American Reacts to Embarrassing Mistakes I Made In The UK

This is a sincere exploration of the mishaps and misunderstandings faced during an American's time in the UK. From language mix-ups to unfamiliar customs, each anecdote is a window into their journey of understanding and embracing the differences that make our world beautifully diverse.
This video serves as a heartwarming reminder that exploring new horizons often means embracing vulnerability and stepping outside of one's comfort zone. As our American traveler graciously shares their lessons learned, you'll be reminded that it's the mistakes we make that provide some of the most valuable insights on our journey to global understanding.
Don't forget to hit the subscribe button to stay tuned for more tales of growth and exploration from around the globe. 🌍🌟
#CulturalExchange #GlobalLearning #CrossCulturalInsights #UKAdventures
Original Video: • EMBARRASSING Mistakes ...
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[@AK-bx3ft]

The tap water is perfectly safe in the UK. It is actually one of the cleanest waters in the world.

[@markwolstenholme3354]

I agree and never buy bottled water unless tap water is not available. I'm not a Greeny or climate fanatic but I hate seeing empty plastic water bottles discarded everywhere.

[@juliehillman8743]

Yes, our tap water is clean and very drinkable.

[@Sophie.S..]

In Britain it is illegal not to provide free tap water in an establishment that sells alcohol.

[@dogwithwigwamz.7320]

I`m English and once went to Mexico City with my girlfriend. We drank tap water and took ice cubes from a communal tub in our hotel. No ill - effects. Fancy that - that a Third World country should have drinkable tap water. The way things are going in this country ( the UK ) I`d beware of drinking tap water, what with what water companies are now able to get away with, having done away with EU Regulations. When people go abroad and therefore essentially become `foreigners` they become exposed to `foreign` bugs ( to which the `natives` have become well exposed / immune). This partly explains why ignorant English people ( Britons in general ) come back from their sojourns and write to right - wing newspapers telling of their woes at the hands of The Foreigner.

[@insidiousbeatz48]

Well Scottish tap water is. Not so sure about the recycled English tap water.....

[@anthonycunningham8116]

Tap water in the UK is not like the horror show of American tapwater. Its safe and clean and perfectly drinkable

[@robertmcfarlane8546]

You can drink tap water in the UK because it is of the highest quality and regulated by law.

[@pem...]

It's better than bottled by far too!

[@steven54511]

Plus they add fluoride to help you look after your gnashers!

[@pem...]

@@steven54511 and Dennis, don't forget about Dennis too!

[@sarahealey1780]

The "bill" situation is because in the uk, the staff get an hourly wage, so it doesn't matter how many people they serve they get paid a set amount. There is no need to do more work than necessary when you are not relying on tips.

[@stevekenilworth]

on top of that if a busy place they keep tab open but offer you a table at the bar area of restaurant as hint they want want to use table to serve more meals

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

Also, in the UK eating out is regarded as something to be savoured, slowly while enjoying the company and the environment. Hassling customers does not make commercial sense.

[@kimbirch1202]

You can usually tell if someone is really asking if you are alright, or just greeting you, by the tone of their voice. It's not just what you say, but the way that you say it.

[@sharonbunn2363]

Ok: 1 Restaurants don't give you the bill until you ask because they want you to enjoy your meal and not rush you (nothing to do with selling more food though if you sit and let your food settle you may want a dessert later) 2 Tap water in the UK is usually very good though in cities it may taste a bit chemically. I live in Scotland and my water comes from a local spring. Bottled water in restaurants is usually spring water too.3 We, on the whole ,are far too polite to insult you to your face. However if we like you and you do something daft you may just be called a dickhead or something similar. (My personal favourite term of endearment is "daft bugger" but I am old.) However this is all thrown out of the window when the God-botherers come knocking on your door when you are allowed to tell them exactly what you think of them as I did to the Jehovah's Witnesses who interrupted my Sunday afternoon. xxx

[@geekexmachina]

So many of us consider it rude for waiters to interupt meals or to hover. Partly because we may often be discussing personal or private matters at the meal so dont want eavesdropping or interuptions. If we want something we usually will flag a waiter. Its also considered rude to rush a customer

[@jeepsthetimebandit]

Yeah, it drives me mad when they come to your table and say 'is everything OK?' I always want to say 'oh you would have known by now if it wasn't. Leave us to eat in peace.'

