UBC October 2025 - Lunch, Laughs, and a little Rock ’n’ Roll

I promised to elaborate on our first lunch in London. After ten days of fried British food, we were thrilled to emerge from the underground at Piccadilly Circus and find ourselves literally at the entrance of the Hard Rock Café.

When I say “we,” I mean Colin and me. Hubby chose to make better use of his time exploring the area.

Let me just say, we enjoyed our visit from start to finish. At the reception on the ground floor, we were asked for our name, and moments later were greeted personally and led to our table downstairs. “Your waiter will be Charlotte; she’ll be with you shortly,” the usher said. Sure enough, Charlotte appeared with a smile, menus in hand, ready to take our drink orders.

I ordered a Southwestern Chicken Bowl with grilled chicken. Grilled, not fried! It came with quinoa and black beans, my idea of a healthy meal. Well, maybe not the ranch dressing ;-)

Charlotte was attentive, friendly, and made us feel genuinely welcome.

Say what you will about tourist traps, American chain restaurants, or cheerful service in exchange for tips, I honestly don’t care. Gone were the early-morning breakfast slots, the long queues, the tiny portions, and the missing veggies. Just a proper, satisfying lunch;  in and out in about thirty minutes.

At the table next to us, for the first time in days, we heard people speaking Swiss German. A family with three boys, maybe between ten and sixteen? As they were about to ask for the check, two of the boys announced they needed the bathroom. Mom and Dad shouted in unison, “But no phone!!!”

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Having a teenage son myself, I know from experience that those “bathroom trips” can take forever.

The parents looked over, wondering if I had understood them.

Oh, absolutely, both the language and the context ;-)

Do you care if a place is a “tourist trap” if the food and service are good? And do you also have that “no cell phone in the bathroom” rule at home?