To have only just understood this pun...

[Cardboardeaux]

In a book I'm currently reading, a character talks about putting some coffee on the hob "to perk". I hadn't heard that use of the word "perk" before but it obviously derives from "percolate".

But then I realised... Central Perk (the coffee shop in Friends)!

Obviously I got the "Central Park" bit of the pun but it has taken me 25 years to get the "Perk" bit.

AIBU to think I can't be the only one not to have twigged?

I'm in the UK, couldn't stand Friends, but it was always obvious it was a play on percolate. The "perk you up" alternative never occurred to me.

DM had a coffee percolator so I always knew Central Perk was a play on Central Park and perulating coffee.

Literally never got it until this thread! Perk for percolate isn’t really a thing in British English.

Thank you, OP! For years I just thought it was about Central Park 😂

I always assumed it was because coffee “perks” you up. And so if you went to central perk you were getting “perked up” in the middle of manhattan

Sweet Jesus. I hate Friends but this isn’t a revelation, it’s the fucking obvious

- I never knew this! Thanks OP what a revelation. I used to watch Friends all the time and never tweaked..just thought it was a play of words on Central Park!

it is a play on Central Park. The question is what play did YOU think it was?

I think the poster that said ‘thick as mince’ proudly was onto something

Have you misunderstood perhaps?

Everyone knows it’s a play on Central Park. The bit that is “new” to most of us is that it is perk as an abbreviation for percolate, not perk as in coffee perks you up.

Me too. I'm astonished so many didn't get it before!

@Howdoesitworkagain yes I get that. I’m British, in my 40s and I know what a coffee percolator is.

I’m confused what kind of a play on Central Park the poster thought it was if it wasn’t about coffee percolators.

Likewise

I grew up with having a percolator and own one now - but never heard the abbreviation perk. I think I normally called it the “coffee machine” or “filter coffee machine” or just spoke about “putting a pot of coffee on” and didn’t mention perking etc. I don’t know it as a British abbreviation at all.

@Howdoesitworkagain they still exist?! I just remember my parents having one in the late 80s / 90s

I aways thought it was a pun on 'perk you up', not perculator coffee

Are you still confused though, after reading the multiple posts saying people thought it was about coffee perking you up? Several people have explained it in their posts. And yet you’re claiming confusion and calling them all “thick as mince”.

They do 🤣
Mine is in the garage though, I have a bean to cup machine with a group head and milk steamer etc now so don’t really have a need for it but don’t want to get rid of it.

No you’re not, you’re just too young to know of coffee percolators. You’ve grown up with coffee machines.
One of those damn things you put on a hob once exploded showering me with broken glass and scalding hot coffee. Never used one again.

I am now wondering whether people in the US use the term 'perk up' at all, or is that just a UK phrase?

As a UK native, I have certainly never in my life heard anyone use the verb 'perk' in place of percolate.

I'm not a native speaker and this is the first time I've ever seen the word percolate. So makes sense.

I always thought it was central park+ coffee makes you perk up/perky (as in energized) 😁

In our family everything was abbreviated. Coffee perc, was what is was called in our house and perc coffee was what was drunk as the product (as in perc or insta?).

I've heard of a coffee percolator, but never heard it shortened to perc, so it never occurred to me. Mind you, I never thought about it because friends is shit

I thought this too

Always understood this and would be surprised if others didn't

Same

most people don't spend their lives pondering on the etymology of real shops and businesses, let alone fictional ones....

Some quite rude responses pretending to be shocked that anyone couldn't have possibly worked it out, it's hardly as if percolate is a hugely common word. Lots of people don't drink coffee at all, of those that do many drink instant only...and even more just wouldn't bother thinking or caring about the meaning behind the name of a random coffee shop in a 30 year old show....

Yes, that's what I thought

I've got a coffee percolator, so know the word, but never heard anyone use coffee perk, or spell it like that. I too thought it referred to coffee perking you up