Original artwork, not a still
Mr Hamilton / Basil Fawlty, Fawlty Towers
Waldorf salad. / I think we're just out of Waldorfs.
— Fawlty Towers · 1975
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Basil tries to hide unfamiliarity behind the routine language of a stock shortage. The invented ingredient gives him away immediately. It is a compact joke about bluffing: a simple admission of uncertainty would have been less embarrassing than confident nonsense.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for Fawlty TowersShow the scene
In “Waldorf Salad” (series 2, episode 3), American guest Mr Hamilton asks for a Waldorf salad during a late dinner. Basil does not know the dish and tries to explain its absence as a shortage of something called Waldorfs. Hamilton has to explain the ingredients. The short request and reply capture the point at which Basil’s confident service begins to expose his ignorance.
Sources (2)
- Fawlty Towers — Waldorf Salad transcriptWaldorf Salad; Waldorf Salad, series 2 episode 3; late dinner in the dining roomReference checked
- Fawlty Towers — independent written referenceWaldorf Salad; Waldorf Salad, series 2 episode 3; late dinner in the dining roomReference checked
Context reviewed
