As an American who has lived in Europe for several years now, there are plenty of things I sometimes miss about back home. Screens on windows are a huge blessing during mosquito season, and it’s rare when I find a cold beverage served at a temperature that I would consider suitable. (With lots of ice! Please!) But as it turns out, plenty of the things Americans cherish, or simply consider normal, seem to bother others from around the world.

Reddit users have been discussing some of these American quirks that foreign visitors tend to complain about, so we’ve gathered some of their thoughts below. Enjoy learning about these cultural differences, whether you’re from the US or not, and keep reading to find conversations with Karen Simmons from offMetro and King Siu from Solo Traveler!

#1

Wearing shoes in the house. I never thought twice about this until I dated a Russian guy. His family was literally disgusted that anyone would dare wear shoes inside their house. Where I grew up, it’s considered weird to take your shoes off inside someone else’s house. It’s basically the equivalent of walking in and putting on your pajamas. I have to say though, I no longer allow anyone to wear shoes in my house.

Image credits: licklicklickme

#2

The “how’s it going?” greeting.

Like, yes, I get it, in your culture nobody asks that question unless they’re actually inquiring after your well being. But just like Americans should make it a point to learn the customs of MyCountry before visiting – even if they don’t understand or even agree with them – people should make it a point to get to know and learn our customs before coming here. And in the US, we will ask, “how’s it going?” as a general greeting without expecting an in depth answer, because it serves as an easy way to start a conversation.

No, that does not make us stupid, or fake, or bad, or wrong. These are our customs. It’s poor form to go to another country and interpret their customs in bad faith.

Image credits: PumaGranite

To gain more insight on this topic, we reached out to Karen Simmons, Editor in Chief of the travel blog offMetro, to hear her and her team’s thoughts on what American quirks stand out to foreign tourists. Some examples Karen shared that are commonly brought up are: “the large portion sizes and the amount of sugar and fat in the food; the gaps in the bathroom stalls and the lack of bidets; the tipping culture and the low minimum wage for servers; too much advertising everywhere; the high drinking age and the strict ID checks; patriotism and the abundance of flags; and the small talk and the excessive politeness.”

“We, as Americans, naturally have mixed feelings about these things,” Karen noted, speaking on behalf of her team. “Some of them we agree with, some of them we don’t. We like the diversity and friendliness of American culture, but we don’t like the excessive sugar and fatty foods. We don’t mind the tipping culture or the advertisements, but we respect that other countries do things differently. We think every country has its pros and cons, and it’s interesting to learn from other perspectives.”

#3

Friendly wait staff. This seems to freak out our European visitors.

Image credits: CupBeEmpty

#4

* Sweetness of food is an issue. High fructose corn syrup is in so many things that Americans no longer notice the sweetness. Other people are freaked out by sweet grocery store bread.
* Questions about occupation or religion are considered personal and rude when Americans consider them small talk.
* Many visitors don’t want to eat on the go.
* They think men wearing board shorts or other long, loose swimwear is weird.

Image credits: IWatchBadTV

Karen was also kind enough to share some things that her team actually thinks the United States does well. First, she noted the national parks and the public land system. “The US has a vast and diverse network of protected natural areas that offer recreation, education, and conservation opportunities for millions of visitors and wildlife,” Karen explained. “The US also has a strong culture of outdoor exploration and adventure that encourages people to appreciate and respect nature.”

Next, she pointed out the accessibility of travel to and within the US. “The US has a robust and efficient transportation infrastructure that connects different regions and attractions within the country,” Karen added. “The US also has various programs and policies to reduce barriers and enhance security for international travelers, such as the Visa Waiver Program, Global Entry, and Trusted Traveler Programs.”

#5

That when you pay at a restaurant, the server takes your card in the back, rather than bringing a machine to you and swiping in front of you.

My father in law is always like “Where are they taking my card? I can’t see them, they are stealing my information!!”

Image credits: DelusionalChampion

#6

Oh f**k.. living close to natural parks for a few years left me dumbfounded. A lot of middle eastern and Asian vacationers would lose their minds when park rangers would tell them to keep off certain areas.

