ADVERTISEMENT

The United States—the land of the free. The home of the brave. And the nation of some very peculiar habits, according to the internet. Other countries in the world are confused by some of the things that Americans do. Like calling tuna “tuna fish” and putting too much cheese on everything. I find it endearing, others find it strange.

Bored Panda has collected some of the best tweets that show how confused foreigners are at what some Americans do. Scroll down and upvote your faves. And be sure to check out our previous post about Europeans who shared what problems are too American for them to grasp.

Culture clashes are nothing new. After all, if every country and culture were the same, there’d be no point in leaving your home, right? (Spoiler warning: due to the coronavirus pandemic, you shouldn’t be leaving your home either way.) Benny Lewis, founder of the Fluent in 3 Months blog, spent 4 years living in the US and has some gripes about the culture. Including how Americans are too politically correct while at the same time they think that everything is “awesome.”

#1

Things-Americans-Do

hesthehabit Report

You May Also Like:
#3

Things-Americans-Do

Montberte Report

According to Benny from Ireland, Europeans traveling around the US will find a lot of things weird. Like the fact that Americans smile way too much and it’s difficult to know when they mean it and when they’re smiling out of reflex.

Another thing that Benny found very unusual is something a lot of people complain about when they arrive in the US. Yup, you guessed it—tipping! “I really think tipping as a means of waitresses and others earning the vast majority of their living is ridiculous. If I have to pay, say 15% anyway, then include it in the bill! It's not a bloody tip if it's mandatory!” Benny expressed his opinion. Some of us can agree that mandatory tipping is sneaky and that servers should earn a decent wage that isn’t based on tips.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Why not tip everyone who you interact with in some way—bus drivers, or leave money on your trash can for the garbage man? It's inconsistent, and waiters, hairdressers, and taxi drivers should just charge us what needs to be charged,” Benny writes in his blog.

#4

Things-Americans-Do

HoGritz Report

#5

Things-Americans-Do

Scarlet4UrMa Report

#6

Things-Americans-Do

yungkatelynne Report

He also has issues with how in some parts of America prices aren’t what they seem because the tax isn’t included to make the cost seem lower than it really is.

Of course, taxing is different in different states, but this doesn’t excuse corporations from printing up different product costs for each state. Or, as Benny puts it, “We have the same product sold across many European countries and somehow someone in the company found the time to punch numbers into a $1 calculator in advance to tell people how much they are actually paying.”

ADVERTISEMENT
#7

Things-Americans-Do

wiIIjem Report

#8

Things-Americans-Do

ASXPJESSICA Report

ADVERTISEMENT

But before you start thinking that all Europeans have it out for the US, Benny also mentions some awesome things about Americans. For example, nobody can deny that Americans have an incredible work ethic and how open-minded and diverse most of the country is. It’s a country with plenty of positives, peppered with a whole lot of bizarreness.

#10

Things-Americans-Do

_ElizabethMay Report

#12

Things-Americans-Do

ZakAbel Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#15

Things-Americans-Do

javi_draws Report

#16

Things-Americans-Do

greasybananna Report

#17

Things-Americans-Do

imwafflingg Report

#18

Things-Americans-Do

JamieClay_ Report

Add photo comments
POST
Merlyn Emrys
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

no one does that IRL. We don't know why films do it. Just as baffled. Real american breakfast is gonna be a coffee thing of some kind and a bagel, or a slice of toast, or a bowl of cereal, or a protein bar gnawed on the way to a second minimum wage job.

Id row
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's a movie thing, just like people in movies never say 'bye' when hanging up the phone. My biggest peeve in movies is pouring a big glass of oj and the person only takes one little sip and just leaves the glass on the table and walks out the door.

Thatllama
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because it's in a f---ing movie and not everything in movies is real

Not what you think.
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ok now, this question is just simply ridiculous. While here I'd also like to mention we didn't get invaded by aliens yet. Also, there're no dinosaurs and Chimps didn't take over the world.

Colin Bayler
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The plots usually don't involve watching people eat a full breakfast.

Mimi
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The question was why that occours "IN FILMS" / MOVIES - not IRL, so please don't get offended

Troux
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

No idea. I grew up in America and never understood the concept of a "breakfast table" which exists in all movies and also as a decoration in expensive houses.

C Black
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seriously? It's not real life. Movies are not real life.

david kohn
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

haha im allergic to all those thing im also jewish and kosher

Junebug04
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Um...bc it's a movie ..most likely made in Hollywood.... so...yea, there's that

Stephanie Trump
Community Member
4 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

Stephanie Trump
Community Member
4 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

Load More Replies...
Odette Greyling
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That actually bothers me allot. I guess it's part of the food fight-food waste culture.

Lindy Mac
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

OOOOOHHHH that drives me nuts too. Movie also show people going to a bar, order drinks, talk while they are waiting and decide they have to go some place else immediately... I hope that doesn't happen very often in real life... bad for the poor waitress ..no payment for the drinks nor a tip.

elfin
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because films can't afford to waste screen time on someone chewing.

Bettye McKee
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We eat a proper breakfast on weekends when we have time for it.

John Baker
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Partly because depicting a scene like that realistically, where the family actually finishes their breakfast, would use up a good twenty minutes of runtime, and partly because even such a simple scene may be shot several times before the director is satisfied. Would you really expect the actors to eat five or six full breakfasts within a couple of hours' time?

Jeff Christensen
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The mystery only deepens when you consider that in such films nobody seems to eat any of it.

Logan Colee
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah no, most of the time our breakfast is more like a few bowls of cereal and orange juice

Rage Racer
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Its a Movie man seriously. that's as idiotic as asking why SpongeBob talks!

Catalina Chavez
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In real life we eat the whole meal plus another plate for the road.

Alberto
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, in American movies, they're always sorry, so sorry and they love each other, in between pistol and gun fights where the Americans always win...

View more commentsArrow down menu
#19

Things-Americans-Do

reinakayla_ Report

#20

Things-Americans-Do

semagomez Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#22

Things-Americans-Do

brndizzle Report

#23

Things-Americans-Do

Lisa_rasteg Report

#25

Things-Americans-Do

abbyrartistry Report

#26

Things-Americans-Do

THEYOUNGTROY Report

#27

Things-Americans-Do

Hxllions Report

#28

Things-Americans-Do

BANGTANDIOR Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda