Porn star martini Pizza Express

[Flour8977]

Why are Pizza Express advertising 'Porn Star Martinis' on every table at their restaurants? AIBU to find this disgusting for a family restaurant? I don't really wish to explain to my 6 year old what it is.

@Flour8977

For what it's worth the staff also found it appalling and said they kept complaining to head office about it.

They had a giggle at your expense I reckon op

Best you not go to iceland soon as you past the freezer with spotted dick in you'll be keeling over

"Mum, what does spotted dick mean?"
"It's a kind of pudding, dear - it's called that because it's speckled or spotted on the surface and dick is an old regional word meaning pudding. It's also a nickname that some men called Richard are known by, but 'Rick' or 'Rich' tend to be more popular abbreviations for Richard these days."

"Mum, what's a porn star martini?"
"It's a cocktail, dear - an alcoholic drink for adults."
"What does the name mean?"
"Martini is just the name of a particular mixture of two drinks - it's from the brand name of an Italian drinks-maker."
"And the porn star bit - what does that mean?"
"Eeeerrrrrrmmmmm "

@Carriemac

I asked for a ' traffics and abused woman' martini once when DS insisted he wanted one . The kids ( in ther 20s) were mortified but no way would I say 'porn star ' Martini - I'm not a prude but I am a feminist

The male gay porn industry (no pun intended ) is huge

Say it's someone who's great at chess.

A pawn star.

Totally agree OP - drop them an email and suggest they save the promotions for later in the evenings.

It's mad that posters feel like they have to justify not being a prude or a pearl clutcher when talking about this.

I was a stripper for years, I've worked with porn stars. I've seen what happens. How women who are making the choice to do porn are treated. I'm a prude and proud. When you work within the industry you see how truly grim it is.

Using porn star in day to day language, especially in front of children legitimises the sex industry as normal and ok, and it's absolutely not. It might be "just a cocktail" but it goes much deeper than that and it shouldn't be encouraged.

I've just seen them called "Passion fruit martini's" in other places.

There is no reason as a family restaurant they could not have done this if they wanted to sell them. People still know what they are.

YANBU

A petition should be started to retire the name industry wide and replace it with something memorable but less offensive. I doubt the Daily Mail would be picking up on that suggestion though!

I agree with you OP.
I've emailed them about it and suggest others do also

It's normalising and introducing porn to children. It really is

Quite apart from the fact that the name 'Pornstar Martini' is so unbelievably naff that it makes me wince every time I hear or see it, you are right OP. Not suitable for a family restaurant (and my 6 year old is at the stage of reading out loud everything she can see so I'd definitely have some explaining to do!)

If it's any consolation Slug & Lettuce heavily advertise these and my children have been going a lot since birth and never asked about them. They've also heard them mentioned a lot at home and again never brought them up.

May be desensitised and just not listening to us talk but if they did ask I'd just say it's a drink like the other ones.

YANBU OP. I hate the name - as if porn star is something good. M&S call it a passion star martini - which is less in your face. Pornstar martini normalises an industry which is terribly harmful to everyone and no way should it be advertised in a family restaurant- nightclub probably fair enough but I still think it’s an awful name.

I’m with you OP.

I’m not shaken to my core, but it is inappropriate in a family restaurant, and it’s easy enough to just call it a passion fruit martini.

* And the porn star bit - what does that mean?"*

Dancing without wearing much
Now, who’s for dessert

I also think it’s much better just to say “passion fruit martini” in a family restaurant

They’re really nice though!

Reminds me that I saw 'Pornstar Martini...with a cheeky side of bubbles!' on a Mother's Day lunch menu last weekend. Bubbles is another word I absolutely despise misses point of thread

Yanbu it shows how entrenched porn culture is that so many think it's ok.

And I bet it's horrible. Their Negronis are and you wouldn't think it was possible to mess up such a simple drink.

@Tigofigo

Pretty sure M&S changed the name of theirs too, to something like passion star martini.

Why is it called that in the first place? Shit name.

Why is it called that in the first place? So men can have a little snigger whenever a woman orders one of these drinks - and tell me to "lighten up love" when I object.

It's normalising and introducing porn to children. It really is

It really isn't. Unless the advert is way more explicit than I am imagining.

It's just a name that is in poor taste.

As an aside, TGIF also have them.

@girlmom21

Unless your child has heard the term 'porn star' separately to seeing the advertisement they wouldn't question it.

Do you want it taken off the menu too?

Are they allowed to serve spotted dick?

Are they allowed to serve spotted dick?

Why did this make me laugh so much😂

Seriously tho, since when does a 6 year old even know what a pornstar is? They can ask what a pornstar martini is and you’ll tell them it’s a drink with adults that has alcohol in it. Surely it’s not that big of a deal?

The company I work for bought over a business that makes ready made porn star martinis.

They were promptly renamed passionfruit martinis and we are not allowed to refer to them as anything else!

It’s really not just about 6 years olds.

It’s about 10, 11, 12, 13YOs - and pretty much any age above that - and the fact that it normalises porn to them.

Maybe some people have been living under a rock, don’t have kids or don’t know anything about parenting. But porn’s not actually suitable for kids.

And it’s not really that hard for a family restaurant just to go with the million other cocktail options available.

Many bars and restaurant aimed at adults don’t even serve porn star martinis because they’re tacky, and there are better cocktails out there.

It’s just a drink. Lots of pubs and restaurants call themselves family restaurants but if you take your child to a licensed restaurant there’s obviously a good chance they could see a cocktail advertisement. No need to go explaining the porn industry to them, just move the sign off your table.

6yo Mum what’s a porn star martini
Me: a drink with alcohol for adults
Job done