Order Up! Classic American Diner Slang
Instructions: Walk behind the lunch counter of a classic American diner and decode the colorful secret language that short-order cooks used to call out orders from the 1920s through the 1960s.
- 1.
When a counter man called out "Adam and Eve on a raft," what was he ordering from the kitchen?
ATwo fried eggs on a biscuitBTwo poached eggs on toastCTwo scrambled eggs on toastDA bacon-and-egg sandwich on white bread - 2.
If a cook received an order for "Adam and Eve on a raft" and then heard "wreck them," what did that mean?
ACancel the order immediatelyBAdd extra butter to the toastCServe everything on one plateDScramble the eggs instead of poaching them - 3.
What did a short-order cook do when the counter man yelled "burn the British"?
AToast an English muffinBAdd Worcestershire sauce to the dishCCook the roast beef extra well doneDMake extra-crispy bacon strips - 4.
In classic American diner lingo, what did it mean when an order was called "on wheels"?
AThe food should be served on a rolling cartBThe customer wanted the order to go, as takeoutCThe order was a rush and should be cooked firstDAdd extra butter so it slides off the griddle - 5.
A customer sitting at the lunch counter ordered "one in the dark." What arrived in front of them?
AA glass of unsweetened iced teaBA black coffeeCA dark beer served in a mugDHot chocolate with no whipped cream - 6.
What was a diner cook serving when the order called for "bossy in a bowl"?
ABeef stewBChicken noodle soupCMeatloaf with brown gravyDVegetable soup with marrow bones - 7.
When a diner customer told the counter man to "hold the hail," what were they asking for?
ANo salt on the foodBNo whipped cream on dessertCNo crackers on the sideDNo ice in their drink - 8.
The cook heard "paint it red" tacked onto an order. What did that tell them to add?
AA dash of hot sauceBA cup of tomato soup on the sideCKetchupDMarinara sauce - 9.
What did a diner counter man mean when he called out for "cow juice"?
AHeavy cream for a coffee drinkBMilkCBeef broth for the soup potDButter for the griddle - 10.
In American diner lingo from the 1920s through the 1960s, what was "a stack"?
AA pile of buttered white toastBA double-decker cheeseburgerCA club sandwich stacked three layers highDA short stack of pancakes - 11.
Which familiar table staple did diner workers call "dog biscuits"?
ACrackersBHard pretzel sticksCBreadsticksDStrips of rye toast - 12.
Diner workers had a wonderfully descriptive nickname for a wobbly, jiggly dessert. What did they call "nervous pudding"?
ATapioca puddingBWarm bread puddingCJell-O or gelatinDA rice pudding with raisins - 13.
What fruit appeared on the menu under the diner slang term "looseners"?
ABran muffinsBPrunesCStewed apricotsDFigs - 14.
What did a customer receive at a classic lunch counter when the counter man called out "dog soup"?
AA small cup of light chicken brothBA bowl of beef-and-vegetable stewCA plain glass of waterDA hot dog with all the trimmings - 15.
If a diner customer ordered a sandwich "high and dry," what did that tell the cook?
AServe it plain, without any butter, mayonnaise, or condimentsBToast the bread extra dark and skip the garnish plateCDouble the meat portion and leave off the picklesDStack it tall and serve it without a side dish