I use "I'm all set" a lot, too. Have lived in upstate NY and CT (and, come to think of it, mom lived in WI, too), so I'm not sure where I picked it up.
Just to clarify: here in New England, all set has a rather nebulous meaning of "I'm ready to progress to the next step in my dining experience." If you're looking at the menu, it can mean you're ready to order, but if you hand your server a twenty for a fifteen dollar check, it's synonymous with "Keep the change."
The times there's been confusion (which, funny stories about Canada aside, hasn't really been very often) people have taken it to mean "I am done for the evening and will be leaving immediately."
Is other regional usage similar? Yes, we're talking about the regional nuance of the phrase "all set": I love you, OTD forum friends. :)
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Just to clarify: here in New England, all set has a rather nebulous meaning of "I'm ready to progress to the next step in my dining experience." If you're looking at the menu, it can mean you're ready to order, but if you hand your server a twenty for a fifteen dollar check, it's synonymous with "Keep the change."
The times there's been confusion (which, funny stories about Canada aside, hasn't really been very often) people have taken it to mean "I am done for the evening and will be leaving immediately."
Is other regional usage similar? Yes, we're talking about the regional nuance of the phrase "all set": I love you, OTD forum friends. :)
My usage definitely fits your first definition, though I'm not sure if I picked that up from my mother or from living in NY along the border with Vermont. I'm kind of a dialect sponge.
My usage definitely fits your first definition, though I'm not sure if I picked that up from my mother or from living in NY along the border with Vermont. I'm kind of a dialect sponge.Just to clarify: here in New England, all set has a rather nebulous meaning of "I'm ready to progress to the next step in my dining experience." If you're looking at the menu, it can mean you're ready to order, but if you hand your server a twenty for a fifteen dollar check, it's synonymous with "Keep the change."
The times there's been confusion (which, funny stories about Canada aside, hasn't really been very often) people have taken it to mean "I am done for the evening and will be leaving immediately."
Is other regional usage similar? Yes, we're talking about the regional nuance of the phrase "all set": I love you, OTD forum friends. :)
I'm not sure how west it goes, but being from the Albany, NY area I can say it is definetely common here and where I went to school in Wocester, MA. My uncle is from NJ and uses it as well, so I don't know how far south it goes either.
I'm not sure how west it goes, but being from the Albany, NY area I can say it is definetely common here and where I went to school in Wocester, MA.
Dude, we were, like, neighbors! (Troy, NY until 1994).
I'm not sure how west it goes, but being from the Albany, NY area I can say it is definetely common here and where I went to school in Wocester, MA.Dude, we were, like, neighbors! (Troy, NY until 1994).
You moved out when I was 10. I grew up in Lansingburg, now live in Schenectady.
now live in Schenectady.
We still probably have some mutual acquantances, then. Small world!
Just to clarify: here in New England, all set has a rather nebulous meaning other than "I'm ready to progress to the next step in my dining experience." If you're looking at the menu, it can mean you're ready to order, but if you hand your server a twenty for a fifteen dollar check, it's synonymous with "Keep the change."
Hmm. I'm not sure if you misspoke, Dicey, but that's how I would've written it. (Changes in italics)
Outside of the dining experience, it's most often like in the Urban Dictionary example: "Do you need any help?" "Thank you but no, I'm all set."
Also re: the Urb Dic definition, I couldn't say if all the out-of-towners experiencing confusion were Southrons, but some of them definitely were. I should ask my sister. She moved down there.
I didn't misspeak. When there's been a misunderstanding, it's because I've said I'm all set (ready to order) and my server has thought I was so horribly offended by the menu that I was going to leave the restaurant without eating.
[Shrugs]
Regionalisms within the regionalism!
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I didn't misspeak. When there's been a misunderstanding, it's because I've said I'm all set (ready to order) and my server has thought I was so horribly offended by the menu that I was going to leave the restaurant without eating.
So... Is there a polite way to leave a restaurant after sitting at a table and viewing a menu? I think I've only been in that predicament once or twice in my life, but it's always awkward.
I didn't misspeak. When there's been a misunderstanding, it's because I've said I'm all set (ready to order) and my server has thought I was so horribly offended by the menu that I was going to leave the restaurant without eating.So... Is there a polite way to leave a restaurant after sitting at a table and viewing a menu? I think I've only been in that predicament once or twice in my life, but it's always awkward.
It's called "running away really fast when the server isn't around."
I didn't misspeak. When there's been a misunderstanding, it's because I've said I'm all set (ready to order) and my server has thought I was so horribly offended by the menu that I was going to leave the restaurant without eating.So... Is there a polite way to leave a restaurant after sitting at a table and viewing a menu? I think I've only been in that predicament once or twice in my life, but it's always awkward.
Look surprised. Take out your cell phone. Pretend to listen to it for a second. "Uh huh" and leave in a hurry.
I didn't misspeak. When there's been a misunderstanding, it's because I've said I'm all set (ready to order) and my server has thought I was so horribly offended by the menu that I was going to leave the restaurant without eating.So... Is there a polite way to leave a restaurant after sitting at a table and viewing a menu? I think I've only been in that predicament once or twice in my life, but it's always awkward.
Look surprised. Take out your cell phone. Pretend to listen to it for a second. "Uh huh" and leave in a hurry.
Honestly, just find whoever seated you and tell them you have to leave; they'll appreciate the open table.