Americans React to US vs UK Food - Which Is Better?

[@vikingraider1961]

US - "Unless you can prove that it's harmful, it's OK" - UK & EU "Unless you can prove that it's safe, it's banned"

[@samlloyd5975]

Personally having travelled to other countries I think this is how it should be

[@katharinereynolds25]

Unfortunately, all the places in the world that have said food globally is safe is total BS none of its safe even, Mcdonalds fries a they use pesticides which is unsafe mainly on fries but you need to really investigate, for yourselves though

[@anashiedler6926]

Main reason for that is the healthcare: European healthcare systems have to pay for each ill person, so its a lot cheaper to run if everyone is healthy. The healthier the people are, the cheaper the healthcare systems are to run. America: don't cares, because everyone is just responsible for him/herself.

[@samlloyd5975]

@@anashiedler6926 sadly a very true point there and while America is a lovely country I wish they would have better care for the people

[@steven54511]

@@samlloyd5975 you assume that they actually care about the population, personally I doubt it.

[@kiddcapri1711]

Its been said before.. America is a business not a country.

[@lisasmith2660]

It's a vicious circle the food makes them ill then they have expensive health care when they go the hospital- everything is money in America

[@mxclaireharris]

A business and a religion. It's pretty unique.

[@thefiestaguy8831]

This. It would not surprise me in the slightest if food companies had shares in healthcare providers in the USA and vice versa. Companies produce low quality food full of chemicals, which make Americans sick, so they fork out a huge premium each month for laughably called "Healthcare". They continue to eat the same shambolic low grade food which continues to cause them to have life long healthcare conditions which means more money pumped into the "Healthcare" industry, lining the pockets of CEO's and buying them their 5th and 6th homes. @@lisasmith2660

[@VincentVega-u6w]

Dam right,spot on mate.

[@1987jugernaut]

It’s definitely a country

[@Fii38]

If US chicken ever comes to UK no matter how cheap I would never in a million years buy it.

[@Gently225]

The uk chicken is still raised in cruelty.

[@stevenclarke5606]

US chicken, is washed in bleach

[@sueburke6096]

Same here

[@1inchPunchBowl]

@@Gently225 Not organic ones, which are available in every large supermarket..

[@JimforbesRitte]

@@Gently225but at least it doesn’t have to be chlorine-washed.

[@charlieapril1426]

Farmer from the UK! In order to produce food there are lots of regulations we have to follow! We have some of the best welfare of livestock in the world. The quality we produce is overlooked by our government and a lot of the public - they want more imports and cheap produce

[@Sofasurfa]

You are correct, I live in Cumbria, I buy all my meat from my butcher as he advertises that his meat is locally sourced. It costs a little more maybe about 15 - 17% more but I am of the opinion that if we do not use our local resources then we will lose them. Many people in my little town complain that the green grocers and fish monger have closed and that we now have only one butcher and two bakeries. But it is their own fault if you don’t use it you loose it. And on the subject of meat I like to be able to go to my butcher and say I’m going to try something different what do you recommend. For example I recently had a go at making pea and ham soup using a ham hock, I wouldn’t have tried that without advice from butcher. Anyway it nice to go into a shop and have a conversation about the product I am buying. Sorry for the waffle 😊

[@cameron-white]

I’m NOT a vegan (I eat meat) but the welfare of animals in the UK, especially pigs and chickens, is absolutely awful, even those farms that pay RSPCA for a little stamp on their products. 1,000 chickens stuck in a way-too-small barn, some running headless, others bleeding out from cannibalistic bites and many dying because they can’t even walk due to being selectively bred to become extremely obese.

[@mehallica666]

​@@SofasurfaFellow Cumbrian here.

[@Sofasurfa]

@@mehallica666 I’m a refugee from the south moved up here 35 years ago as I fell in love with the Cumbrian coast while up here visiting friends and decided I would take a risk on there being work for both of us and bullied my hubby to moving to the place I wanted to raise my kids. Had two girls who in spite of travelling the world still returned here because this is where they wish to raise their kids. It’s a county where if you live rurally you can escape all the modern stupidity.😊

[@mehallica666]

@@SofasurfaA SOUTHERNER? Nevermind, I'll allow it. Greetings from the Furness peninsula.

[@SamuelDurkin]

One reason the UK and EU have better food regulations is because we provide universal healthcare. When the government has to foot the bill for your health care they want to make sure the general population is healthier so less likely to require medical intervention. In the US you foot the bill therefore they don't care so much about regulation.

[@billybudd5854]

I agree. |t's a case of capitalists feeding off each other. Eating harmful food results in more business for US hospitals.

[@Mcfly3595]

That’s the truth!! The more unhealthy the population are, the more money is to be made by the private health system and big pharma.