Either they didn’t understand that our body weight was damaging historic ground or that the oils we produce can damage stone structures or they didn’t care… unfortunately I met many that didn’t care and had the mentality of “enjoy it today because it will be gone someday in the future.”

Also, we can’t control the wild life in nature preserves. Watching people approach black bears was always crazy to see. Then they get mad when the bear gets aggressive and they get fined.

Customer service and hospitality of the travel industry are two more things the United States certainly does well. “The US has a high standard of quality and professionalism in its hotels, restaurants, attractions, and other tourism-related businesses,” Karen continued. “As mentioned above, the US also has a culture of tipping and rewarding good service, which motivates the staff to provide excellent customer satisfaction.”

Finally, the travel expert pointed out the innovation and entrepreneurship of the travel sector. “The US is a leader in developing new products, services, technologies, and experiences that cater to the changing needs of travelers,” Karen explained. “The US also has a strong spirit of entrepreneurship that encourages new ventures, partnerships, and collaborations in the tourism industry.”

#7

How fat the cops are.

My friend’s parents were in from Spain and his father was mystified how most of the NYPD could chase someone if they cannot even see their feet.

#8

Having tended bar on the beach in Florida (many years ago), the biggest complaint is that our money is confusing. The bills are all the same color and our coin sizes don’t relate in size to their value.

Image credits: CubedMeatAtrocity

And when it comes to what Americans might find challenging when visiting other countries, Karin says the lack of personal space and privacy might be tricky, depending on the country visited of course. “Americans are used to having a lot of space and being able to do what they want without being bothered or judged by others,” she explained. “In some countries, especially in crowded cities or rural areas, people may live in close quarters, share facilities, or be more curious and intrusive about strangers’ lives. Americans may feel annoyed by this.”

The US also has vast food and drink options that may not be available everywhere. “Americans are accustomed to having a wide variety of food and drink choices, especially fast food, snacks, and soft drinks,” Karen noted. “They may also have specific dietary preferences that are not common or well-known in other countries. In some countries, the food may be too spicy, bland, exotic, or unfamiliar for Americans’ tastes.”

#9

Here’s something my German FIL complains about: window screens.
You know, the things that keep the bugs out? He is convinced that they keep the air from circulating. Ummmm, they don’t, and I don’t like mosquitoes, so we keep the screens down.

#10

Root Beer. I have seen foreigners become almost angry we drink the stuff. I know the flavor is common in medicines in Europe, but to many Americans, Fanta tastes like medicine. Let us like our weird soda flavor.

Edited to add: the medicine I’m referring to is liquid preparations of Tylenol and Motrin meant for children. Not liquid medicine meant for adults.

Image credits: not_bens_wife

Language barriers and cultural differences may also be challenging for American travelers. “Americans may not speak or understand the local language or dialect in other countries, which can make communication difficult or frustrating,” Karen says. “They may also encounter different customs, norms, values, and etiquette that they are not aware of or used to. They may unintentionally offend or disrespect someone by doing something that is considered rude or inappropriate in their culture.”

#11

Americans saying they’re from the country despite not speaking the language, not having the citizenship and all their knowledge comes from heavily bastardised and harmful stereotypes. Oh and they’ve lived in the US for at least 4 generations.

Looking at you plastic paddies and sepporonis

#12

School buses stopping traffic.

“Why don’t you just teach your children not to run out into traffic?”

Image credits: ArnoldoSea

American travelers must also be prepared for the different standards of service and quality they may experience in other places. “Americans are used to receiving fast, efficient, and friendly service in most places they go, such as restaurants, hotels, shops, and attractions,” the travel expert says. “They may also expect high standards of quality and cleanliness in the products and facilities they use. In some countries, the service may be slower, less attentive, or more formal than Americans prefer.”

If you’d like to gain more travel insight from Karen and the whole team at offMetro, be sure to visit their site right here!

#13

Not having sales tax listed on the price tag for stuff.

(Obviously, I agree with them. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could know the actual amount you’ll need to pay. But I’ve lived my whole life with this as the way things are, it never occurs to me to complain.)

