17 Most Annoying Habits of American Tourists at Restaurants Abroad
One of the best parts of traveling is trying new restaurants. However, you can’t just walk into a restaurant in any country and act the same way you do at home.
Dining customs and traditions vary widely between countries. As a result, tourists, including Americans, sometimes make mistakes when eating out abroad.
Part of traveling is avoiding these mistakes and adapting to local dining practices for a better experience overseas.
1. Ordering Coffee To-Go
In America, people are used to grabbing coffee to go. But did you know that other places don’t follow the same practice?
People in Italy, for example, aren’t big fans of takeaway coffee. Instead, they sit down and enjoy a leisurely coffee break at cafés. If you want to take away coffee, you’d have better luck going to larger chains or coffee stands in busy areas.
2. Anticipating Dinner at 6 pm
Mealtimes vary significantly across the globe. On an international trip, you should adapt to the local mealtimes of your destination.
For example, dinner is at 9 to 11 p.m. in countries like Spain or Argentina. When we were in Spain, the restaurants would only start to serve dinner starting at 8. Same when we visited Argentina, the restaurant was absolutely empty when we came in at 8:30 and completely full when we left around 11 p.m.
3. Buying Food Late at Night
Many travel destinations have a lively late-night dining scene. In the U.S., many cities have restaurants and shops open 24/7. However, this isn’t true everywhere.
For example, in Norway and Australia, dinner time starts around 5 p.m., until around 7 p.m. Some places, especially small towns and villages, shut down after dinner hours. To avoid searching for food late at night, plan to have dinner earlier.
4. Assuming Everyone Speaks English
English is the official language in 67 countries and is spoken by approximately 400 million native speakers worldwide. Only Mandarin and Spanish have more native speakers than English.
However, many places around the world do not primarily speak English. Countries like China, Colombia, Brazil, and Laos, for example, have a lower percentage of English speakers. Learn simple greetings and expressions in the local language to help communicate and get some goodwill when you’re eating abroad.
5. Only Ordering Familiar Foods
When dining out in a foreign country, Americans often stick to familiar dishes instead of trying something new. Sometimes, this means people try to order items that the restaurant doesn’t even offer.
Exploring different options on the menu can lead to a unique dining experience. Ask the staff or locals for recommendations, which they’d be more than happy to provide.
6. Not Using Cutlery Properly
Americans often hold knives in their dominant hand and forks in the other when cutting food. Then, they put down the knife and switch the fork to their dominant hand to eat.
Most Europeans use knives and forks together throughout the meal, with the fork in the left hand and the knife in the right. Throughout the entire meal. Or, when you’re in many parts of Asia, you should learn how to eat with chopsticks. When traveling, learn how to use utensils properly in different countries.
7. Dining in a Rush
The United States is known for its “rush” culture, from speed reading to speed dating and speed dining. But did you know that rushing a meal can result in indigestion and heartburn?
In other countries, eating at a fast pace isn’t the norm. For instance, French and Italian people generally savor the experience of dining and can site at a table for hours. For Latin Americans, dining out is a luxury that people should enjoy slowly.
8. Having Loud Conversations
Laughter and lively conversations with family and friends during meals can be wonderful. However, too much noise can be disruptive or disrespectful in some cultures.
In many European countries, a quiet atmosphere is the norm in restaurants. Conversations are often subdued or held at a regular conversational tone. Avoid waving or calling out to someone across the room.
9. Working Through Lunch or Dinner
Working from your laptop or taking business calls at restaurants is common in the U.S. However, using gadgets while dining is not common in many other places.
For example, loud gadgets can annoy other people in small European restaurants. For the best dining experience (and to avoid awkward encounters with other customers), don’t bring out your laptop or phone. And certainly don’t have any conversations on speakerphone.
10. Expecting Free Refills
Free soda refills are typical in many American restaurants. But in countries like the United Kingdom and France? Not so much.
Often, non-alcoholic drinks like soda and sparkling water in these places come in smaller glasses and without ice. Moreover, the “refills” are not free; you pay for each order.
11. Making Outrageous Requests
Whether they intend to or not, Americans dining in other countries can come off as demanding. This includes asking for food that isn’t on the menu or special diet foods like gluten-free bread.
Another example is requesting food alterations that are not possible or available in a particular place. For example, coffee with almond milk is not common in parts of Italy where there’s less tourism. While they’ll try to accommodate you as much as they can’t, it’s not always a possibility.
12. Asking for the Managers
In the United States, there’s a saying that goes, “The customer is always right.” However, this is not always the case in other parts of the world.
Americans are used to speaking with restaurant managers when things don’t go their way. But in other parts of the world, like in European cultures, customers show respect to waiters and other service staff. If there’s something wrong and you want to see the manager, being respectful and calm will go a long way.
13. Portion Sizes
Portion sizes vary widely around the world. In many countries, portions are smaller than what Americans are used to.
Keep this in mind when you order because what may seem like a small portion in the U.S. could be the norm elsewhere. This can help you prevent over-ordering and food waste.
14. Not Giving Your Whole Order at Once
Servers in the U.S. usually make small talk and do multiple check-ins while customers are dining. It is likely because the U.S. has a more generous tipping culture than most other countries worldwide.
However, since tipping in other places like Europe is uncommon and they’re very often understaffed in busy months, servers can be busy. In many European countries it’s custom to order your drinks, appetizer, and main course in one go to shorten wait times.
15. Rushing Waitstaff To Deliver the Bill
Americans are used to servers quickly bringing their bills to the table. Waiting 10-20 minutes for the bill in a foreign country seems like poor service (but it really isn’t).
In Central America, having a “cafecito” — a small cup of coffee — is common after meals. Restaurants give customers plenty of time to enjoy their meals, cafecito, and conversations. In countries like France, you may have to ask for your bill before the server brings it.
16. Assuming All Restaurants Accept Dollars
While the U.S. dollar is widely recognized, it is not universally accepted in restaurants outside of the United States.
In most countries, you’ll need to pay with the local currency, like the Euro (used in 20 countries). It’s essential to carry some local currency or ensure your credit card is accepted to avoid any payment issues.
17. Tipping in Places Where It Is Rude or Tacky
Tipping is a common habit among Americans. In the U.S., 92% of adults always or often tip when dining at sit-down restaurants.
However, in some countries, tipping could be rude or even tacky. In Japan, service is an art form, servers are well-paid, and tipping is offensive. Meanwhile, countries like Singapore, Switzerland, or Denmark usually include service charges in bills and don’t encourage tipping.
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