[@madams2312]

Great way of putting it and true

[@hughtube5154]

Plus, the politicians are all in the pocket of big business' lobbyists.

[@kimarnill7648]

I agree with that , pharmaceuticals are a huge business in America you only have to look at their health care insurance. So it’s in the American governments interest to keep banned chemicals in food.

[@DavidSmith-cx8dg]

Don't forget resteraunts pay staff a living wage in the UK. and tipping is not obligatory , more a small reward for excellent service .

[@PaulMundy-f8k]

So the US eating out prices should be increased by 20-30 percent to cover tipping. Also, do the prices in this video include the US State Taxes?

[@leebramhall8353]

I came here to make this point exactly

[@chrysalis4126]

@@PaulMundy-f8k they would need to increase much more to bring the waiters wages up high enough to be a living wage.

[@karstenstormiversen4837]

@@chrysalis4126 Yes you have to do that beacause servers in the US can be payed legally as low as $2.35 an hour!

[@rayofhope1114]

@@PaulMundy-f8kyes

[@dee2251]

The horse meat scandal was an EU scandal, not a UK one. It was due to imported meat, burgers etc, coming in from the EU which had failed to monitor those goods. As soon as it was discovered that burgers imported from the EU contained horse meat, the UK stopped it.

[@jeanlongsden1696]

nothing wrong with horse meat. I always make sure to have a horse steak when I go over to France on my monthly weekend away. horse is slightly sweeter and more tender than beef TBH.

[@concordep2504]

@@jeanlongsden1696 the difference is you asked for horse meat knowing what it was we were being given / sold horse but told it was beef

[@frankdux5693]

​@@concordep2504crispy pancakes have never been the same since.

[@DaniëllaKL1970]

​@@jeanlongsden1696my dad was a butcher and we also sold horse meat. There are still places that only sell horsemeat in the Netherlands. BTW a lot of Dutchies are fan of the smoked sausage made from horsemeat. The sweetness is the one thing i could always tell it wasn't beef 😂. But as previously said the whole scandal was about the not telling there was horsemeat in the beefburgers. And one thing the British do great is the special beef. It really is outstanding. 😊

[@Forestfalcon1]

I use to go to many horse auctions throughout the UK.. In New Forest where they auctioned off the excess ponies each year the price at times went down as low as £5 per animal.. At every single auction there was always the same company's articulated lorry ready to take all the excess and unpurchased animals at a premium.. This company is still today a major supplier to UK supermarkets and part of the UK food chain.. I don't believe for one second all of those animals were used for dog meat..

[@baronmeduse]

When I hear the word 'restaurant' I don't think of a fast food place. I think of a place with a chef.

[@josiecoote8975]

I know, it makes me laugh when you see McDonalds call themselves restaurants!

[@csharpe5787]

Fast food establishments are definitely not restaurants it would be ridiculous to call them that..

[@colinwebb3660]

Restaurants require chefs, fast food requires a cook.

[@baronmeduse]

@@colinwebb3660 Yes, that;s why I made the distinction. Yet McDonald's et al seem to think differently.

[@stevieinselby]

I don't know how representative of the USA as a whole the handful of tourist areas that I've been to are, but it felt like the majority of restaurants in the US (even ruling out fast food places as not being "restaurants"!) were chain places, whereas in the UK you are much more likely to eat at an independent and locally owned and run restaurant or pub, and that will almost inevitably have an impact on the price if they don't have the economies of scale - but the payoff is much better quality freshly-prepared food.

[@Sarni3]

US congress passed a bill saying that ANYTHING with two spoons of tomato paste in it can be classed as a vegetable even though a tomato is a fruit . Only in America can pizza be classed as a vegetable.

[@KevPack65]

Don’t forget that when they say it’s more expensive to eat out in the UK, the costs include paying the staff a fair wage, so they aren’t living on tips.

[@malcolmhouston7932]

Also, no other Taxes are added. The Menu Price is what you pay in the UK. Shelf Prices in Supermarkets is what you pay with no additional charges

[@Thurgosh_OG]

And they won't be including the 20%+ tips in the cost of US eating out costs.

[@rbnhd1144]

@@Thurgosh_OG 20% these days they are suggesting a 30% tip, when will it be 50%.

[@gillfox9899]

Eating out is still cheaper if you compared like with like as we pay what is on the bill. In America I was asked why British people are so mean with their tips. We aren't used to it and 10% would be a good tip.

[@roberthindle5146]

​@@Thurgosh_OGDo people really pay 20% though? I thought the norm in places that expect tips was nearer 8-10%?

[@jakeoliver9167]

The horse meat scandal wasn't a hygiene issue. At the least caused no actual harm to anyone. Horse is eaten in eastern Europe so it was safe. It was only an issue for false advertising and it being illegal (correction: taboo) meat in the uk.

