Interesting advice. Not sure what you mean by actually ‘befriend locals and eat what they eat.’ My husband was born in London. Additionally, I have launched several Michelin star restaurant TikTok accounts in London as well as present at restaurant industry conferences in the UK. This success has been covered in international media publications. I’ve visited countless restaurants since moving here in 2013 and am frequently invited as a guest to enjoy restaurant menus or launch parties for new venues. You can see all of this on my social media pages.

I highly disagree on the food. The UK has very bland food, the things they eat daily. A restaurant is different. Many are not run by those from the UK but other areas like the Middle East, Africa, USA. Therefore a restaurant cannot convey the way every day UK people eat. Beans and toast is a prized breakfast item to them. Seasonings are few and far between. Their diet is loaded with fats, carbs and fried foods are the norm. I’m glad you experienced the restaurants beiing tasty…but next time actually befriend a few locals and eat what they eat.

It is interesting to read about others experiences. But I do wonder if many realise that the UK is not London. London is the capital city of England. There are four countries in the UK and London is not one of them. There is so much more to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you cone to the UK, don’t spend all your time in one city! That would be like me going to the US and spending all my time in one city. A real waste of an opportunity to see far more.
We are a small…tiny country so travelling doesn’t take as long as it would in the US.

Lol yeah he was messing with you. They are more than capable in ways you cannot imagine. They don’t need guns for that but if they are required, that is also not an issue.

The police generally don’t carry firearms except for airports and special forces. If there is an incident that needs dealing with that requires an armed response, you can bet within minutes they have turned up and taken out the person/s as required.
We don’t need everyone armed. Much less drama and less fear. We can approach police and talk to them without issue and even to ask directions.

That is odd and would likely get that staff member fired. Tipping is not law nor is it expected for the most part. If someone had done that to me, I would have turned around and demanded to speak to the manager for such rudeness. I’m British and have never come across such an act in all my 52 years.

I find, in the States, Walmart has killed a lot of stores. As you drive around, there are few choices other than Walmart, as in Canada, we still have all those other stores to go to. Full service stores, like Canadian Tire, Loblaws, Sobeys, etc. Lots of big choices other that Walmart. I find Walmart is trying to lower prices, that they also have a lot of junk. I don’t do Walmart.

I have to disagree with the tipping. I was in a place in Covent Garden & as I was leaving, the staff actually chased after me & were yelling at me because I didn’t tip. I have never come across that here. If you tip, you do, if you don’t, you don’t.