Serviettes. Did I ask for something strange?

[ALongHardWinter]

There were no serviettes on the stand for sauces,straws etc so I asked the server for some. He gave me a funny look and said 'Some what?' I repeated my request but he still looked blank. So I said 'Tissues?'. He said 'Oh right. I've never heard them called serviettes'. Really? That's what I've always called them. Anyone else encountered a blank look when asking for a supposedly common place item?

There are napkins and paper napkins. I think serviette is not a word used often anymore-can’t think of the last time I heard it used actually.

I grew up in the 70s with serviettes, pardon, settee and lounge. And not forgetting the poufee.

It's bog and afters here thatsquiteenough

I know what a serviette is but I am thankful to say I have never seen one.

I am tempted to say bollocks ;-)

It's interesting that in the UK using any French word where an english one exists is ............declasse ! ha ha.

Reminds me of that made up quote by George Bush...

'The French don't even have a word for entrepreneur'

Perhaps you were looking at Russian napkins........

They’re known as Soviettes!

Ta da boom!

I still say serviettes for the ones made of paper. Cloth ones I call napkins.

For context: I am in the South East, w/c upbringing, aged 40ish.

Hadn’t read the thread but that’s one of my favourite jokes.

Sorry.

Ha ha!

Buggerit, that made me laugh :-)

I’m also wtf at Bertrand’s comment
I know what a serviette is but I am thankful to say I have never seen one.

Really? Never eaten in a pub/been to a child’s party or a picnic?

Cloth = napkins
Paper = paper napkins

Serviettes = beyond the pale, somewhere actually worse than pardon

We had v serious lessons on this at prep school.

Remember though that napkin is also the full name for what we now call a nappy.

In the US, pads used for menstruation are technically called sanitary napkins, although most people just say pads.

DH asked for some serviettes yesterday at McDonalds as there weren't any where the straws etc. are, and a teenager brought us some straight away

I think Bertrand was being sarcastic - she / he is a dark horse that one!

In France, what are the paper ones in the dispensers next to the ashtrays called?

“I know what a serviette is but I am thankful to say I have never seen one.

I am tempted to say bollocks ;-)”

I am tempted to say that you don’t know your Wilde.

oh my good i forgot about our poufee!! i now say footstool.

We also had a bidet too. My mum refused to live anywhere without one. we moved 3 times and it was the first thing which had to be installed.

It was like living with Del Boy!

Serviettes here

Serviettes are also what was used to clear up after gay sex on hampstead Heath.
Please also remember - "lavatory" is a place you go to and "toilet" is something you do

I'm working class and I avoid the dilemma about which word to use by wiping my face on my sleeve.

cousin helen you meant were rather than was of course .

It's bog and wireless btw. Somewhere or other serviettes are for arse wiping in the bog I fink.

''we had it drummed in to us that serviettes was common''

Wow, I love how in Ireland, saying serviette says nothing about you. Saying mantelpiece says nothing about you. You don't have to watch what you say all the time. Pudding dessert toilet loo.. Nobody really cares. You are judged on your accent, your clothes, your job, your house! your friends! it's not some utopian classless society, so far from it but these threads never cease to astonish me. That somebody's parents would say to their child ''serviette is common''.