[@danhodson7187]

I was thinking the same, it was a misinformation scandal rather than a food safety issue.

[@thebitch1001]

Horse meat isn't just confined to Eastern Europe, it's widely for sale in Holland and France.

[@ffotograffydd]

It was mislabelled, and because of EU legislation we found out about it.

[@KeithMcbride-fy3hy]

Horse I believe is eaten in France I’m sure I had it in the Eiffel Tower

[@jiggely_spears]

Horsemeat is in no way illegal to buy/eat in the UK

[@Stu040874]

Calling McDonalds, KFC and Burger King restaurants is something that in the UK would definitely be considered optimistic at best.....

[@Phiyedough]

Yes, if you told people you were going for a restaurant meal they would assume you meant something better than junk food.

[@reactingtomyroots]

😂

[@johnlocke6506]

Even food outlets as a description is probably stretching it!

[@weejackrussell]

I don't understand why fast food outlets from the USA are allowed to call themselves restaurants.A restaurant should be a place for fine dining, not one where processed food is Eaton out of polystyrene boxes!

[@weejackrussell]

NB I typed eaten but it corrected to Eaton what a mess!

[@ianjardine7324]

One reason eating out in the UK is more expensive is because we refuse to have a compulsory tipping culture businesses have to pay their staff a living wage if they want to retain skilled workers.

[@Niki-xr6cw]

I have a couple of backyard chickens ,that free range all day and are kept on organic layer pellets and whatever they forage ,I live in Uk . from two chickens 2 chickens I get 14 eggs a weeks ,which is plenty ,they are friendly inquisitive and hop up on my lap when they want a cuddle and bit of petting. They are such peaceful birds ,even my 18 year old cat has lost her fear of them ,she knows they are harmless . when they get too old to lay they will just retire as pets I would get a couple of younger ones to continue the egg laying,rinse and repeat Their eggs are so huge ,bigger than any shop purchased large eggs,when I give them friends and family they are astonished at the size of them . Yea to my lovely chooks .

[@milkysue5496]

My wife asked me the other day, when I would feel fulfilled with my life. I said when we have enough space, time and money, to have a small amount of farm animals (humanely) in the garden, to keep as pets but also passively get eggs/ milk, and then eat when they die. It would just feel so much better to know, eventually some of the meat you have eaten, has been really well looked after and loved.

[@eh-i1841]

You’ve really made me want a couple of chickens.Yours sound so lovely.My garden isn’t big enough though.I’d have to give them names.

[@JCTooL1]

When I was young (90's) the UK banned blue smarties because the dye was a causing problems in kids. It was 20 years later before a new blue dye was produced and blue smarties re-introduced. They used to make me go nuts. It was well known not to give food dye to kids.

[@archiitx1791]

I remember those days. I was an adult when they came back and had to buy a tube aha

[@BullRoarer_]

Same with the original sunny delight. They banned it until they came up with a safe recipe.

[@sliderdriver1]

We had the same issue with our daughter. We couldn't work out why she was so hyperactive. A trip to the docs soon worked out it was blue smarties! They didn't really effect adults so much.

[@noniousxltruffles7454]

My next door neighbour was well pigged off when blue Smarties were withdrawn, she would buy a box of Smarties (remember them?) pick out all the blue ones then give the rest to her lad. The reason being that she'd munch all the blue ones, wait for the 'speed hit' to kick in then go through her house like a dose of salts getting the housework done 😂😂

[@andrewspraggon3331]

Smarties...safe for vegans... Small print ... Made from beatles

[@keithwarnes2784]

A number of the US "restaurant chains" listed in the video would not be considered as restaurants in the UK but rather as fast food takeaways.

[@paulusarnhelm704]

There is quite a bit of controversy here in the UK at the moment regarding a US/UK trade deal.Lots of people concerned about large amounts of American foods being imported into the UK.British people do not want large amounts of chemicals in there foodstuffs.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Can't blame that!

[@karlbmiles]

It's been a long time. If you can paint American productsas "Frankenfood" there is no need to compete fairly. Just sole source all things UK and let america and the EU go to hell.

[@edeledeledel5490]

Or antiseptic-washed chicken.

[@jamesn0va]

Get new words. Everything is chemicals

[@angelaregan475]

Our pre packed salads are washed with chlorine just the same. ​@@edeledeledel5490

[@ColinRichardson]

Just to note, a lot of the food available in the US coudn't be exported/imported into the UK due to food standards.. They just wouldn't be allowed here in the first place.

[@Coolcarting]

It goes the other way too, there are many foods from the UK that are banned in the US.

