- Charlie, 24, from New Jersey, went viral on TikTok after sharing her thoughts
- The mother eats at the Wetherspoon pub and the Toby Carvery, both chain restaurants
- Some people agreed with her, but others argued that she went to the wrong places
An American woman has sparked a heated debate about British food and the UK’s most popular restaurant chains after insisting “everything is terrible”.
Charli, who grew up in the South and now lives in New Jersey, went viral on TikTok after claiming that her food was not wanted during her trip abroad.
The 24-year-old mother noted that she was picked up by locals who took her to a Wetherspoons pub and a Toby Carvery, both restaurant chains.
“In the last year it has been very popular to indulge in British food. But I’m here to tell you that you’re not wrong, right? she began her nearly three-minute video.
“I went to the UK. I had a variety of food while I was there. Locals showed me around. So for all you Brits, I went to Wetherspoons. I went to Toby’s. I did have ‘proper Chinese,’ she added in a British accent. “Everything is terrible.”
For American viewers, Charlie explained that Wetherspoons was the equivalent of a British Chili’s or Applebee’s, saying it was “nothing special”.
“I went to see Toby,” she continued. “If you’ve ever been to a Golden Corral, that’s the best I can explain.”
Charlie claims that the British claim that the US doesn’t have fireplaces, but there are, and they are “better than anything they can imagine.”
“If you’ve ever been to a Brazilian steakhouse in the United States, it doesn’t compare,” she said. “A Toby could never touch it.”
The content creator went on to describe Nando’s – another chain also available in the US – as a “soft version of Chipotle”.
“It’s really nothing great,” she said. “But I will tell you, it was the only thing I could eat consistently in the UK. Everything else was a gamble. You all don’t use spices.
Charlie shared that she also had Chinese food in Bath, a city in England, and the only word she could think of to describe it was “suicide”.
“It’s not good,” she said, making gasping noises. “Even the worst Chinese I’ve had in America can’t compare to the horror. It really is as bad as you think.
“I’ve never tried.” Indian food while I was there,” she noted. “So I’m not going to tear the UK down completely because as far as I know, Indian food in the UK is a hit.”
Charlie’s video has been viewed one million times and received more than 7,600 comments since it was posted on November 1.
Many critics were quick to agree with her and vilify British food, including some Americans who live there.
“An American’s guide to good British food (from someone who has lived in the UK for 1.5 years): 1. Nando’s is it,” wrote one person.
“They literally took over the spice trade JUST NOT TO USE ANY OF THEMMMMMMM,” joked someone else.
“My mum has traveled to about 50 countries for work and she said the food in England is the worst she’s ever had anywhere in the world,” added another.
Others think the food is great and question its taste.
“But who doesn’t love fish and chips and sausage rolls? Or full English? asked one fan.
“I had the best food there! I went to the Pheasant Inn near Heathrow. Best meal of my life! I went to the Foxes Den in Bristol. Phenomenal!’ someone else shared.
“I was in England recently and we had great British food. Pie and porridge, cakes and porridge, fish and chips,’ agreed another.
There were also many people who thought she couldn’t be taken seriously because she mostly frequented chain restaurants.
“I’m an American living in the UK and Wetherspoons is only for drinking pitchers and medium onion rings,” explained one expat.
“If anyone told you to go to Toby’s and Spoons for real British food, they were kidding you and you were hooked,” replied someone else.