"A succulent Chinese meal." "Gentleman's name is Jack." If you've quoted either of those unironically in the past year, this t-shirt is for you.
What is the charge, eating a meal? I see you know your t-shirts well.
A hand drawn original by Sydney artist Claire Harrison, in classic 80s Australian retro colours, white, pink and yellow. The design features an old school Chinese takeaway noodles box with Jack Karlson's face on it, drawn in the visual language of a 1980s Sydney warehouse party flyer rather than just slapping a screenshot on a shirt.
Featuring a custom digital front print
Mid weight, 180 GSM, 100% combed cotton
Neck ribbing, side seamed, shoulder to shoulder tape, double needle hems, preshrunk to minimise shrinkage
Unisex sizing, Maple feminine fit also available
Printed to order in our Sydney studio on AS Colour blanks using OEKO TEX certified water based inks
For anyone reading this who hasn't fallen down this particular rabbit hole, the tee is a tribute to one of the most quoted pieces of Australian media ever filmed. The video shows Jack Karlson being arrested outside a Brisbane Chinese restaurant in 1991. What was meant to be a routine arrest turned into a theatrical, three minute monologue that has since become foundational to Australian internet culture.
The phrases "a succulent Chinese meal," "what is the charge, eating a meal?" and "the gentleman's name is Jack" have been quoted, remixed and tattooed onto the national consciousness. The footage resurfaced online in the 2000s and has only grown since. Jack Karlson passed away in 2024, and this design exists as a tribute to a genuine one off in Australian cultural history.
Most "a succulent Chinese meal" merch out there is a video screenshot printed onto a tee. This one isn't. Claire Harrison hand drew the artwork as a retro Australiana piece, taking the visual language of late 80s and early 90s Aussie warehouse party posters and applying it to a Chinese takeaway noodle box with Karlson's face on the front. The white, pink and yellow palette is pulled directly from that era of Aussie graphic design, which puts the tee somewhere between meme merch and proper retro Australiana.
What does "a succulent Chinese meal" actually mean?
It's a line from the 1991 video of Jack Karlson being arrested outside a Brisbane Chinese restaurant. As police drag him away, he refers to the meal he had just enjoyed as "a succulent Chinese meal." The delivery, more than the words, is what made it iconic.
Who was Jack Karlson?
An Australian figure who became a cultural icon after the 1991 footage of his arrest resurfaced online in the 2000s. He has since become one of the most quoted figures in Australian internet history. Karlson passed away in 2024. This tee is a tribute to his contribution to Australian culture.
Why does this look different from other "succulent Chinese meal" tees?
Most versions print a still from the video onto a shirt. This one is a hand drawn original by Sydney artist Claire Harrison, designed in the style of a 1980s Australian warehouse party poster, with Karlson's face on a Chinese takeaway noodle box.
Is it a good gift?
If they've ever said "a succulent Chinese meal" in that specific Karlson cadence, yes. If they haven't seen the video, the design still stands on its own as 80s retro Australiana. People also buy it as a Christmas gift for the dad or uncle who quotes it constantly, which is where the running "succulent Christmas meal" joke comes from.
How does sizing run?
Unisex sizing runs S to 5XL and is true to size for a relaxed regular fit. The Maple feminine fit is a more tailored shape, also available for the same artwork. The full size and fit chart is in the Size & Fit Info tab on this page.
The artwork is also available as a Succulent Chinese Meal hoodie, a Succulent Chinese Meal jumper and a Succulent Chinese Meal tote. We also make a separate Generic Democracy Manifest tee with a different take on the same source material. For the broader collection of Australian meme and political tees, the Australiana collection is the place to start.
All items printed and shipped from Sydney.
Aussie Shipping: $8.50 or free with $85+ orders for tracked Auspost Shipping
NZ Shipping: $15 or free with $200+ orders for tracked International Shipping
Everywhere else: $25 or free with $250 orders for tracked International Shipping
Most products can be returned up to 100 days after purchase (excluded products are noted in the product description). Simply send the product back to us in the condition it was received for a new size, store credit, or a full refund.
We want to accommodate as many body shapes & sizes as possible, so we offer a variety of fits & sizing from babies all the way up to 5XL (which is very generous and equivalent to a 10XL from many other retailers).
Click on the FIT GUIDE button above the fit options to see more information about each kind of fit offered for this product. Click on the SIZE GUIDE button above the size options to see the measurements for each size & how to know what the best size to choose is.
You can see more detailed information about every size & fit we offer (including example images of how each fit looks on bodies of different sizes & shapes) here: Detailed Size & Fit Information
Is your preferred size/fit/colour not available on this product? Contact us and we'll print a custom product just for you :)
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Most of our products are sourced through AS Colour and other ethical suppliers who we chose specifically because of their high quality products and transparent ethical processes. You can read more about our ethical clothing approach, our slow fashion production model and how our garments are printed in Sydney.
Each garment is printed to order in Sydney using ethically sourced garments as part of our slow fashion production model rather than mass produced in large quantities. This allows us to reduce waste and maintain a more responsible production approach.
Some of the social responsibility measures we take include:
All by-products of the printing process are either reused or recycled. We have removed nearly all plastic from our supply chain. Our ink cartridges are reused. All of our cardboard is recycled and we work with a supplier in Western Sydney who breaks down the components of our leftover ink into environmentally friendly nutrients to enrich soil.
You can also learn more about how our shirts are made and what it means to be an independent Australian clothing brand.
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My 12 year old thinks this shirt is hilarious. I like that there were multiple t shirt styles/ colours and found the pictures in the style/ size guide super helpful!
I bought one of these years ago and it’s still looking good even after several washes. Good quality and gets loads of compliments
Perfect though I'm worried it might suffer in the wash. I think it will end up being machine washed.