[@jeepsthetimebandit]

I don't get the difference in saying spa and spar. We say it the same, don't we? I do.

[@johnlabus7359]

Conversely, flagging a waiter can be seen a rude in the USA. It can signal that you are more important than other people. This is especially true since waitstaff are typically overly attentive in the USA. I can imagine that it would be culturally difficult for many Americans to flag down their waiter.

[@stephenlee5929]

Hi, 4:38, I hate the way many Americans believe they are spoilt by their good service, it is not good service to rush people out of your restaurant, it is not good service to keep pestering your customers for confirmation that everything is ok for them. It is a different attitude to service, like many Europeans I find American service stifling, oppressive and uncomfortable. What's the angle letting customers take their time, firstly that's what they bought, secondly it makes them happy, which may encourage them to come back and thirdly a full restaurant is a better advert than an empty one (although I don't think this is high on the reasons its done).

[@JamesLMason]

"Y'all right?" Is directly synonymous with "what's up?" Both in a literal sense sound like the other person thinks that something is the matter.

[@johnp8131]

Remember "Tap Water" in the UK is perfectly good. Some overly picky people or snobs don't like it and prefer to pay through the nose for ordinary water in a bottle! Spar originates from the Netherlands and basically means "Savings".

[@user-xi6nk4xs4s]

That's not what it means. It's actually part of the original acronym De SPAR. Savings in Dutch is close with the verb sparen, but spar in Dutch would be a tree (spruce in English I believe).

[@johnp8131]

@@user-xi6nk4xs4s I am so sorry, I just wanted to keep it simple? Plus much of the information I've read must be wrong and that was from older Dutch people. I'll refer them to you for your vast knowledge!

[@user-xi6nk4xs4s]

@@johnp8131 No reason to be. If I have better information I just give it, that's all.

[@johnp8131]

@@user-xi6nk4xs4s Looks like the majority apreciate it even if you don't? However there will always be a pedant!

[@user-xi6nk4xs4s]

@@johnp8131 It's not that I don't appreciate it, it's just not correct.

[@davidmckie7128]

You say that it is weird about our floor names in the UK, but look at it in a logical way... You are walking on the ground and you go into a building and you are still on the ground, so it is the ground floor. You go up to the next floor and it is the first floor (i.e. the first floor above the ground floor).

[@Joanna-il2ur]

This is normal world wide, even in France.

[@Thingybob]

Also in Spain,

[@surfaceten510n]

As the Americans would say do the math unfortunately it doesn't add up.

[@pedanticlady9126]

I'm surprised she didn't mention the Jay Walking thing. We don't have Jay Walking laws in the UK. 🤔😎

[@garethm3242]

Apart from here in N Ireland as it turns out (though I've *never* seen it enforced in my life and have done it in front of literal police cars).

[@pipercharms7374]

Tap water is very safe in the UK, so yes people often drink it.

[@Shoomer1988]

I want relax and enjoy my meal. I don't want a waiter bugging me every 2 minutes. If you need the waiter, they are always around, you just ask.

[@TukikoTroy]

Tap water in the UK is perfectly drinkable. The same is true for most of Europe.

[@stephenlee5929]

But, it is not always available in restaurants and bars, it depends on the country.

[@TukikoTroy]

@@stephenlee5929 I did say "for most of Europe" so that kinda implies that it depends on the country.

[@rjb29uk]

There is one valid reason to avoid tap water in other parts of the world, even places where tap water is perfectly safe to drink, is that there are different minerals and salts in the water based on the the local geology, that could upset your stomach if you're not used to it.

[@stephenlee5929]

@@rjb29uk I'm assuming you would recommend drinking some kind of bottled water? Where will this bottled water come from? What will the salts and minerals be likely to be?

[@rjb29uk]

@@stephenlee5929 good question! I kind of assumed a bottle of Evian in Greece is the same as it is in the UK, with controlled amounts of minerals in it. But you've got me thinking now, maybe it's just an old wives' tale I just took for granted, and it's all just local water with natural variations.

