Maybe you get a different view from other countries, but Googling from the UK I thought it quite telling that if I: - search "english breakfast" I get pictures of a full english - sausages, bacon, black pudding, beans, tomatoes, toast, eggs; - search "continental breakfast" I get pictures of what we would call a continental breakfast - croissants, jams, maybe cold meat, fruit salad - search "american breakfast" I get pictures of scotch pancakes loaded with syrup and an "almost full" English as above

I think the obvious difference for me though when I was travelling around the USA was not breakfast at home, but the ease with which you can get (and the consequent quality of) breakfast "on the go".

Other than McDonalds (of course) and a handful of restaurants, I can't think of anywhere here to get breakfast, or something breakfasty, except cafés/sandwich shops that'll be selling the same things they will for the rest of the day. Maybe that's just the different view you get living vs. touring around on holiday, though.

It is. Most people I know have that, cereal, or nothing. These days I do a piece of fruit or nothing. I do miss those fresh bakery sandwiches I'd get in Germany though...

The article's description reminds me of free breakfast you find at cheap hotels, the "meeting" breakfast they provide with coffee with those all too early work meetings, or the stuff at gas stations. Basically the prepackaged side of things when you don't have time to cook breakfast or sit down at a restaurant.

Continental breakfast(at least in Europe) is usually some bread, butter, ham and cheese. Maybe some jam on the side. Continental breakfast definitely does not include anything cooked(well, unless an occasional boiled egg counts)

Have you had a continental breakfast?