People In The U.K. Find Some Details About America Very Confusing

In the States Halloween is celebrated almost as fervently as Thanksgiving and Christmas. But their transatlantic cousins are essentially the holiday’s answer to Scrooge. Yes, while British kids enjoy going out trick-or-treating and indulging in a bit of apple-bobbing, adults pretty much ignore the importance of October 31 altogether! 

Americans will think nothing of putting up the Stars and Stripes outside their house or a patriotic sign on their bumper. But in Britain it’s considered pretty eccentric to be so overtly proud of your country. The only time you’ll see national flags en masse is at a sporting event or Last Night at the Proms.  

It’s perhaps little surprise to learn that Americans are a much more sociable bunch than the famously reserved Brits. Talk to a random person on the London Underground, for example, and you’re likely to be ignored. But across the pond strangers think nothing of engaging in small talk on public transport to pass the time.  

In the U.K., restaurant customers usually pay for their bill on a card machine brought to the table. But across the pond, waiters will take away your Visa or Mastercard to swipe it elsewhere before returning to ask for a signature. Many Brits believe this is a less secure method which is more open to the possibility of fraud.

Those Brits who like letting their hair down at the weekend with a drink or ten will no doubt be glad that this American custom hasn’t traveled. In the U.K. you only have to put your hand in your pocket for the beer, wine, or whatever other beverage takes your fancy at the bar. Unlike across the pond, you don’t then also have to tip the bartender.  

Some British bathrooms, particularly those in new-builds, will have special plug sockets for your electric toothbrush or hair dryer. It’s a breach of health and safety to have any normal ones in such a watery space. But in America you’ll often find a regular socket in close proximity to the bath or sink.

To keep eggs in the fridge or not to keep eggs in the fridge? This is a regular source of debate among shoppers in Britain. But while they can store the foodstuff wherever they like once they get home supermarkets will only ever sell them on room-temperature shelves. In America, eggs always have to be sold in refrigerators because of the washing process they undergo.  

In Britain it’s generally considered the norm to take your shoes off pretty much the moment you first step inside your hallway. That’s not the case in the United States, though. Americans will quite happily walk throughout their homes in the same pair of sneakers they’ve just hit the muddy park in.  

The date written as 07/04/2022 in America would, of course, be when U.S. citizens celebrate Independence Day. The date written the same way in the U.K., on the other hand, would simply be a random day in April. Yes, somewhat confusingly Brits like to put the day first and then the month, while Americans prefer the other way around.  

You have to go all the way up to £5 — roughly $6 at current rates — to be able to use a paper note in the U.K. Every other form of currency below comes in the shape of a coin. But on the other side of the Atlantic you only need to spend a dollar to start waving a bill around.

If you ask someone, “How are you doing?” in Britain you may soon find yourself regretting it. That can be an excuse for the other person to deliver a lengthy speech about their emotional or physical well-being. But in America the same four words are simply an alternative to “hello.” 

It seems fair to say that the U.S. and U.K.’s workplace cultures differ dramatically. Most British employees will get at least four weeks’ vacation to rest and recuperate. That no doubt sounds like a lifetime to those workaholics across the pond. Many Americans will only take time off from the daily grind when absolutely necessary.  

The United States is renowned for going the extra mile when it comes to customer service, particularly in the restaurant world. But British diners don’t always appreciate being asked every 15 minutes if they are enjoying their meal. It’s why they will often find waiters annoying rather than attentive when sampling the delights of a Wendy’s or Appleby’s for the first time.  

Brits may be surprised to find that Better Call Saul wasn’t just taking creative license. American lawyers really do advertise their services on television in the daytime and on giant billboards, although perhaps not quite in the manner of Saul Goodman. Those in the legal profession in Britain have to rely on Google or recommendations to get their clients.  

The prospect of getting behind the wheel in America can be quite daunting for some Brits. And that’s not just because of having to drive on the other side of the road. Even on the U.K.’s motorways — the equivalent of American highways — it’s rare to see four lanes of cars all heading in the same direction. But on the other side of the pond even the smallest towns have super-sized roads.

It doesn’t matter whether you order a beer, cola, or just a simple glass of milk in the States. Most bartenders will automatically put enough ice in to sink the Titanic. Yes, Americans love their frozen cubes of water. But in Britain you’re usually asked whether you want just a few added to your beverage of choice.  

Suddenly feel the need for a fancy burger with all the trimmings at 3:00 a.m? Well, if you live in a big American city then you might not have to travel too far to satisfy your craving. No such luck if you’re in the U.K, though. The only eateries which tend to be open at such an ungodly hour are some 24/7 fast-food outlets, inevitably including McDonald’s.  

Don’t get us wrong: Brits love their Kentucky Fried Chicken as much as any other nation. But they tend to draw the line at deep-frying cookies or pretty much any other foodstuff besides meat. Americans, on the other hand, will think nothing of dunking some Oreos into a vat of fat.  

Brits who head to the nearest Subway while on vacation in America may find that their sandwich serves as both a savory and sweet snack. Yes, bread made in the United States contains a significantly higher amount of sugar. And so it can be added to the likes of chocolate as one of those regular foodstuffs that tastes completely different on opposite sides of the pond.  

If you're a Brit walking down the cheese aisle of an American supermarket you might think that a bunch of aerosols have been misplaced there. But no, processed cheese spread in a can is a thing in the States. Brits are just not sure what kind of cheese is in there, or if there’s any at all!

