Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Language/2016 June 24

= June 24 =

Beyond the pale
What is the name for the container typically used in UK for a Chinese or Indian take-away meal? It is made of aluminium foil with a thin cardboard lid. The edges and corners of the foil wrap around over the lid. It can go in the oven for a re-heat (well, once anyway). It's not "oyster pail", which seems to be the name of the US version, but which is subtly different. (It's being rapidly replaced, in many take-aways, by the transparent all-plastic, lidded container, whatever the name for that is.) 217.38.85.75 (talk) 22:15, 24 June 2016 (UTC)


 * Sorry, this is not the answer you want, but I think they are sold as "TakeOut To-Go Round Restaurant Disposable Aluminum Foil Pan sets with Flat Board Lids". Or maybe that's not what you're describing? I do get those sometimes for Indian or Chinese takeaway in the states, so I assumed that's what you meant. There are also rectangular versions that are not round. Also interesting to hear you don't have the oyster pails in UK - they are wonderfully handy, work far better in a bag or bike IMO :D SemanticMantis (talk) 22:34, 24 June 2016 (UTC)
 * I would call it a "carton", and this SDMB thread confirms the usage, but "container" or "box" both sound equally reasonable. I've not heard the plastic ones called anything other than "Tupperware", despite the disapproval of Tupperware Brand's lawyers. Tevildo (talk) 23:08, 24 June 2016 (UTC)
 * In UK they are ubiquitously rectangular. But now that Boris and Nigel have dragged us out of Europe, they're probably no-longer called 94/62/EC 42-9. sub para 4.2. Martinevans123 (talk) 23:17, 24 June 2016 (UTC) it's this
 * Would you kindly not waste our time by providing irrelevant links in an attempt to be funny. It's irritating and this is not the first time you've done it. Akld guy (talk) 02:57, 25 June 2016 (UTC)
 * Sorry you had to waste all that time reading them, Akld guy. You do sound quite irritated. I thought the last one was relevant. I didn't realise foil takeaway containers were such a serious subject. Martinevans123 (talk) 08:40, 25 June 2016 (UTC)


 * "Foil takeaway containers" gets a lot of Google results. Rather prosaic, but the phrase occurs in several recent novels including Death's Doorway by Crin Claxton (2015), Running on the Cracks by Julia Donaldson (2010) and Snapshot: Inspector Longman's First Case by Barry Scott Pullen (2013). Alansplodge (talk) 00:42, 25 June 2016 (UTC)
 * This is standard food packaging.  A well - known supermarket supplier packages this way. 80.44.162.99 (talk) 13:23, 25 June 2016 (UTC)
 * Dare you tell us which one? Martinevans123 (talk) 15:39, 25 June 2016 (UTC)