Image credits: seefreepio

#14

That toilets have too much water in them.

Image credits: Qbccd

We also reached out to Canadian travel expert King Siu, of Solo Traveler, to hear his thoughts on this topic. King was kind enough to provide plenty of examples of things foreign travelers might be struck by when visiting the United States. First, he noted prices that don’t include sales tax. “I didn’t think it was that big of a deal until I lived abroad and realized how strange and inconvenient it was that we only add the tax on after the sale,” King shared. “I’m still hoping for a world where the price I see is the price I pay.”

Wearing shoes inside is another typical American behavior that King says is rare in other parts of the world. “Even in Canada, where we often behave similarly to the U.S., I’ve found the majority of Canadians will not wear their shoes in the house, so that’s what I’m used to as well.”

#15

Long-distance driving. I had relatives from Eastern Europe visit a few years ago, and we drove them from New Jersey down to DC for a weekend visit. When we got back, they commented that it was such a long drive, easily the longest that they’d ever taken by car. Then I showed them a map of the US and how far we’d driven versus the size of the rest of the country. Their heads nearly exploded.

#16

That we drink our beverages with ice. I can understand being annoyed if you order a drink that is 90% ice and 10% drink. But if it’s just the right amount of ice to make your drink properly cold, what’s the issue?

Image credits: ColossusOfChoads

Next, King mentioned the notorious ice in drinks. “A common question I’ve been asked by my foreign friends who visit the US is why so much ice is put in their sodas, and similarly my American friends will complain about the lack of ice in their drinks when they’re abroad,” he shared. (Guilty! I just love ice!)

“It’s always been quite comical for me to hear both sides,” King added. “I’m not terribly bothered either way as long as my drink is cold, but it does seem to be a passionate topic for many. I feel the problem stems from the fact that outside of the U.S., it’s not as common to have unlimited refills of drinks, and therefore you wouldn’t want to feel like you were given a glass full of ice so that they could cheat you and not give you as much soda. Whereas Americans are expecting unlimited refills, so they’re not concerned about how much space is being taken up by ice as they can always ask for more.”

#17

I’ve had visitors from Ireland and Germany who got upset that the windows in my home open up and not out.

Image credits: Artemis1982_

#18

According to every middle easterner, Israeli, and Australian I’ve met, we’re all fake because we’re always nice and smiling even when we don’t mean it.

Best retort I heard was when my Israeli friend said this to my American friend and my American friend immediately responded “would you rather I be mean to you?”

Apparently we’re “too nice” compared to other peoples.

Image credits: geeeznuts

Tipping culture and customer service are two more things that the United States tends to do differently than the rest of the world. “[Tipping culture] is generally very confusing for people from other countries,” King says. “Tipping either doesn’t exist or isn’t as commonly expected as it is in the US. I’ve found that it’s getting so complicated these days that I’m even confused at times about who needs to be tipped. So, I’m not surprised when foreign visitors complain about the confusing state of tipping in the US.”

“Strange as it is to hear, foreign visitors often complain about getting too much customer service,” the travel expert continued. “No one does customer service better than Americans, and all this attention, smiling, and politeness can unnerve visitors who aren’t accustomed to so much attention. I personally love good customer service, but I can totally see how it might freak someone out.” Now that I’ve lived in countries where it’s extremely rare to even get a greeting from grocery store employees, I can see how this is odd too. But I have to admit, I miss my weekly chats with Trader Joe’s workers!

#19

According to foreigners we’re really missing out on Kinder Eggs

Image credits: gummibearhawk

#20

The sheer size of the US. Someone from abroad asked me about taking a road trip from LA to Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and maybe Florida, and they only had a few days to do it. They didn’t understand the massive size of the country.

Image credits: theduckman936

“Foreign visitors are still confused as to why the US hasn’t joined the rest of the world on the metric system,” King continued, adding that most Canadians actually don’t care whether or not the US converts, as they’ve “always lived in a world where both metric and imperial measurements exist.”

