25 of America’s Most Peculiar Cultural Quirks

Is it true that people from other countries think Americans can be pretty weird based on some of the widespread habits that have gained attention? Most definitely. A common American habit that's received loads of negative judgment from other countries is the tipping culture that exists. The fact that Americans order their coffee to go is another habit they're judged for. A third habit that weirds non-Americans out is the fact that most drinks are served with ice.

There are certain habits Americans have that aren't widely honored, acknowledged, or recognized in any other part of the world though. In fact, some habits that come from Americans leave people from other countries scratching their heads in confusion.

To gather list of the interesting habits that only seem to plague Americans, 24/7 Tempo consulted several insightful sources. These include The Travel, Greenheart Exchange, Business Insider, Culture Trip, and YouGov.

This post was updated June 30th, 2025, to reflect additional information.

Is it true that tipping culture has gotten out of control in America? Some people would argue that tipping culture needs to be completely demolished across the United States since it stresses customers out. In other countries, tipping isn't much of a big deal, nor is it required.

That's because servers and people working in hospitality from other countries are being paid livable wages. In America, servers are barely earning enough money to get by. Their tiny incomes add a layer of responsibility to the shoulders of patrons who feel pressured to leave tips to avoid being plagued by guilt-ridden consciences.

In America, it's common to see dates written down in order of the month, day, and year. Other countries do things differently when it comes to keeping track of calendar activities and events. In Europe, for example, people write start with the day, followed by the month, followed by the year with slash symbols in between.

If you're traveling to Europe as an American, be careful deciphering certain dates so you don't accidentally mix up your plans. Even the most organized individuals can get tripped up reading dates that have been written down in an order the mind doesn't naturally recognize.

In other countries, it's common to greet each other by saying, "Hello" and kissing each other on the cheeks. In America, people prefer greeting each other with a basic question like "How are you?" This question throws off non-Americans in a big way. Most Americans will ask this question as a way of being friendly and kind, but it's not actually meant to open the floodgates to an emotional or heavy-hitting conversation.

According to American etiquette, you're supposed to respond to "How are you?" with a simple, "Good, and you?" People from other countries may assume that you're trying to start a full-fledged conversation based on your introductory question. To avoid any confusion while traveling outside the United States, it's best for Americans to greet locals with a plain "Hello" and nothing more.

In America, price tags don't include the tax amount you'll be forced to pay when you reach the checkout counter. Non-Americans might think they're about to spend five dollars on a product in the United States, but that's not exactly the case. They're often in for a rude awakening when it's actually time to pay.

The average sales tax in America is 5% to 7%. That means that they'll pay $5.35 for a five dollar product if the sales tax is set to the highest end. In most other countries, what you see is what you get when looking at price tags inside grocery stores and department stores. Sales taxes don't often catch people off guard at the last minute outside of America.

Americans can be super patriotic. Residents living in America have reputation for mounting their flags just about everywhere. Americans will confidently and boldly mount flags outside of their homes, outside of their businesses, and everywhere else. While it's true that you'll see mounted flags in other countries, there doesn't seem to be as many mounted flags anywhere else compared to the United States.

Since America functions on a "go go go" type of mentality, it makes sense that people in the states would utilize drive-throughs. In other countries, sitting down to enjoy a meal is the norm. Non-Americans are willing to set aside to time to savor their food. In America, the faster people can get their hands on their food, the better. Drive-throughs are ideal for Americans who don't care to sit down at restaurants or patiently wait to be served. Fast food restaurants exist in other countries, but they don't typically have drive-through attached to them.

Americans are super trusting when it comes to handing their credit cards off to close out restaurant tabs. In other countries, waiters and waitresses manage the transactions in front of patrons without taking cards away. In America, people are leave their credit cards in the hands of a stranger without seeing exactly how the transaction is going down. There are plenty of restaurants and eateries that have changed the game on this process over the years, though.

One unfortunate habit that's extremely widespread in America is everyone's decision to wear pajamas in public. Some Americans are too lazy to change out of their pajamas before rushing off to the grocery store, gas station, or anywhere else. Tons of people need to be to handle their errands, but can't be bothered to get dressed first. In other countries, getting dressed is a sign of self-respect. In other countries, it's respectable to change into clothing that's seen as presentable and classy. Tons of Americans are unbothered by the idea of that.

Taking a stroll through an American carnival or fair will reveal just how much people in the United States love deep frying their foods. Deep fried Oreos are a popular delicacy in America, despite the fact that they are beyond unhealthy. Other deep-fried foods in America include Twinkies, ice cream scoops, shrimp, and chicken strips. Deep fried food certainly exists in other countries around the globe, but not to the same degree as it does in America.

Americans seem to be addicted to hustle culture. Hustle culture is extremely toxic, but that doesn't stop Americans from latching onto it out of a desperation to climb the corporate ladder. Since Americans are so hell-bent on leaning into hustle culture, many skip their vacation time and ignore their PTO. In other countries, taking time off of work is a normal and acceptable thing to do. People who take their jobs too seriously in other countries are judged the same way "quiet quitters" are judged in America.

It's typical to come across American who smile at you, even if they don't know who you are. In American culture, a common habit is smiling at strangers. It's a form of acknowledgment while giving off a vibe of how friendly you are. When Americans travel to other places and smile at strangers, they'll occasionally be met with dirty looks and uncomfortable facial expressions in return.