Jaywalking is perhaps one of the most baffling concepts to Brits visiting America. Back home they are able to cross the road whenever and wherever they like — although hopefully before looking both ways, of course. But in the States you can be hit with a fine for avoiding a suitable crossing point.

The concept of the purity ball is as baffling to some Americans as it is to the entirety of the United Kingdom. It’s a party held by the most conservative type of Christians that’s specifically for fathers and their teen daughters. And it’s where the latter makes an abstinence pledge to the former.  

If you’re a Brit vacationing in the height of the U.S. summer you wouldn’t expect to need a sweater. But whenever the temperature rises above a certain level Americans will automatically crank up the air conditioning to Arctic levels. The U.K.’s generally cold and rainy climate means that you’re unlikely to find an A/C unit to switch on.  

Tailgating is a major part of the footballing experience in America. It’s the tradition in which fans tuck into their favorite food and drink, usually on a pick-up truck, outside the venue before the game starts. There’s no equivalent in Britain, where most soccer fans would rather head to the stadium as close to kickoff as possible.  

This particular cross-cultural difference no doubt confuses those on both sides of the Atlantic. For some reason the majority of American toilet cubicles are built with needlessly large gaps on each side. It can make using a public restroom a rather unnerving experience for Brits who are used to being able to perform bodily functions with far more privacy.

There are some businesses where neon signs make perfect sense. But a funeral home? Well, in America some undertakers like to attract the newly bereaved with the kind of dazzling illumination you’d expect to see on Sunset Strip. You won’t be surprised to learn that the more conservative Brits usually just opt for something more solemn.  

Forget all the murders, beatings, and general chaos of Orange Is the New Black. The most shocking thing for some British viewers may have been that the prison was run for profit! This isn’t an approach used in the U.K. And even many Americans believe that there’s something inherently wrong about combining incarceration with business.  

Attend a crucial college football game in the States and you’ll be surrounded by thousands of whooping and hollering fans. If you attend a university soccer match in the U.K. you’ll probably be joined by one man and his dog. There certainly isn’t the same higher education sporting culture in Britain. In fact, there’s barely one at all.  

While some Brits like nothing more than going for a walk in the fresh air, the leaves on the ground aren’t the main attraction. It’s why they’re left puzzled by the American concept of taking a stroll simply to admire the changes that fall has brought. Picking up your Halloween pumpkin at a farm instead of a supermarket, an activity known as a hayride, is another seasonal tradition that hasn’t crossed the Atlantic.  

If you need to boil some water in the States then you have to use a pan and a stove. Or perhaps a cup and a microwave for convenience. But due to their fondness for drinking tea British folk do so several times a day with the use of a kettle. It’s rare to find a house in the U.K. without this piece of kitchen equipment, but it’s even rarer to find a house across the pond with one.

Americans sure like their drive-throughs. You can buy everything from ammunition to your favorite cocktail without having to get out of your car in the States. Most bizarrely you’re even able to get married in the comfort of your vehicle in Las Vegas. Drive-throughs in Britain, though, are usually reserved for fast-food, coffee, or car washes.  

It’s rare for America to be behind the times. But the country is one of only three in the entire world that has stuck with the imperial measurement system. Even the Brits, usually sticklers for tradition, have partially embraced the metric system, although they still use imperial units in some areas too. All the same, some Brits can have trouble working out how much a pint or an ounce is when following an online recipe posted from the States.  

You’re lucky to go ten minutes of watching a TV show in the States without being interrupted with a commercial break. And they crop up in completely random places, too, including just before a show’s end credits. Brits who watch the BBC don’t have to put up with a single ad.  

There’s perhaps a reason why documentary film Super Size Me was made in America. Restaurants in the States love dishing out gargantuan meal portions to their customers. And then there’s the buckets of soda, too! British eateries, on the other hand, are a little more restrained when it comes to putting food on the plate.  

British tourists shopping in America for the first time may get a bit of a surprise when they head to the till. For the goods on display aren’t priced with the sales tax included. This figure is already built into the sum back home. But you have to use your math skills in the States to determine whether you have enough money once the final amount is totted up.

Higher education is only free in the U.K. if you happen to be a Scottish native studying in Scotland. But even the figures that those in Wales, England, and Northern Ireland have to pay are still dwarfed by the sums charged by their equivalent American institutions. It’s why parents start saving for their children’s college life from the moment they’re born.  

It seems as though America has an unconventional system when it comes to credit. In the U.K. you arguably risk damaging your credit score every time you take out a loan or apply for a new AMEX — especially if you struggle to make repayments on time. But across the pond you’re actually rewarded for sinking yourself deeper into debt.

Although the show might not have always seemed like it, Dog the Bounty Hunter was a documentary and not a pure work of fiction. Yet the whole concept of bounty hunting is completely unknown in the United Kingdom. And repo men, who usually focus on taking away possessions, are more commonly referred to as bailiffs.  

The longest possible driving distance in the U.K., Land’s End to John O’Groats, takes 837 miles and just under 15 hours to complete. That’s considered a colossal journey by most Brits and one that requires plenty of preparation and recovery. But Americans will quite happily hit the road for a similar length of time just to see friends and family on the weekend.  

According to reports the average cost of an emergency ambulance call in the U.S. climbed to $940 in the year 2020. It’s a figure that would seem unthinkable to most Brits. Due to the wonders of the NHS, the same call in the U.K. would cost the patient absolutely zilch.