[@steveheywood9428]

In America the wait staff hang around your table etc, to justify a big tip. In the UK and Australia we don't need to tip but some waiters do provide service to you without requiring a tip Also tap water is very safe in the UK, and in fact here in Melbourne, Australia where I live, water is very clean and pure therefore very drinkable. 👍

[@watsondove849]

British tap water is said to be one of the best water supplies in the world, with a quality rating of 99.96% according to Discover Water. This quality is regularly monitored by the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) to ensure our water is both clean and safe to drink.

[@enemde3025]

Tap water in the UK is some of the best in the world. It is highly regulated . It DOESN'T come out of a hose !! Good mates can take the piss out of one another and don't get upset at all.

[@n.c.3607]

She needs to visit the South west of England as we REALLY pronounce the 'R' in Spar 😂 🇬🇧

[@Thurgosh_OG]

And then there's tus Scottish people who pronounce the R in eveRything, so Spar would be SpaRrr to us.

[@chuckyboy6977]

Some KZbinr said a line that summed up the difference between British and Americans in a restaurant, it was something like “Americans go to a restaurant to eat, British people go to a restaurant to chat”. This is why the service is basically different, we Brits don’t want constant interruptions when we’re chatting, so if we need something we’ll ask for it. The KZbinr also said that, American restaurants make the money on food and the British restaurants make their money on the drinks. Also on the case of asking for water, in the UK all tap water is 100% safe to drink, it’s not Flint Michigan here. So you have a choice of tap water and a certified mineral water in still or spring types. There was a huge thing in the UK with Coca Cola trying to sell Dasani filtered water in the UK. Thing is Mineral water has to be certified as containing minerals and from a certified spring outlet, that’s what the UK expects and pays the money for. Now, there was an episode of Only fools and horses (probably the biggest comedy tv show ever in the UK) where the crafty conman Del starts The Peckham spring water company, but he’s just bottling tap water, a few year later Dasani appears and sales are going well(no pun intended) but then a national newspaper has a headline comparing Dasani to the Peckham spring water company. The rest is history `Coca-Cola loses millions and Dasani is never seen again in the UK. There are KZbin videos on the events around Dasani.

[@gavinwest1460]

In the UK calling each other names and what some would call verbal abuse is our way of showing we feel we can trust you and on some level care.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

That's 'Verbal Banter,' abuse is just not nice or good.

[@vader11373]

If you don't call your best friend a dozy cunt at least once a day, you would question the friendship!

[@stevestone1527]

​@@Thurgosh_OGFor the record, the vast majority of British humour is aimed at current situations ( ie, the train's late, the lift's broke, the motorways jammed etc). Next in line is to laugh at oneself. Beyond that, to rip it out of an unsuspecting visitor from foreign shores is a concept I'm unfamiliar with and also disgusted by. Sincere apologises if you have been on the receiving end. Different upbringings I'm guessing😢

[@marc87supra]

In regards to the bill, in the UK(as with many European countries), going for a meal is not to be a rushed affair and seen as more of a social setting for the evening, so in contrast to the US where you generally head elsewhere after the meal, in the UK and Europe, we tend to stay and have several more drinks after the meal. So the wait staff go on the assumption that you’re staying and having more to drink for an extra hour or two after the meal.

[@rjb29uk]

There's actually been a big mental health campaign, focussing on men in particular, in the UK in recent years about asking someone if they're alright two times if you're worried about them. Because "you alright?" is just such a common greeting and we're hardwired into responding to the first enquiry in the positive way. So asking the same question again "are you sure you're alright?", is a way of getting men who have difficulties or worries, to actually respond appropriately when asked for a second time and possibly share what might be making them 'not alright'.

[@UKCougar]

Yeah, on water, UK tap water is more heavily regulated than anything you'll get out of a bottle, and anywhere that serves alcohol is legally obliged to provide it for free.

[@lyndapet1]

Every child is taught “Look right look left and then look right again before you cross”

[@caros4734]

Still water is from a bottle, sparkling is also from a bottle. Tap is from the tap and perfectly safe. Why would the floor you walk into from the street be the first floor, its the ground floor.

