Things Considered Normal in the US...

[kimona]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/smart-living/24-things-that-are-considered-normal-in-the-us-but-the-rest-of-the-world-finds-weird/ss-BBMgibH?ocid=spartanntp


After moving to the States, I could relate to every single one (and there are so many more examples).

[KALISPEL II]

Yeah, the U.S. has a lot of stupid customs just any other country.

The tipping model really needs to die in the U.S. No reason why one service profession should be tipped any more than any other. Also no reason why you should tip more for a single meal that cost $15 as opposed to one that cost $45 via the '20% tip system'. It's just a stupid model, & forces consumers to subsidize corporate welfare even more than they already do with their taxes. My 2 cents.

[NYC-SE]

I fear I may go into a political rant that would get me banned, so let me just say YES, most of the things listed are typically American and typically nonsensical.

I'm a native, born here, but have family living overseas and have been to and spent time in many places internationally. (Leaving for Germany tommorow. Can't wait.) It is not anti-American to acknowledge there are other, often better, ways of doing things.

Some of the things listed are really of no consequence, just matters of taste. But a few stand out. Out of control health care costs and agressive drug advertising...gee could there be any connection?

Also wish we would just roll the taxes and tips into the price of items. We're going to pay them anyway, why not make it simple?

But number 1 on the list of bad American choices that have real world consequences is our refusal to adopt the metric system. Yes this really matters and has real econonic costs and safety issues. I went on a pro metric rant in another thread here sometime back. I don't want to repeat myself but suffice it to say this needs to be done.

We need to go metric and now!

[bairjo]

Yeah, the U.S. has a lot of stupid customs just any other country.

The tipping model really needs to die in the U.S. No reason why one service profession should be tipped any more than any other. Also no reason why you should tip more for a single meal that cost $15 as opposed to one that cost $45 via the '20% tip system'. It's just a stupid model, & forces consumers to subsidize corporate welfare even more than they already do with their taxes. My 2 cents.
So have you actually been able to taste the spit in the the food you have been served?....

[KALISPEL II]

So have you actually been able to taste the spit in the the food you have been served?....

Why would I want to eat out, when I can make MUCH better dishes at home myself from scratch, using MUCH higher quality, healthy hand-picked ingredients, MUCH better prep/handling/hygiene practices, at a fraction of the cost? No thanks. I try to vote with my dollars & not support business practices or products that I don't agree with for one reason or another. That's extra money for me to play around with in the stock market, spend on my hobbies/interests or to donate to animal rescue efforts every month. :thumbsup:

Besides, what is enticing about being served dressed-up low-quality foods, comprised of estrogen-filled conventional meats, herbicide/pesticide-laden everything, who knows how many other ultra-processed chemical ingredients, all cooked up in chemically-refined, denatured oils? Have fun with that, while paying a premium in the process & dealing with a noisy obnoxious environment. Spit in your food is the least of your problems when dealing with restaurant foods. :wink: Why do you think that most Americans are unhealthy, fat & crying about health care all the time?

[kimona]

^^^ Completely agree.

[suprf1y]

Yeah, the U.S. has a lot of stupid customs just any other country.

The tipping model really needs to die in the U.S. No reason why one service profession should be tipped any more than any other. Also no reason why you should tip more for a single meal that cost $15 as opposed to one that cost $45 via the '20% tip system'. It's just a stupid model, & forces consumers to subsidize corporate welfare even more than they already do with their taxes. My 2 cents.

You're right.

I was shocked when I found out how little wait staff are paid in The U.S. and how their wages are subsidized by tipping.

[ern-diz]

Why would I want to eat out, when I can make MUCH better dishes at home myself from scratch, using MUCH higher quality, healthy hand-picked ingredients, MUCH better prep/handling/hygiene practices, at a fraction of the cost? No thanks. I try to vote with my dollars & not support business practices or products that I don't agree with for one reason or another. That's extra money for me to play around with in the stock market, spend on my hobbies/interests or to donate to animal rescue efforts every month. :thumbsup:

Besides, what is enticing about being served dressed-up low-quality foods, comprised of estrogen-filled conventional meats, herbicide/pesticide-laden everything, who knows how many other ultra-processed chemical ingredients, all cooked up in chemically-refined, denatured oils? Have fun with that, while paying a premium in the process & dealing with a noisy obnoxious environment. Spit in your food is the least of your problems when dealing with restaurant foods. :wink: Why do you think that most Americans are unhealthy, fat & crying about health care all the time?

Eh, this is a complicated way to over simply the topic. Not all restaurants are McDonald's. There are some very fine restaurants that use high quality ingredients cooked by trained chef's, too.

[justanotherdrunk]

But number 1 on the list of bad American choices that have real world consequences is our refusal to adopt the metric system. Yes this really matters and has real econonic costs and safety issues. I went on a pro metric rant in another thread here sometime back. I don't want to repeat myself but suffice it to say this needs to be done.

We need to go metric and now!

:bow:

the Mars Climate Orbiter was lost due to this american nitwittedness

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Climate_Orbiter

[KALISPEL II]

Eh, this is a complicated way to over simply the topic. Not all restaurants are McDonald's. There are some very fine restaurants that use high quality ingredients cooked by trained chef's, too.

I think those are the ones that serve $80-100 per-person meals that are about the size of a deck of cards. :biggrin: Don't forget the $20 per person in your party tip! :rolleyes:

Good luck finding any normal price range restaurant that doesn't use chemically-refined oils of some sort at the very least, instead of something like raw, virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil (which isn't even that expensive really). Amazing how many people still believe that things like soybean, canola, etc. oil is healthy, or that buttery-spreads & margarine made of those oils are healthier than even regular butter, let along 100% grass fed butter.