Apparently, TVs in restaurants are a distinctly American thing as well. “This is something I’ve heard mostly from Europeans, as it’s not as common for them to have TVs in their restaurants,” King says. “However, they’ve remarked that Americans will cover every wall with them. I must say that I didn’t think this was weird until they pointed this out. I do, however, enjoy the convenience of always knowing the score when I’m out without having to check my phone.”

And many foreign visitors are struck by the antiquated payment technology in the US. “[They’re] often confused when paying their bill at a restaurant with a credit card that they have to manually sign the bill,” King says. “Outside of the US, it’s more common for the staff to bring a payment terminal to you that completes the payment transaction with a PIN instead of a manual signature.”

#21

There was a German who posted a few days ago about an American skin cream that they bought that had instructions on it, and this really bothered them.

I once saw a comment from a British person who said Americans have dishwashers because they’re lazy.

#22

I’ve seen plenty of complaints online of people saying Americans are too loud and too friendly!

Image credits: ST4RSK1MM3R

We also asked King if there are any things the US does particularly well that other countries might be able to learn a thing or two about. “I would love to see the world adopt more of the customer service standards of the US,” he told Bored Panda.

“I think that Americans, in general, do a better job of celebrating the success of others,” he continued. “I know it’s a hot take, but I’ve just generally found that. I am not saying that people don’t celebrate the success of others outside of the US, but just that Americans seem to do it more frequently and effortlessly. I feel it may have something to do with the American dream being such an integral part of the American mindset, because they feel success for them is just around the corner.”

#23

My ex is from mainland China. When he first came to the US he thought we keep an unnecessarily large quantity of food on hand in our homes. To him, we seemed like food hoarders.

In comparison, I found most Chinese homes very sparse. Most places in China (when I was there, ten years ago), is still very feasible to go to the grocery store daily. Also, it cost about the same amount whether you eat out or cook at home, so eating out is much more common.

After we lived in the US suburbs for a while,. Y ex started to see the practicality of doing a week’s worth of shopping at a time. We just didn’t have time to go to the grocery store every day.

#24

One that I’ve run into is asking to watch their bag while they go to the bathroom or something at the airport. I know it’s totally innocent and they don’t want to lose their seat, but it’s a huge no no at US airports.

King went on to add that garbage disposals are a great tool that the US utilizes. “I had never been exposed to them until I started to spend time in the US, and I think everyone could learn to love them as much as I do.” (Completely agree! I miss having one dearly!)

“Creating reasons to have lighthearted fun” is another thing King says Americans do well. “I don’t think any other country is better at inventing reasons to have a party than the US. I’m sure there is a national day of something that has been assigned to every day in the calendar, and I think everyone should follow that lead and try to do something fun and silly everyday.”

King also noted that he’s a fan of baseball. “It’s a beautiful game, so I really wish the world would give it a chance.”

#25

The lack of bidets. As am American I cannot understand it myself!

#26

Air conditioning, and especially ceiling fans.

Can’t stand the heat, can’t stand ways to beat the heat.

As far as things Americans might complain about when visiting other countries, King noted: “lack of ice in their drinks, shops closing too early, coffees are too small (as they’re used to giant cups of brewed coffee where espressos are more common outside of North America), people not speaking English (which needs to stop because it’s just rude and ignorant), lack of customer service, terrible tasting peanut butter, lack of air conditioning in buildings, pedestrians not having the right-of-way on roads, their dislike of the metric system, and the serving sizes of food and drink being generally too small.”

If you’d like to gain more insight on traveling or advice for your own upcoming trips, you can hear from King and the rest of the Solo Traveler team right here!

#27

Having to tip

#28

2-4 hour drives from place to place not being a big deal

#29

That very high quality bread and produce isn’t available at 7-11.

#30

Those minuscule bathroom gap stalls. Apparently if there is a gap of any kind, that means that you are required to go up and stare through it.

Image credits: BaltimoreNewbie

#31

Too much air conditioning.

I believe the UK and Western Europe are having a heat wave now with temps hitting the 40s/100s yet they can’t conceive of why air conditioning is so ubiquitous here.

Heat is deadly here, unless you live in the Pacific NW or Upper MW/NE. Whether you have air conditioning shouldn’t even really be a debate in a developed country. I don’t understand how they can think properly when the temps are over 95F (35C), especially on humid days.

