exploiting the homesick

In an effort to appease Mandeep's craving for jalepeno poppers five of us went to TGIFridays in Wencesles Square.

This is the hamburger I had.

We also had a plate of nachos to split between everyone. $11. This is expensive for Prague, but my burger was also going to be about $12 so I figured, "hey, American restaurant, American pricing." Oh the nachos were split-able alright. If EIGHT nachos is split-able.

You may be thinking right now, Oh Jessica, don't exaggerate but I am not. Literally, 8 nachoes in a circle around the plate with enough sour cream in the middle to not only feed the entire state of Texas but also to more than handle our EIGHT nachos.

The exploitation of tourists aside, I had a few thoughts while I was there eating. Earlier this semester (I'm not sure if I wrote about this or not) we talked in class about how people go to eat "foreign" food--be it Chinese, Indian etc,--to get an "ethnic experience". They don't only eat the food, but they are immersed, momentarily, in that culture. Music, decor, even sometimes the servers are designed to create an "other-worldly" experience for those literally consuming within the establishment. An experience which fits the stereotypical view of the culture, regardless of whether it is realistic or not. What I decided though was that TGIFridays was the exact opposite of this.

It was designed to allow for an experience of a culture, yes. But there was not a single Czech person in there, save for the waitresses who were wearing baseball caps and Office-Space like flare all over their uniforms. The experience does not offer foreign excitement--it offers a piece of home, comfort and familiarity. It offers Heinz ketchup, ribs, and an english speaking menu. And for this, even the most budget-savvy traveler pays the $11 for 8 nachos. Where the rest of the world is "an other-worldly experience", it is the restuarant that offers the safe haven--and it is the comfort that is consumed.