[@lynnhamps7052]

I drink tap water all the time..UK water is clean and safe and tastes just like bottled water..😊🇬🇧✌

[@shinyjohn6568]

when we were kids growing up water was called council pop😛

[@discontentedcitizan6046]

Tap water in London is very safe and chilled from a jug kept in the fridge is the way I prefer.

[@ginoh007]

Tap water here in The Netherlands is actually even better quality than a expensive water brand you would buy in a bottle in the USA, UK probably also has very good tap water.

[@Joanna-il2ur]

The way to get the bill for your restaurant meal is to catch your waitress/ waiter’s eye and to mime writing in the air as if you were writing a cheque. They will bring your bill.

[@pedanticlady9126]

The thing is you won't automatically get a huge glass of iced water plonked in front of you whether you asked for it or not! Tap water in uk is very high quality and FREE. Ask for a jug and remember, as an American, don't forget to ask for ICE in the jug ... oh and how many glasses you want to share it with. 😉😁

[@steven54511]

I used to follow Kaylinn before she quit KZbin. She made some good videos in her time - most of them are very educational, especially if you are American wanting to visit or live in the UK.

[@delskioffskinov]

Steven! i've bben subscribed to G.G.L. for years also and never used her name because I didn'y know how to spell it, so Thank You for spelling it out for me lol!

[@headphones1971]

She’s back on KZbin

[@dolceitalia5846]

In re to the bringing of the bill/cheque, if you go to mainland Europe i.e. Italy (my home country), the whole occasion of eating out is to socialise, enjoy your food with family/friends and have a great time. It’s not merely to eat. Therefore, as in the U.K., you hardly get the bill unless asked for. Occasionally, when getting seated however, you will be advised if they are busy and therefore will need the table in X amount of time.

[@KC-gy5xw]

Tap water in UK is perfectly safe. I do love a good bit of tap water. We don't all want bottle water, and to be frank, if you're a british person, you want BOOZE, not water!! 🤪 My mum has been drinking bottled water before it became so posh, since the early 70's. She's so stooshie... Diva.

[@gabbymcclymont3563]

Our tap water is fantastic in Scotland we call it Council Juice because its free, it rains alot. You do get Soft or Hard water depending where you are, London water is not the best but still drinkable.

[@user-xi6nk4xs4s]

In the Netherlands is called "Bouwvakkers Pils", which translates more or less like Constructors' Beer.

[@crocsmart5115]

It was called “council pop” when I was a kid.

[@pedanticlady9126]

It may depend on how busy a particular place is. Usually, most customers can appreciate that if the place is full and you have all finished, there is nothing to hang around for. On the other hand, it could be a chance to carry on chatting, have another coffee, or liquer. Maybe find room for that dessert that you thought you were too full for, some profiteroles, a glass of Port, or a Baileys, another Pint, some more chat, a cocktail or two, Gooseberry or Rhubarb Crumble, hmm with custard, cream, or ice cream? Maybe a cup of tea!! 😂😂👍😉

[@pedanticlady9126]

The floors thing is very rational 🙂 When you walk into a building you are usually on the ground, or ground zero '0'. A lift/elevator will have the floors marked accordingly. G or 0 indicates that you are at street level. Going down will take you to B (for Basement). Going up will take you to Floor 1, Floor 2, Floor 3, etc. In a very posh building, you may occasionally find the top floor marked with a 'P' for Penthouse. Hope you appreciate my gentle banter 😊

[@insoft_uk]

And zero is the fist and most important number of all, I don’t understand why Americans call the ground that isn’t a floor as it’s the ground as the 1st floor then they say ground zero

[@kristena9285]

In USA you are spoiled by practically being thrown out of the restaurant as you recieve your meal whereas we Europeans have to suffer being given plenty of time to enjoy our meal, our coffe and dessert cognac and cigar etc.. ;-)

[@jimdaw65]

That's an interesting point he made about the staff hoping you'd spend more money; I'd never thought of it in that way before.

[@Oddballkane]

In the uk we want repeat business and if a person likes the fact that they can eat dinner then half an hour later order a cake etc. I like having time to myself rather then being hurried out.

[@daveofyorkshire301]

If you aren't exchanging banter with a Brit then you are a stranger. The more lively the banter the better the friends you are...