Image credits: leafbelly

#32

The metric system in daily life.

Obviously Americans use metric in all kinds of ways, especially in scientific fields, but it’s almost absent in measures of weight, length and volume in daily life. Seems to drive Europeans and America-bashing Redditors insane but no one outside of the hive mind bubble gives a s**t.

They all forget that switching costs are a thing. When millions of people have been raised on one system of measures and billions of household items are labeled and calibrated in the same way, even transitioning to another system is costly and disruptive, for dubious benefit.

Now, I would really enjoy exact measurements of lumber and for every home to have its structural plans readily available. Using a stud finder and rolling the dice on hitting plumbing and electrical to me seems barbaric, but I’m an amateur, so what do I know.

#33

I’ve met some Canadians that find it strange how we sign a receipt at a restaurant. Apparently in Canada, they use a credit card pin code instead for the credit card payment.

#34

Here are somethings a foreign friend of mine that was on temporary work for 2 years in America complained about:

1. That in America she had to be on hold with customer service all the time.
2. That in America she had to call it football evenhough it’s played with hands.
3. That in America she got asked ‘what do you do’ a lot.
4. That in America people expected their Doctor to fix them regardless of their lifestyle or eating style.
5. That in America everyone she met said that they’re Italian, French, German, Indian, Polish, Brazilian etc, even though they had been in American for a long time or even if they were born in America.
6. That in America she was a skinny girl everywhere she went and people kept asking her what her secret was.
7. That in America most of her co-workers said they were working there only for the health insurance or because they are waiting on their green card.
8. That in America conversations were always about complaining about everything starting from the weather to customer service.
9. That in America she found people were so happy eating or drinking (fries, soda and icecreams ) while outside everywhere like in beaches, bus stops, trains, cars, parks, malls, theaters, etc.
10. That in America she found nearly every meal had fries.
11. That in America people are so obsessed with sports that they would call in sick to go see their favorite team play.

#35

Small talk.

Its so uncommon in Europe that it seems visitors get really freaked out when they encounter it here.

That and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Image credits: broadsharp

#36

Our cars. I’m sorry that most Americans don’t enjoy driving 5ft long 2ft tall .000001L single-seat right hand drive compacts. That’s an exaggeration, but it sums it up.

#37

God, everything related to houses in the US (which would also apply to Canada, and partially to Australia and New Zealand as well).

* Wood frame construction. Not in all places. Besides, they provide better insulation against our more extreme temperatures, and they’ll stay up after some moderate seismic activity. It’s not just California and Alaska that have earthquakes; the ground sometimes shakes in places like Missouri and upstate New York, too.
* Open floor plans.
* Big refrigerators.
* Double hung windows, instead of windows that crank out.
* “Weak” 120 volt 60 cycle mains electricity. “It takes so much longer to heat up an electric kettle.” We do have 220V ac in our houses, too.
* Electrical outlets in bathrooms.
* Electrical outlets without switches.
* Front door leads right into the living room. Really, the no-foyer thing is a lot more common with small houses, mobile homes, and homes in states with a more temperate climate, than in a typical house in rest of the US.
* Garbage disposals. “They hurt your sewer system.” No more than some giant log from a meal of bratwurst and schnitzel.
* No walls or hedgerows along the street.
* Asphalt roof shingles instead of clay tiles.
* Closets. Really. I’ve heard Euros complain about closets. They’re not as “flexible” as wardrobe cabinets, some say.
* Just home size in general. “Is too big, no?” That’s what your mom said.
* Probably the most uninformed statement: “All your houses look alike.” Subdivisions in Las Vegas are the exception in the US, not the norm. Europeans seem blind to UK red brick clone boxes, long rows of brutalist rowhouses, and superblocks of brutalist mid-rises.

Image credits: dan_blather

#38

That our food portion sizes are ‘too large’: ‘Oh no, you’ve given me a lot of delicious food! What am I supposed to do with this food that is left over? How could I possibly take it to go home with me!? In some box, like it’s a light bulb!?’ Ridiculous
Source: boredpanda.com