# What does a French teen boy eat? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 8, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038 "2011-10-08T23:56:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/41 "2011-10-11T20:41:27Z")
> [@brix11](#): > > He might also get a laugh out of visiting someplace like [Shady Maple](http://shady-maple.com/smorgasbord). That was my favorite place to go for breakfast when I lived in PA. The foods they had for lunch/dinner were good, don’t get me wrong, but the breakfast buffet was freakin’ killer! ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/42 "2011-10-11T20:41:56Z")
> [@brix11](#): > > He might also get a laugh out of visiting someplace like [Shady Maple](http://shady-maple.com/smorgasbord). I’m assuming that this a parody place, but if not, is this a genuine thing on their menu? > [@](#): > > Gastric Bypass Surgery Policy > Year #1 – 50% off base price. > Year #2 – 10% off base price. > Year #3 – 0% off base price. > Incomplete Documentation – 0% off base price. > To receive the reduced price you must provide the following documentation! > > 1. Photo ID > 2. Gastric Bypass Card with Patient Name and Date Of Original Surgery. > 3. Proof of Surgery via a Doctors Signature or other Documentation. > > ``` > Note this policy is intended as a short-term price adjustment to accomodate a person whose intake is limited due to gastric bypass surgery. > > ``` :dubious: Here’s the menu I grabbed that text from: [Smorgasbord Pricing and Hours](http://shady-maple.com/smorgasbord/daily-menu-pricing) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/43 "2011-10-11T21:23:15Z")
People who have had gastric bypass surgery can eat only very small amounts, so I think the discount for such patients is genuine. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/44 "2011-10-11T21:32:20Z")
Sounds like no problem. Whe I’m traveling, even though I’m very interested in local cuisine - I find that a familiar breakfast is soothing. Maybe have some fresh croissants and choclate on hand. A mild spreadable cheese and some fresh fruit. yogurt. Nothign too fancy, just recognizable. He’ll probably reach past it for a sausage biscuit though. . . ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2011, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/45 "2011-10-11T22:39:44Z")
Lots and lots of foie gras ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/46 "2011-10-12T00:03:48Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > People who have had gastric bypass surgery can eat only very small amounts, so I think the discount for such patients is genuine. Could they not just order a bit less food? Like, in the past? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/47 "2011-10-12T00:22:59Z")
It’s a buffet-style restaurant, so, no, you can’t just order less food. I’ll bet what happened is that a gastric bypass patient complained that they shouldn’t have to pay the same rate as everyone else, given that they were only going to eat a small amount. So the restaurant discounted their meal, but perhaps someone falsely claimed to be such a patient and ended up eating far more than such a patient would be capable of. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/48 "2011-10-12T00:28:17Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > It’s a buffet-style restaurant, so, no, you can’t just order less food. I’ll bet what happened is that a gastric bypass patient complained that they shouldn’t have to pay the same rate as everyone else, given that they were only going to eat a small amount. So the restaurant discounted their meal, but perhaps someone falsely claimed to be such a patient and ended up eating far more than such a patient would be capable of. Oh. Well, there’s a thing. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2011, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/49 "2011-10-13T23:23:38Z")
I’m very reluctant to reinforce the “fat American” vibe that I think many counties may have of us, and a trip to Shady Maple (yep, I’ve been there) may push ME over the edge. All the food you can poke down with a stick. Not to hijack my own thread, but buffets are a very unique environment and I don’t think I want to be the one to introduce anyone (especially not someone visiting from another country) to that environment. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/50 "2011-10-14T08:42:20Z")
Buffets exist in other countries, and sadly people everywhere seem to have the notion that being in one means you _have_ to eat until you feel like you’re bursting. I don’t: I’ve been asked more than once whether I was ok, whether that was all I was going to eat… I used to live close to a Chinese buffet and I liked going there for lunch before a movie, or for dinner after - they’d charge me less than the usual price because I _only_ took two trips to the buffet! ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2011, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/51 "2011-10-14T23:55:44Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > A quick web search indicates in most states it is ok for parents to allow there own children to consume alcohol in the home, however they can’t serve it to other peoples children. From [here.](http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/YouthIssues/20071112204048.html)… Also the agency handling the exchange probally has extremely strict rules on the matter that prohibit him from drinking alcohol (other than Communion) regardless of whether it would be allowed under state law. That’s usually one of the big no-nos (along with illegal drug use or driving). ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/52 "2011-10-15T00:10:44Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > I think the point of the exchange is so that they can be fully immersed in the culture. Have him eat what everyone else is eating and don’t worry about it, is my advice. This, and reinforced by his e-mail. Just cook what you’d have cooked anyways. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Niply\_Elder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8e8cbc/32.png) [@The\_Niply\_Elder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Niply_Elder)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/53 "2011-10-15T06:52:05Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > He’s not French, he’s Nigerian. Run! 😃 You mean Nigérien? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![phall0106](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phall0106/32/5934_2.png) [@phall0106](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phall0106)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/54 "2011-10-15T14:27:25Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Also the agency handling the exchange probally has extremely strict rules on the matter that prohibit him from drinking alcohol (other than Communion) regardless of whether it would be allowed under state law. That’s usually one of the big no-nos (along with illegal drug use or driving). You are correct. We’ve been provided with a handbook for both the host family and the student. Alcohol consumption (and driving and illegal drug use) are stictly prohibited by the exchange program. (This was the same many years ago when Hallgirl 2 spent a year in Istanbul under a different exchange program.) If a person under the age of 21 would like to consume alcohol in the United States and their parents are cool with that, then let their PARENTS serve it to them. It won’t be me, regardless of cultural norms, religious practices or any other justification that folks can come up with. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/55 "2011-10-15T14:54:32Z")
No one was saying you should serve him alcohol. They were merely correcting the misinformation in post #22. Other countries think America is puritanical enough as it is, we don’t need to make ourselves look even worse. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/56 "2011-10-15T15:10:00Z")
I mentioned this thread to my own seventeen-year-old, bicultural Norwegian/American son. His answer was: “He’s a teenaged boy. He’ll eat anything that isn’t encased in concrete.” ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038/57 "2011-10-15T16:11:31Z")
And if he finds a hammer drill, well all bets are off. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-a-french-teen-boy-eat/599038.md?page=2)