[@jimdaw65]

I hate "banter". It used to be having a laugh with your friends at work, or your mates down the pub, but it took time to work out how far you could go. Now it's some complete stranger insulting you instantly, and you're supposed to find it amusing. Yeah, that buzzing noise you can hear is the bee in my bonnet :-)

[@daveofyorkshire301]

@@jimdaw65 It is insulting if a stranger is doing it, banter only exists between friends. If you're not a friend it's not banter, it's an insult... It's not confusing, it's simple if you don't know them well enough you don't do it.

[@shirl790]

Tap water is easy and cheap, and good for you. Some pubs you pay for your food/drink as you order it, so as soon as ur finished eating and drinking you just go. You can sit and chat without being interrupted then ask for the bill (for a laugh see Lee Evans paying for his food bill).

[@fll332]

I am glad I have to ask for the bill in the restaurant myself, because indeed if a waiter would come with the bill with the food I would feel like it is saying, hurry up finish your food, and f%^^% off, if I want that kind of treatment I'll go to mcdonalds

[@pinkpolly88]

Even in MaccyDs you don't get rushed out from the table though!

[@jackdog06]

7:00 On the other hand, “what’s up?” Has the same effect in the UK. It definitely carries a tone of genuine concern (at least to me).

[@kerrydoutch5104]

Aussie here. DRINK TAP WATER. In the US apparently and third world countries you cant drink tap watef. In the UK Europe Australia New Zealand and some other places Im sure provision of "domestic" water is highly regulated and its safe to drink directly out of any inside or outside tap. A jug or bottle of water at your table or over the bar is free. If you insist on commercial bottled water, and some people do, it will cost you. So why would you do that. And buying bottled water to drink as you go or take to the gym or whatever is a waste of money. A rip off when you can fill your own container at home. Not to mention the plastic waste. But people still do for the fashion or "hip" value. In Australia there are exceptions depending on water supply in rural regional and remote locations.

[@jimdaw65]

As a Brit on holiday in God's Own Country I really needed the water provided at every turn. Well, in Brisbane ... not so much in Melbourne, but by then I'd got used to the heat :-)

[@Shoomer1988]

My local tap water tastes better than the overpriced bottled stuff. Unless you want sparkling stop drinking bottled water - it's expensive, bad for the environment and completely pointless.

[@sunnyjim1355]

ho ho, you're obviously completely ignorant about the whole 'water fluoridation' controversy. It's exactly why some people buy bottled water, regardless of the expense.

[@Shoomer1988]

There is no controversy. It's perfectly safe, and good for you. Water naturally contains fluoride for a start and bottling it doesn't remove it. So if you trying to avoid fluoride because you listen to ill-informed conspiracy theorists then good look with that because bottled water has fluoride in it.@@sunnyjim1355

[@geekexmachina]

The floor numbering is not confusing there are usually big signs with the floor number. Crossing the road inthe uk is taught to children and we are taught to look both ways as most roafs are 2 way traffic, the look left/ right signs on the floor were created to help children know which way to look

[@marciusmarciukas5467]

11:39 drink tap water!!! In 1st world countries it's mostly safe and in some countries it's even better than bottled still water 👍

[@Bill_Stranix]

I'm from the UK and I use a Brita filter cartridge. Removes any trace of limescale, impurities etc.

[@nobbyclarke9166]

DO drink Tap water in U.K. it’s very nice, we don’t put all them weird chemicals in and it’s very clean and usually from beautiful reservoirs.

[@veradennis7502]

That thing with the train door-buttons is totally relatable...it took me a while to see how it worked, and I'm British.

[@alanrobinson8065]

The reason (one of) that uk restaurants don't turn over tables as quickly is the Tipping cultures. One table serving 2 groups over an evening at one table would only generate x2 tips. Turning over x6 generates more tips. That being said, some very busy venues have a limit on how long you have a table for ...2 to 3 hours

[@MsZepfreak]

Nothing wrong with tap water in UK. Our water is completely safe and is one of the cleanest water in the world.

[@davidmckie7128]

All doors open automatically on the tube as people get out at all stops. On a long distance train you open the door if you want to get off and you may be the only person getting off so there is no need to open all the doors on the train.

