British WWI Menu Etiquette

“Vegetables, whether two or three, eaten with meat, do not count as a course, but taken as a complete dish, whether in a vegetarian restaurant or elsewhere, they become a course. There appears to be nothing to prevent anyone, except his patriotism, going to one hotel and consuming the regulation meal, and then proceeding to another establishment and concluding his dinner…” 
World War I food rationing in England, from sugar to bread. — Image source Pinterest 

PUBLIC'S RECEPTION OF THE NEW MENUS

Effect in Restaurants — Some Problems

The order limiting the number of courses at meals came into operation yesterday, and although a few anomalies arose, and some knotty problems presented themselves, the first day of what is a revolutionary change in the habits of Englishmen passed off without hardly a serious grumble.

Vegetables, whether two or three, eaten with meat, do not count as a course, but taken as a complete dish, whether in a vegetarian restaurant or elsewhere, they become a course. There appears to be nothing to prevent anyone, except his patriotism, going to one hotel and consuming the regulation meal, and then proceeding to another establishment and concluding his dinner.

One effect of the restriction has been an increase in the size of the portion given in one case the whole sole being provided, where hitherto only half was allowed. Americans who favour “freak” dishes, such as chicken with the hors d'œuvres, found that by so doing the course became a whole one.

In many of the West-end establishments some of the late customers were officers, who had just arrived on leave from the front, and were unaware of the date of the order coming into force. To these the restricted menus came as a complete surprise. — The Telegraph, 1916

 🍽Etiquette Enthusiast, Maura J. Graber of The RSVP Institute of Etiquette, is the Site Editor for the Etiquipedia© Etiquette Encyclopedia