10 Restaurant Habits Americans Don’t Realize Are Weird For Foreigners

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10 Restaurant Habits Americans Don’t Realize Are Weird For Foreigners

Many dining practices that Americans find normal can appear quite peculiar to visitors from other countries. Having lived in the USA and coming from France where food and eating habits are so highly valued, I though it was time to list American eating habits that are quite weird to Europeans.

From the expectation of a tip to the immense portion sizes, these habits can seem unusual and sometimes excessive. Here, we go into ten restaurant customs that are distinctly American, highlighting how cultural norms around dining can vary dramatically across the globe.

1. Mandatory Tipping

In the U.S., tipping at restaurants is not just customary; it’s almost mandatory. Restaurant workers often earn less than the minimum wage because it’s assumed that tips will make up the difference. For example, tipped employees might make less than $5 an hour, relying heavily on tips for their income. This is a stark contrast to places like Denmark, where fast-food workers might earn $20 an hour without depending on tips. In most other countries where tipping does occur, leaving just 5-10% is considered polite.

2. The Waitress Taking Your Card Away

In American restaurants, it is common for waitstaff to take your credit card away to a different area to process your payment. This can be unsettling for visitors from countries where credit card transactions are usually done in front of the customer to prevent fraud (like France or the UK). The practice is so ingrained in the U.S. that most locals don’t think twice about it, but it can definitely raise eyebrows among international diners.

3. Having Someone Ask You How Everything Is Every Five Minutes

American service is often characterized by frequent check-ins from the waitstaff, asking if everything is satisfactory. Of course, the better the service, the higher the tip and that makes sense!

But this can come off as overly attentive or even intrusive to people from cultures where dining is a more private, less interrupted experience. The intention is to provide attentive service, but it can sometimes feel excessive.

4. Getting Ice in Your Drink Automatically

This is one difference I still have a hard time getting used to even years later! In the U.S., it’s standard to receive ice in your drinks unless you request otherwise.

This habit can be a surprise to foreigners, as in many parts of the world, drinks are served without ice unless specifically requested. The abundance of ice in American beverages is often too much for those not accustomed to it.

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5. Free Refills Are Common

Unlike many other countries, where each beverage is paid for individually, the U.S. often offers free refills on soft drinks and sometimes even coffee and tea in restaurants. This practice is facilitated by the common use of soda machines and is economically viable due to the high markup on these drinks.

6. You Can Go to Dinner at Any Time

The concept of being able to dine out at any hour is uniquely embraced in the U.S. with many 24-hour diners and restaurants like Waffle House, Denny’s, and IHOP. This caused me to have a counter-culture shock when coming back to France, where generally places close earlier and aren’t open on Sunday.

7. ID Even If You’re Grey

The U.S. has a strict policy on alcohol consumption, requiring anyone who looks under 30 to show identification before purchasing alcohol. This strict adherence to age verification, driven by severe penalties for establishments that sell to minors, can seem excessive to visitors from countries with lower drinking ages or more relaxed enforcement. And it doesn’t matter if you have grey hair!

8. Some Say American Kitchens Have Higher Health Standards

It’s suggested that American kitchens might be cleaner and more regulated due to stringent health laws and a litigious society. Chefs use systematic methods like marking and taping foods with expiration dates to maintain high standards of food safety, which might not be as rigorously practiced everywhere else.

9. The Portion Sizes Are Way, Way Bigger

Meal portions in American restaurants are notoriously large, a trend that began in the 1970s and has grown ever since. These portions often greatly exceed the standard sizes recommended by the USDA and FDA, surprising visitors who are used to more modest servings in their home countries.

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10. Peeling Nuts

In certain American restaurants, particularly those with a more casual or rustic theme, there is a tradition of eating peanuts and toss the shells on the floor while waiting for your dish to come. This laid-back practice contributes to a relaxed and informal dining atmosphere but might seem uncouth or odd to diners from more formal or tidier dining cultures.

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