[@lordylou1]

Waiting staff don't rely on tips to make up their income in the UK - that's not to say it's well paid, but wages are about average - which means waiting staff don't feel the need for over enthusiastic service. Also we favour a European style of dining in the UK and linger over our meal, taking breaks between courses. When I go out for dinner I expect it to take all evening and I'd be a bit miffed if I felt hurried along.

[@tmac160]

Mineral (still) water is natural ground-sourced water and is a protected product, differing from tap water. Sparkling water is carbonated mineral water. If the ground floor is Floor 1 why do Americans have ground zero? Your date format is mm/dd/yyyy except for 4th of July. Differences are good. 😄Keep you thinking. Enjoy your videos. 👍

[@jimdaw65]

Because we speak the same language it's probably easier for an American to get things wrong over here, because it's not as obvious that you're "abroad" as in, say, France.

[@petejones7878]

"!are you alright" normally shortened to "alriight" .the shortened version is used in most cases as a form of greeting , whereas "are you alright " could be someone asking if you are OK .

[@helenwood8482]

American service I restaurants is rude to a Brit. In our culture, you do not interrupt someone's meal or conversation. Also, Americans eat I restaurants for the food, Brits for a long evening of conversation.if they are hurried, they will not go there again.

[@kanedaku]

Popular misconception on the tube: you do in fact need to press the _"doors open"_ button when up north on the Jubilee line. So in winter the carriage will stay warm when aboveground, when no-one is leaving.

[@matshjalmarsson3008]

Tap Water is the best! But then I live in a country where it's perfectly safe to drink water from a creek or river. Tap water is usually of better quality than bottled water.

[@theplasteredfinger5942]

the thing with bills.. if you're ordering more drinks it goes on the bill. in some places, abroad, they might add more bill to the bin (and slip an extra one in!)

[@jillybrooke29]

Toby Carvery... you can get served at your table and then you can go up and get your own food. roast dinner which is off menu !! My son always greets me with "Alright mum?".. I reply "yeh, you alright?" I would live in New Zealand by the way. I drink tap water all the time with lemon and lime slices in.

[@davehadley3567]

IF your attempting to do something your unsure of ….just ask, we are reasonably friendly and don’t normally eat people visiting our country. Rushing a bill to a table could be seen as chasing your customer out the door ….just remember we try to be very polite.

[@Sandysand701]

Regarding the bill in the UK, if it's not busy, you won't be hurried with the bill, because they want you to order more, or just enjoy the experience so you come back again, if it's busy, you are more likely to be presented with the bill ASP.

[@BlackTempleGaurdian]

Ground floor being zero is perfectly sensible: You go up? You're on the first floor. You go down? You're on floor -1. What's weird is going straight from floor 1 to floor -1.

[@sandrapaterson8678]

I love my tap water, I'm in Scotland and its good spring water.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Aye, right enough.

[@pallasathena1555]

With the bill thing, if they’ve asked about dessert and you say no and continue to sit there, they’ll come over about 10 mins later and ask if you want coffee or something which is polite code for order something else or get the hell out

[@eddhardy1054]

"Don't drink tap water" WTF! What's wrong with tap water, we're not a third world country mate, you haven't got to worry about cholera or dysentery for christ's sake 🙄

[@tom_4615]

The thing with the floor numbers… my girlfriends student accommodation was on the 8th floor but below 1st floor you have upper ground, then there’s ground, which opens to the the main road but then there’s also lower ground which opens up to the back entrance which is lower than ground floor because it’s built on a slope. So she was on the 8th floor but the 11th storey. The sky lounge was the 21st floor which was the 24th storey

[@NilMortifey]

In regards to the bill service, it depends if it's a pub or a private etablishment. In a pub (literally, public house) tables aren't reserved unless requested so you can just open a tab (if the location allows) and just sit there all night socialising and talking and not drinking or eating and just pay up as you order at the bar or before you leave of they let you set a table tab. Private bars and restaurants can be different, but usually they aren't because they want to be seen as hospitable and don't want to be seen as snobs. But if they are busy and they've reserved your table after a specific time, they'll come over and politely inquire if you're going to pay up and leave.

