If you’ve ever been a guest in the land of the free, you might have noticed that Americans have some unique cultural quirks that aren’t present in other parts of the world. Whether it’s pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, over-the-top customer service, or an expectation to tip for everything, here’s a list of 18 things Americans do that the rest of the world doesn’t.
Free Refills
Americans like to go large or go home, and it’s pretty standard practice to be offered unlimited refills on drinks in restaurants. To the rest of the world, though, this is a foreign practice, and drinks can often be the most expensive part of a meal.
Advertising Prescription Drugs
In America, prescription drugs are advertised on TV like car commercials, and this is not common practice in the rest of the world. In most countries, doctors strictly regulate medical drugs, which can’t be purchased in a commercial transaction, the same way they can be in the US.
Tipping Culture
In America, they say, “If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to eat out.” It is a standard practice in nearly all establishments to expect a tip on top of the price of the meal or service you are paying for. In countries like Europe and the UK, tipping is less common, and it’s certainly not an expectation. People there would look at you twice if you asked for a tip, as this would be considered rude.
Go Large
If America is famous for anything, it might be forgoing large on everything. From food portions to cars, houses, and even highways, America is a place where bigger is considered better. However, almost everything is smaller than the US in the rest of the world. Americans are often shocked when they travel abroad and see the narrow streets, tiny houses, and small eating portions that exist in other parts of the world.
Ice, Ice Baby
Americans are known for their obsession with ice in drinks. You can expect half of your beverage to be served full of ice, rain or shine, hail or snow. We guarantee that there will be lots of ice cubes in your soda in the US.
Drive-Thrus
Americans know how to take a good idea and make it great, and they have certainly done this with drive-thrus. Not only can you get a drive-thru for a hamburger in the US, but you can also go to one for alcohol, pharmacies, and banks.
Red Cup Parties
Images of sorority parties in America with red cups are iconic, and most people now see red cups as synonymous with American college culture, but this is not “a thing” in the rest of the world, with most people sticking to old-fashioned cups and glasses.
Monster Trucks
Americans like everything to be bigger and love driving SUVs, pick-ups, and monster trucks. The US also has super-wide roads and highways, which are likely to accommodate these gigantic automobiles.
The Pledge of Allegiance
In America, most schoolchildren are taught to recite a pledge of allegiance to their country every morning. This practice is not common in other parts of the world and is another unique aspect of American culture that many outsiders find unusual.
Cheerleading
Images of cheerleaders at baseball games chanting slogans and dancing are an iconic part of American culture. However, cheerleading rarely features in other parts of the world.
Obsessive National Pride
Americans are known for having an almost obsessive attitude towards their national pride. The American flag is proudly flown everywhere in the US. This, combined with the pledge of allegiance and constant praise of The Constitution, can seem over-the-top to foreign visitors.
Gun Sales
The fact that you can buy guns in regular stores with relative ease compared to most other countries is something unique to US culture, and it’s often judged as a dangerous practice by non-American citizens.
24/7 Stores
America is a place where you can get anything at any time of the day or night, and the rest of the world envies Americans’ ability to order pizza or shop in 24/7 stores whenever they want.
Large Parades
The USA loves to throw grand celebrations, whether it’s the 4th of July or St. Patrick’s Day, and Americans go out with giant parades, floats, carnival dresses, music, and fireworks for big events.
Extensive Air Conditioning
One major difference between America and the rest of the planet is their extensive air conditioning everywhere you go. However, Americans might be shocked to discover that hardly any homes have air conditioning in places like the UK.
Less Apologetic
Tourists have noticed that Americans have less of a tendency to display traditional manners like saying please, thank you, and apologizing. This is especially true for British tourists, for whom apologizing is part of their culture. You only need to look at a British person, and they will instantly say, “Oh, I’m so sorry. Can I help you?”
Political Correctness
Political correctness matters in America, and US citizens take care to use politically correct terminology where possible, but for the rest of the world, it isn’t such a big deal, and foreigners may notice this cultural difference when engaging with Americans on sensitive political topics.
Sales Tax Added at the Checkout
In America, most prices displayed don’t include the added tax, and many visitors can get a shock whenever they go to the checkout to pay as only then are they hit with the additional cost of sales tax. This can be frustrating for tourists as they are usually oblivious about this practice until it’s too late and they have extra charges to pay.
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