The concept of 24-hour restaurants is something Americans absolutely adore. Having access to different cuisines at all hours of the day and night is a huge benefit that comes with living in America. In other countries, 24-hour restaurants aren't exactly common or popular. Other countries prioritize work-life balance for employees, which means no one is forced to work graveyard shifts.

People who aren't from America find it a bit odd that elderly individuals are still carded when purchasing alcohol. In America, a systems are in place for licenses and state IDs to be scanned at most checkouts to prove that someone's identification is legitimate. In other countries, you won't be questioned in the first place before purchasing alcohol if you look like you're well above the legal age.

In America, the name "soccer" been given to a sport that people from other countries simply don't understand. Americans have reserved the name "football" for a sport that doesn't even require athletes kick balls around their feet. In all seriousness, soccer should probably be called football since the sport itself requires constant foot kicks. American football should have a different name that honors the physical activities taking place on the field.

It's typical to come across restaurants and eateries that serve drinks with ice in every state across America. People from other countries don't necessarily care about sipping drinks full of ice cubes. This American habit exists regardless of the season and the outdoor temperatures. Mo matter what drink a person might order in America whether it's orange juice, soda, or water, there's a big chance it will be served with ice.

The serving sizes and food portions offered in America have been described as outrageous and out of control. Does any one person need to have such a heaping helping of food while enjoying breakfast, lunch, or dinner? In America, it's common for a restaurant goers to receive plates of food that could easily feed two or three people. Most Americans don't bat an eye about serving sizes and food portions, though.

While it might be common to call your best friends "mate" in European countries, in America, it's become normalized to call your friends "bro" or "dude." Calling someone bro, specifically, is a form of endearment in most cases. Thats because bro is short for brother. Since bro and dude are two words used to converse with friends, they're often used in gender-neutral settings, which means women feel comfortable using them in their daily dialogue as well.

Bumper stickers only seem to be popular in America. Other countries have no understanding for why an American would slap a sticker of any sort onto the back of their car. Oftentimes, people drive too fast for others to read whatever bumper stickers they might. In the eyes of folks who aren't from America, cars that are classy or luxurious look a bit wonky and ratchet when bumper stickers are pressed into the back.

One thing Americans love to do is ordering their coffee to go. As mentioned before, it seems like Americans are addicted to hustle culture. They're always in a rush and ready to move onto the next best thing. Sitting down to relax with a hot cup of coffee is never exactly the norm. For this reason, popular coffee shops hand off hot coffee in Styrofoam cups people can take with them as they venture off to different destinations. Iced coffee is typically served in plastic cups.

Have you ever noticed how many ads are in place around your city for lawyers? In other countries, it's not exactly common for lawyers to advertise their services to regular people. In America, you'll come across billboards and bus benches covered in advertisements for lawyers who can help with a slew of legal issues. Some ads from lawyers preach about their ability to help with divorce proceedings, custody battles, car crashes, DUIs, and more.

Americans love giving thumbs up hand symbols when they want to express their pleasure or agreement about something. They can't get enough of it as a silent way of communicating something. Giving a thumbs up is a quiet way to let someone know that you're on the same page as them in American culture. Thumbs down work the same way to display your disapproval. People in other countries simply don't understand why Americans use thumbs up hands symbol to get messages across to others.

It's typical to see a commercial or two for prescription drugs while watching TV in America. Plenty of Americans are well aware that they'll be absorbing knowledge and information about prescription drugs in between their favorite TV show scenes. The prescription drug culture is so massive in America, it makes sense that so many commercials would be in circulation.

Some of the most commonly advertised drug brands Americans see include Cialis for impotence, Lyrica for getting rid of pain, and Eliquis as a blood thinner. Folks other countries find out what they need to know about necessary drugs and supplements at scheduled doctors appointments with professionals. Most Americans find out what they need to know while watching TV.

The imperial is one of the most complicated and confusing systems out there. Still, Americans haven't had the heart to let it go. The imperial system is super outdated since it forces people to measure things out in inches and feet for length. The metric system requires items to be weighed out in pounds as well. In other countries, the metric system has been implemented, which simplifies a lot of confusion.

Discussions about seeing America switch from the imperial system to the metric system have circulated many times in the past, but ultimately, it is unlikely to ever happen. Americans citizens don't seem interested in dealing with the inconvenient hassle of reframing everything that must be mathematically measured.

Dishwashers are not very common outside the U.S., Canada, and Western Europe. It's true that dishwashers can save a lot of time when you're striving to keep your dishes and silverware as clean as possible. It seems that people from other countries don't mind washing their dishes by hand.

In America, shoppers can get their hands on brand-new dishwashing machines at stores like Lowe's, Best Buy, Home Depot, Costco, and more. On top of that, Americans can pay star employees to come to their homes to handle the entire installation process. Dishwashers will always be beloved in America, which means they'll likely never lose popularity – despite opinions from folks living elsewhere.

Spending time at a business or establishment doesn't have the air conditioner blasting would be a rare occurrence in America. American businesses love cranking up air conditioners to keep people feeling cool and comfortable. In other countries, air-conditioning systems are barely ever utilized.

Just think of the Caribbean, for example. Most businesses function with their doors and windows hanging wide open to let outside breezes in.