[@stvbee7479]

We don't "turn tables" in the UK. You get time to sit and enjoy your meal in peace, without constant interruptions from wait staff because they are paid an hourly wage. They don't rely on tips so do not need to rush you out the door. While your sitting enjoying your meal, you may order more drinks or perhaps a desert. This garners more income for the restaurant. When you're ready to leave, gain the attention of any one of the wait staff and tell them you want the bill, it's that easy. Tap water is perfectly fine to drink. Finding floors in buildings is usually quite simple as they tend to be numbered. If your looking for the 4th floor, go in the lift (elevator) and press number 4. If you use the stairs, go up to level 4. It only becomes difficult when leaving the building as you have to go to the ground floor (it's at ground level).

[@thegingerwitch322]

The reverse of the store issue would be CVS in the US. They are a pharmacy but they sell everything, it seems to me

[@shinyjohn6568]

i don't think we say are you alright. we just say alright

[@Thurgosh_OG]

'Are you Alright?' is a question, 'Y'alright' etc. is a greeting.

[@louised4260]

A lot of pubs are now table service where you order on an app

[@chrisellis3797]

Wait staff are paid, they don't need to bum rush you out to get their next tip sat down. A meal is an occasion to sit and relax with friends and family

[@micheleedwin4004]

I would live in France or Ireland if not where I am. Did 5 years in the USA . I was lucky and had a great time but I never even thought about living there forever.

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

Main line trains are not the underground (and vice versa). You will also note that there are platforms to step out onto, not people putting little flights of steps by the door. Also, there are no toilets on the Underground trains.

[@user-es2ju9np9s]

Restaurants will have a booking system for tables. This permits them to know how many clients they can expect. I guess there may be some understanding of how many people can be fed in an evening. Evening meals tend to be very relaxed and your group/couple may occupy the table for two or more hours. I often have lunch with a friend in a local pub by a canal. We meet at 13:00 and will not leave until around 16:00. During that time we will have eaten lunch, and had a chat that befits a friendship where we get to meet about once every 4 months. Lunch may be followed by desert and coffee. We order our food at the bar and we ask for the bill when we are done.

[@grahamboffey457]

The very last thing a British person wants to hear is how you are actually feeling 😱

[@starsailor6716]

Yeah, we don't actually give a sh@t 😂😂😂

[@fll332]

the issue with the spar shop, spar is the name of the company, it's logo is a christmas tree as this is a type of christmas tree that is called a spar (netherlands)

[@neilmcdonald9164]

Try crossing the road in continental Europe (especially the South)...they just ignore traffic lights and you're taking your life in your hands!🎩

[@HollyLyne]

If a cafe, pub (many pubs that serve food will have table service) or restaurant is particularly busy, a waiter/ress may approach your table when your plates and cups/glasses are empty and ask if you want anything else. At which point you ask for the bill. They try not to rush us, but if it's busy and they have a queue I can understand them giving folks a nudge. I cannot fathom how she got off the lift on the wrong floor when the floors are numbered. So if she was told to go to the fourth floor, she will have seen the buttons numbered and it's pretty obvious to hit the number 4 and get out there. It's very hard to get that wrong, even with the different numbering conventions. Tap water is safe and free in all dining establishments here. Bottled water is an excuse to rip people off and causes plastic pollution. The insults thing is very true, it's how we show affection. As a traditionally reserved nation, it's a way around that. If I call you a "pillock" it's meant in a good-natured way ;) If I actually didn't like you, I'd be friendly to your face and then complain about you behind your back and use much stronger language LOL

[@almostclement4975]

After y’alright if someone asks "up to much" that’s an invitation to further chat but keep it surface level whereas "how you been" is an indication that it’s more likely a genuine question and the person is interested in what you have to say, that said if you’re offered a cuppa in Conjunction with any of the aforementioned phrases then you’re on for a good ole chin wag.

[@trevorlsheppard7906]

Train doors are locked by guard /conductor before a train moves and will only be unlocked once the train is stopped at a station platform .Once the doors are unlocked then passengers can open door ❤.

[@Bill_Stranix]

Today a lot of restaurants, and even pubs, have a little device on every table where you can call, request bill, enquire, or ready to order.

[@petejones7878]

the automatic doors on most trains will not open untill the train stops , thus you have wait for the button to light up before opening the doors , most of the doors will open without a button press once the train stops

[@LionheartTM]

Tap water Is Fine in the UK Drink it all day every day.

