Europeans can’t get over certain things Americans accept as normal — some of them are really surprising
Tomato, tomahto.
A rowdy Reddit conversation throwing a spotlight on the differences between European countries and the United States has sparked countless mini-debates within a now supersized thread — and Americans can’t stop talking about it online.
The transatlantic tit-for-tat began innocently enough about a year ago on r/askreddit, when user Raphael_Olbert posed the extremely simple question: “What is usual in America, but isn’t in Europe?”
Almost immediately, the observations, complaints and straight-up accusations began pouring in, beginning a wide-ranging conversation that goes far beyond the cliched complaints about tipping and portion sizes — though there’s plenty of chatter on both topics, of course.
Here are some of the most hilarious observations plucked from within the thread.
We drive too far for everything.
From our trips to the grocery store on the other side of town to our jobs one, sometimes two hours away, this was a common observation on the thread, with one European recalling a time they visited a “local” movie theater while visiting friends in Florida and ended up driving 25 minutes to get there.
Many Americans were happy to confirm the stereotype.
“I feel like I barely drive compared to a lot of people in my life and I drive around 800 miles a month,” said one Redditor-on-the-move.
“I think Americans just view distance differently,” said another. “My mom lives about 20 minutes from me and most people here consider that close.”
“If it’s 30 minutes by car it’s considered long distance travel,” one European user chirped.
We put too much ice in our drinks.
Americans love to complain the opposite when traveling on the continent — turns out, there’s a really good reason why your drink had one ice cube in it.
“That’s because in Europe consumer rights regulations require the customer to be informed the volume and actually receive what’s ordered,” one helpful foreigner explained.
“That’s why glasses in Europe have volume markings or you are usually served a bottle or can accompanied by a glass,” they said.
“You are generally being ripped off in other countries if your drink is full of ice,” another explained.
“You can always ask for “light ice” or “no ice” if that’s your preference, but I agree it’s silly to have the cup still literally filled with ice once the beverage is gone,” an American pointed out.
Drug advertisements aimed directly at consumers.
The notion that drug companies have a direct relationship with American consumers seems rather bizarre to some Europeans.
“Creeped me out my first time in the States. Didn’t think you could ask your doctor for drugs but there it was, an advertisement specifically asking me to ask my doctor about a specific drug,” one visitor recalled.
“It’s not just what they’re selling…..it’s the style of adverts,” another chimed in. “They basically make you feel insecure and paranoid about everything…. Your health, your security, your lifestyle, your family’s life after you die. If you don’t buy their product, you’re doomed.”
Another joked how a “group of people smiling outside engaging in wholesome activities” is inevitably accompanied by a voiceover that warns, “may cause extreme suicidal thoughts, the growth of a tail, hatred towards yourself and others, and baldness.”
Americans are way too into circumcision.
They just don’t get it.
“One of my favorite remarks I’ve heard from a girl during sex who wasn’t from America,” a stateside scribe revealed, was ‘Oh you’re…carved!'”
“I like my carved penis; It’s like a Jack-o’-lantern smiling at me,” someone joked.
“People think it’s for religious reasons but really it’s because the Corn Flakes guy hates masturbation,” one user explained, seemingly referencing cereal magnate John Kellogg’s historic campaigns against self-pleasure.
“No matter how many mental gymnastics and post-hoc justifications they throw at you, it just comes down to reducing pleasure to try to curb lust,” another complained.
“I didn’t even know foreskins existed until a few years ago when I noticed people would occasionally mention them on the internet,” one American confessed.
There’s a shocking lack of privacy in American public bathrooms.
Americans grow up thinking it’s normal to have sometimes cavernous gaps between the bathroom stalls — to some Europeans, the idea is absolutely horrifying.
“Spent the last two weeks in Washington state, felt so damn exposed everywhere I went,” said one foreign traveler. “There is straight up enough room for an adult to crawl underneath them happily. The gaps came up to my knees!”
“A lot of Americans say they have more rights than Europeans but they can’t even take a s–t in privacy,” another joked.
“I’ve lived in the states for 20 years now. I’m still not used to it,” said one pee-shy expat.
“At least they’re free,” retorted one American, referencing Europe’s penchant for pay toilets.
And what’s with all the air conditioning?
Europeans can’t get used to our love of freezing every room to hilarious lows in the summertime, they say.
“I feel like the difference is how much AC blasts in the US. Entering public places like restaurants and stores feels like you are entering into a refrigerator,” one user observed. “Whenever my European relatives visit they complain how cold it is everywhere indoors.”
“I once saw a Brit talking about how Americans heat and cool their houses,” said another. “He said that in the summer Americans want their house to be cold enough to wear sweats and curl up in a blanket. Then he said in winter Americans want their house warm enough to wear shorts and a t-shirt.”
“False, I’m from the Midwest and it’s t-shirt and shorts year round,” a commenter replied, jokingly.
“I’m in this comment and I don’t like it,” said another.
Our love of small talk is totally cringe.
“The first time I went to London, I asked a Starbucks barista how her day was going, and she looked at me like I had a third arm coming out of my neck,” confessed one American who learned the hard way.
Other popular topics addressed in the thread included medical debt, school shootings, tipping and — less expected — garbage disposals in sinks.
“I think a lot of Brits would have less fingers if we had them here,” one Blighty-based Redditor mused.
