10 US Customs that May Surprise You

While every country has its own way of doing things, there are certain customs and traditions from other countries that surprise people. Here are a few from the US that you might find interesting.

1. Drinking coffee on the go

While drinking coffee is a common practice around the world, few countries do it like the U.S. Americans tend to opt for the less eco-friendly version of a coffee and get it in a to-go cup rather than taking the time to have a quality conversation around a cup of coffee with friends.

2. Asking "How are you?" instead of saying "Hello"

While asking "How are you?" in some countries shows genuine interest in the life of the recipient, if you walk into a store in the U.S. and the clerk asks you how you are, they are really just wanting to greet you and open up a conversation, they don’t actually expect an answer – other than perhaps, "Good!"

3. Not taking regular vacations

While most countries enjoy lengthy or frequent vacations and see it as a time to rejuvenate and recharge, it’s almost seen as a sign of weakness if Americans take too much vacation time. Working overtime week after week and piling up vacation days is admirable and seen as something to be mirrored.

4. Being on time is highly valued

In the U.S., if you make plans to meet someone at 8 p.m., showing up even at 8:15 p.m. is seen as rude. Timeliness is very important to the American people. In fact, it might even be better for you to show up three to five minutes prior to the time you agreed on. This shows that you care about the other person and you’re looking forward to spending time with them. The same rule applies to events and other engagements.

5. Food is super-sized

Many restaurants serve up larger portions of food, bigger to-go cups, and have options for adding on extras. Here are a few examples of some jumbo food you can find across the United States.

6. Pharmacies double as convenience stores

While in Britain a trip to the "chemist" means solely picking up your prescriptions, a trip to the pharmacy in the United States is more like a trip to the convenience store. Aisles are filled with candy, toys, and personal care products. You can pick up your prescription and your weekly supply of Snickers.

According to Jon Langford, "In America, pharmacies are huge, kid-friendly places with shelves stacked full of crappy plastic toys and just about every conceivable candy bar. It is not a place little ones fear; on the contrary, a trip to Rite Aid is met from the backseat with a whoop or two of delight."

7. Eating dinner right after work

In some European countries are other countries around the world, it’s normal to wait until 8 or 9 p.m. to eat dinner. In the U.S., there’s a tradition of eating your evening meal right after getting home from work, between 5 and 6 p.m.

8. Americans are very patriotic

There are Americans flags. Everywhere. Americans are very patriotic and want everyone to know. You can learn a little more about that here.

9. Free refills!

Don’t worry about being thirsty when you go out to eat in America. Most fast-food restaurants have the soda machines on the customer’s side of the counter and offer unlimited trips back to fill your cup. Drink up!

10. Thumbs up is a good thing

As you know, hand gestures around the world are unique to their own culture and hold different meanings depending on where you are. Did someone in the U.S. just give you a thumbs-up, or perhaps even a double thumbs-up? While in some countries this might be a negative sign, in the United States giving and receiving a thumbs-up is a sign of a job well done!