[@stevebills5716]

As a Brit, when I moved to France and had exactly that problem about crossing the road (except in reverse). It's very easy to be in autopilot mode, look the way you're used to and start stepping into the road when that side is clear. Definitely something that needs quick relearning. (Altho that said- don't Americans have that "jay walking" law that stops them crossing the road anywhere but a pedestrian crossing?)

[@gmdhargreaves]

Tap water is still water, it’s no different at, if anyone says it is they are lying. When being asked “you alright” be under no illusion, the person asking has absolutely ZERO interest on how you are.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Yes, theres a noticable difference from being asked 'Are you alright?' to someone greeting you with 'You Allright' or 'Y'awrite' and the variations.

[@annamae859]

Not just UK, but most European countries you won't get you bill at a restaurant until you ask for it. There are some restaurants in London that are very busy that will give you a 2 - 2.5 hour time slot in which to dine, in this cases you will uave to order coffee woth your desert and the bill will arrive with the desert.

[@maximushaughton2404]

Going to eat at restaurant. As I unsterstand it in the US because the staff rely on tips, to make up the low wage they get, they tend to want a quick turn over, and sort of rush you along. In the UK and Europe, because they are paid a decent amount, they do not rely on tips, so you do not feel rushed. And when I say rushed, in the UK and Europe a quick meal is anything under 2 hours, in most places a meal out is at least 3 hours. And we do not like to be bothered by the staff coming over and checking on us, we'll indicate when we want a member of staff to come over. Going out to eat is a family/social event, where you relax and unwind. I have gone out at 8pm and still been in the restaurant at 2pm. We call it the ground floor, because it used to be the ground, and 1st floor because it was the 1st floor above the ground. If someone British makes fun of you, that means they like you, but you have know them a while and they are still very polite to you, that means they really hate you.

[@helenroberts1107]

In Europe and the UK eating out is all about enjoyment and savouring it. You can sit in a restaurant for hours and they won’t mind as long as you at least have drinks after eating. They don’t try and rush you out at all

[@lindayoung4590]

As a Brit travelling in the US my embarassing mistake would be light or electric sockets switches. In the UK down means on so if you knock it accidentally you know because the light comes on 🙂. In the US down means off so if you knock it accidentally you are safe because it's switched off 😀. I was in Salem and called the hotel manager because the lights wouldn't switch on!

[@dandy193]

Pubs and Pub/Restaurant.. I can only speak from my own personal experience, but living in the Lake District most pub pub/restaurants do have table service. You go to the bar, order a drink, tell them you're looking to eat, they show you to a table and take your order after ten minutes. Only in Spoons have I not experienced that, but that's Spoons for you. My wife and I went out for a meal last night and the service from entering the pub to leaving was excellent, but that's country folk for you. Tap water in the UK is safe to drink, very few people buy bottled water

[@davidmckie7128]

To descibe what floor you need to someone when outside of a building can be confusing, but in the building itself if you use a lift (elevator) you press 4 in her example and you will get the correct floor. If you walk up the stairs each floor has a number painted on the wall by the door.

[@colintroy3831]

When I was a kid, I thought it was stupid that the first floor was the first upstairs floor, and I was confident that the Americans had it right. But then I became a programmer, and it is now only natural that it counts from 0.

[@helenagreenwood2305]

I live in North Yorkshire - Yorkshire Water is perfectly fine to drink from the tap 👍😋

[@Ibis117]

Train doors: on the Docklands Light Railway, the doors open automatically at *some* stations, which leads to "much hilarity" with people unused to such randomness. Commuters, of course, know whether the doors are auto or manual at their stop.

[@crystalclearUK111]

Yes, she is correct. On the London tube, the doors automatically open. Overland trains and other train networks (we have about 2 dozen train networks in the UK), the door button flashes when the train stops and it beeps about 5 times. You get a flashing and audio warning to push the button.

[@noblestsavage1742]

It works the other way too, when i was in the states i got very confused by the fact that the prices on things need to have tax added.

[@joannestone7866]

I have always said table water for tap water. I don’t know anyone who asks for tap water. Still and sparkling are usually mineral water. Still isn’t just tap water in a jug.