Veel Geluk.


Next week, I go to Amsterdam on a post-wedding stag do with my Best Men Steve and Glyn. Perhaps the most unlikely tourist attraction I hope to see is a fast food restaurant by Centraal Station.

I first spotted this establishment in 2004, whilst on a three-month tour of the Netherlands. Our itinerary took in Amsterdam, with a day off either side, so Steve came over to visit. It was towards the end of a long day walking the city streets that we found it.

At first glance, it seemed pretty nondescript. It sold all the standard fast food fare. What stood out was the name.


To me, that sounded ominous. It read like a warning. By calling it Good Luck, the proprietor had waived all responsibility. They may as well have said, “If you choose to eat in my establishment, then good luck with that”. They'd even written their disclaimer in three different languages to cover their back.

This reminds me of the Irish take away chain AbraKebabra. Their tagline is “The Food’s Only magic”. God knows what goes into their kebabs, but it doesn't sound like meat.

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