you come across as a pseudo-intellectual. I completely agree with anonymous above.
Your article reminded me of this Harry and Paul sketch http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=sw90F-twDFY&feature=related
I agree, this is a pretty shallow piece. It also could could be considered racialist if not racist. Why not substitute "poor black trash" or better yet the N-word for white trash? I am sure many of the stereotypes you mentioned could still be believable.
If you want to talk about stereotypes, you perfectly personify the stereotypical California yuppy.
I agree, this is a pretty shallow piece. It also could could be considered racialist if not racist. Why not substitute "poor black trash" or better yet the N-word for white trash? I am sure many of the stereotypes you mentioned could still be believable.
If you want to talk about stereotypes, you perfectly personify the stereotypical California yuppy.
I agree, this is a pretty shallow piece. It also could could be considered racialist if not racist. Why not substitute "poor black trash" or better yet the N-word for white trash? I am sure many of the stereotypes you mentioned could still be believable.
If you want to talk about stereotypes, you perfectly personify the stereotypical California yuppy.
Good article, but you missed a couple of key indicators of White Trashism…
1) When the server arrives to take your order true White Trash Snob will act like they are being mortally offended; they slowly rotate their head away from the server making a face like they’re about to kill someone for ‘daring’ to ask them anything.
2) The article above correctly pointed out that White Trash will ALWAYS insult your choice of food as too wimpy or gay. “Rabbit Food” is the preferred denigration* followed by “Gook Food”.
3) * don’t use big words like “denigration” around White Trash Snobs.
4) White Trash Snobs, instead of saying ‘Dig In’ or ‘Bon Appetite’ will instead ALWAYS say the word ‘Puke’. But they have to mumble a couple of indecipherable syllables then finish with ‘…puke, man’. Don’t bother asking what words preceded puke because there weren’t any words, just mumbled syllables.
5) White Trash Snobs ALWAYS do this with their first bite of food; 1) suck the food off the fork, 2) chew three times, once every other second but very short abrupt chews, then say… 5) ‘this food is fucking puke, man’ If one White Trash Snob says it’s puke, no other White Trash Snob will ever disagree.
6) White Trash Snobs ALWAYS suck the food off their forks then choke, cough and curse when the food hits the back of their throat.
7) White Trash Snobs never leave one penny tip, they even walk back and steal the tip you left for the waitress… “If she wants a tip she can blow me!”
8) White Trash Snobs love to speak their brain-dead “philosophies” at full volume with an abundance of profanity, so very last person knows they’re scum.
All the above have happened to me too many times to count.
HIGHLIGHT:
My White Trash Princess ex-girlfriend once sent back her steak because it was too well-done. When a nice rare steak arrived she claimed that they just “uncooked” the well-done steak and served it back to her – but she wasn’t falling for it.
When I pointed out that she had cut her previous steak in half, she said “So what? They fixed it!” Of course all this she shouted loud enough so people in the parking lot could hear. It was my birthday dinner – along with my boss & his wife.
I almost forgot some Key White Trash Indicators…
1) ONLY hold cutlery with clenched fists.
2) Lower chin to fork/spoon, do NOT raise spoon to mouth. Chin should submerge in food at least every third mega-slurp.
3) Always shove food in your mouth halfway through every sentence. Talking with a mouthful of soup may seem impossible, but don’t give up – just try it! You have to tilt your head back and use your lower lip as a dam.
4) When taking a bite of a sandwich (sang-gwitch) always leave at least 30% of the bite hanging from your mouth while you chew. Saves time not having to take another bite later.
5) ALWAYS make the “satisfied sound” (MMM-AAAHHHHH!) loudly after each drink. ALWAYS belch after every third bite of food then say “In some countries it’s a compliment!”
6) Loudly suck each fingertip clean, repeatedly throughout the meal.
7) Light a smoke while people are still eating. Tell anyone "F#ck you! It’s my right!” if they’re gay enough to complain.
/sarcasm off
ANOTHER HIGHLIGHT
18 of us flew to Las Vegas for a wedding. The reception was at Caesar’s Palace and was very fancy-schmancy. The women we’re done up like royalty, all us men had rented tuxedos. It was supposed to be real nice… but…
the best man insisted on wearing his ratty old “MercCruiser” ball cap throughout the wedding and reception (with a tux!). At the reception dinner at Caesar’s Palace (one of the nicest meals I ever had) he demanded a grilled cheese sandwich (the only thing he ever eats). A scene nearly erupted when the waiter laughed - thinking he was joking. He was only 27 but looked older than the father of the bride who was in his late fifties. Five packs a day will do that.
He (the best man) even lit up during the wedding ceremony “And do you Don take this woman… (*click* puff ) … to… be… your…”
To the complainers...
It's not about race, it's about class.
Or, more accurately, lack thereof.
My boss eats stacks of pancakes... with his fingers.
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