I was in Melbourne, Australia several years ago having lunch in a pub and ordered Fish & Chips. I asked for vinegar and the waiter (and everyone else) looked at me like I was from another planet.
Wanting to humor "the yank" the waiter left and returned with a small bowl of white vinegar.
I concluded that Malt Vinegar with Fish & Chips must be a cultural preference.
When I was in the UK back in the early 60’s, we would stop at the Fish & Chips place before coming back to base. I would order Place and chips, the chips were freshly made from potato’s sliced in front of us and then deep fried. The fish and chips were then rolled in a couple of pages of newspaper and handed to us. The price was “2&6” or 2 shillings and 6 pence worth at the time about $.35 American.
On the counter was a shaker bottle of white vinegar and a salt shaker. With our prize seasoned to taste, we left the place and half in the bag, enjoyed the greasiest, tastiest and most satisfying meal imaginable. Hands and faces covered with food (no forks allowed) we were a mess. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything in the world!!