The Big Apple
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About Archives Categories Index Search

May 27, 2005
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

TGI Friday’s (1965); “Thank God It’s Friday” or “TGIF” (1934)

T.G.I. Friday's restaurant started in 1965 in New York City and, with Maxwell's Plum, was one of the nation's first "singles bars." ("Singles bar" has been cited…

December 14, 2025
The Big Apple1930s: Jazzing the Big AppleRestaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

The Big Apple (Arcadia, MI restaurant, 1937-2020)

The Big Apple restaurant on 17080 Northwood Highway in Arcadia, Michigan,, was opened in 1937. The name was surely taken from the “Big Apple” dance, a national craze in 1937. The Big Apple…

August 2, 2025
The Big Apple1980s-present: Big Apple work by Gerald Cohen, Barry PopikRestaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

The Big Apple (restaurant in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2016-present)

The Big Apple restaurant opened in 2016 at Reguliersdwarsstraat 17-19, Amsterdam, Netherlands. The restaurant's website states, "We want our guests to experience life in New York City,…

March 15, 2014
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

The House that Herring Built (Russ & Daughters nickname)

Russ & Daughters is an appetizing store located at 179 East Houston Street, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, that opened in 1914. The Russ & Daughters nickname of "The House that…

March 14, 2014
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

The Louvre of Lox (Russ & Daughters nickname)

Russ & Daughters is an appetizing store located at 179 East Houston Street, on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, that opened in 1914. The Sunday Times of London on December 22, 2002, dubbed…

October 3, 2021
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

The worst part of spanking a disobedient child in the supermarket is…”

"The worst thing about spanking a disobedient child in the supermarket is having absolutely no idea who’s child it is" was posted on Twitter by Marty Fields on May 5, 2015. "The…

December 7, 2012
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Timmy Ho’s (Tim Hortons nickname)

Tim Hortons is a restaurant chain known for its coffee and donuts that began in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario. The popular nickname of Tim Hortons is "Timmy Ho's" (or "Timmy…

November 14, 2011
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Tip Jar

Many sandwich shops, coffee houses and ice cream shops have a "tip jar" (or "tip jug" or "tip can") near the cash register so that satisfied customers can add a…

March 30, 2011
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Toxic Hell (Taco Bell nickname)

Taco Bell fast food restaurants have been nicknamed the derogatory term "Toxic Hell" since at least 1990. Other Taco Bell nicknames include "Taco Hell" (cited in print since at…

December 10, 2012
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Toxic Smell (Taco Bell nickname)

Taco Bell fast food restaurants have been nicknamed the derogatory term "Toxic Smell" since at least 1994. Other Taco Bell nicknames include "Toxic Hell" (cited in print since…

October 26, 2013
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Trader Hoe’s (Trader Joe’s nickname)

Entry in progress -- B.P.Trader Joe's Wikipedia: Trader Joe'sTrader Joe's is a privately held chain of specialty grocery stores headquartered in Monrovia, California in Greater Los…

February 16, 2012
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

UpChuck E. Cheese or Upchucky Cheese (Chuck E. Cheese’s nickname)

Chuck E. Cheese's is a pizza chain of family entertainment centers. The nickname "Upchuck Cheese Pizza" has been cited in print since at least 1988, "UpChuck E. Cheese"…

December 8, 2022
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Used Beer Department (restroom, especially in a bar)

"Used Beer Department" is a jocular restroom sign that has been printed on many images. "Two Shake Maximum" is sometimes added. "Used beer department" was printed in…

December 8, 2022
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Used Coffee Department (restroom or toilet)

"Used Coffee Department" is a jocular term for a restroom (or, in particular, a toilet). "Decided I'd best go find some repellant, visit the used coffee department, and wake my…

December 13, 2021
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Vaccine Bouncer or Vax Bouncer or Vaxx Bouncer

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic resulted in some mandates, such as vaccination requirements to enter restaurants and indoor entertainments. Some of these establishments hired a "vaccine…

January 16, 2019
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Vatican of Saloons (P. J. Clarke’s nickname)

P. J. Clarke's is a saloon, established in 1884, at the corner of 915 Third Avenue and East 55th Street in Manhattan. The New York (NY) Times did a profile of bartender Doug Quinn (who started…

December 13, 2021
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Vax Bouncer or Vaccine Bouncer or Vaxx Bouncer

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic resulted in some mandates, such as vaccination requirements to enter restaurants and indoor entertainments. Some of these establishments hired a "vaccine…

December 13, 2021
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Vaxx Bouncer or Vaccine Bouncer or Vax Bouncer

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic resulted in some mandates, such as vaccination requirements to enter restaurants and indoor entertainments. Some of these establishments hired a "vaccine…

February 11, 2021
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Virtual Kitchen

Online and mobile prepared food ordering and delivery platforms such as DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates and Uber Eats have resulted in several new terms for restaurants: cloud kitchen, cloud…

February 11, 2021
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food Stores

Virtual Restaurant

Online and mobile prepared food ordering and delivery platforms such as DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates and Uber Eats have resulted in several new terms for restaurants: cloud kitchen, cloud…

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About the Website and Editor

BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

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