[@DaniëllaKL1970]

😂 you can't export Haggis bc of the lungs. But it's allowed to get Americans sick and even killed with all the chemicals they use. 😂

[@YourBeingParanoid]

Yes, but the reason why if very different@@Coolcarting

[@ColinRichardson]

@@Coolcarting Cadbury chocolate, because of branding and lobbying to keep the US chocolate market from going under.. Eggs, because our eggs are too clean to be washed.. Kinder Surprise because they only want guns to end the lives of children. Black pudding, but to be honest, I think it should be banned here also.. Anything else I am missing?

[@LoneRanger100]

Yep, usually u.s protectionism.

[@stevieokie1]

As someone who lives in the UK having recently been to the US and checked out Walmart, various stores and Restaurants i can confirm the variety of food in the UK is far greater. We definitely have a much larger variety of snacks. Snacks in the US seem extremely limited and I was shocked by the lack of different food from Restaurant to Restaurant, it seemed everywhere we went had the same limited choice of food. Our young son really struggled to find things he liked.

[@Niki-xr6cw]

I am so happy you are being so conscientious about the additives you give your child.. love to you both .

[@izibear4462]

I would get a breadmaker and make my bread everyday. Five ingredients. It was the first thing I bought when I moved there. You can buy Einkhorn flour easily over there too.

[@thomas_oak2943]

One thing which wasn't mentioned in the video is that UK restaurant prices will include the salaries of the waiting staff, and tipping is totally discretionary.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Thanks for the insight :)

[@wightwitch]

I was thinking about that when they were comparing prices. Ours includes a better wage for staff, with sick, maternity and holiday pay.

[@happyjonn9242]

@@wightwitch The flip side of this means getting a job even waiting tables is harder in the UK than in the US. They won't employ just anyone if they have to pay holiday pay and can't sack them as easily.

[@DrGreenGiant]

​@@happyjonn9242citation needed?? Seems unlikely. If you had the same number of restaurants, requiring the same number of staff, the number of available jobs is the same. Regardless of whether you have labour laws or not.

[@Rachel_M_]

Fully agree Steve and Lindsay. Larger portions of poisoned food for less money is not a win in my book either.

[@ikskwizit]

Eating out in the UK costs more because restaurants have to actually pay their staff, tips are a bonus to staff

[@FredPilcher]

Yep. You have to include the mandatory 20% staff wages payment (called a "tip) in the US.

[@karlbmiles]

Tips are a bonus to staff, but only if North Americans coe to eat.

[@marleneneve1966]

If eggs are washed they have to be refrigerated, if unwashed they’re safe to leave out… the egg has a protective coating that protects the chick embryo, when they’re washed then this is removed and the porous shell can let in bacteria…

[@eg7409]

I laughed out loud at the section on variety of food when they just listed all the fast food outlets - which we have in the UK too! Within the villages near me (I live just outside London) I had certainly prior to COVID at least one of each of the following restaurants that I can name off the top of my head: Italian, French, Lebanese, Taiwanese, Indian, Chinese, and probably more than I’ve forgotten.

[@samuelpinder1215]

And i have also seen polish and chinese supermarkets

[@samuelpinder1215]

Kebab shops? Or is that just a northern thing

[@johnt8998]

When you eat the larger portions, you are also eating even more of the additives that we have banned in the UK.

[@Rachel_M_]

_"Here! Have more poison for less money"_ isn't a selling point

[@malcolmhouston7932]

Portion size is up to the individual when eating out- larger portions in the US apply to Fast Food outlets

[@alimantado373]

American food though is delicious, If you go there and eat. Ive eaten in California, and the East coast, and you wouldnt tell the difference, till you get an upset stomach. BUt the chocolate and sweet drinks and confectionary is terrible in the states.

[@Phiyedough]

Yes, they actually said that big portions are a factor in the obesity problem but then took them as a positive in the scoring!

[@jessieb7290]

Hadn’t thought of that. Very true. I wonder what it’s like in other countries compared to America as well.

[@c_n_b]

Did they seriously just list Mcdonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut as proof they have more selection? Every country has junk food!

[@mareiketje4899]

Exactly! Variety in food doesn't mean only variety in fast food chains! I would bet in the UK & Europe you would find a bigger variety in different kinds of ingredients (meats, for example) and also a bigger variety in restaurant foods.

[@malcolmhouston7932]

3 of the worst food outlets

[@colinbanks1985]

Its a stretch to even call them restraunts! They are junk food / fast food outlets. Most of Europe has far more independent retailers, restraunts, cafes, tearooms, etc. Not just big chains, so arguably more choice.

[@Temeraire101]

To true. Both America and GB both have great food. Also bed food.

[@karlbmiles]

Yes, Every country has McDonald's, KFC, and Pizza Hut. McDonalds is the biggest selling restaurant in the world, as is Starbucks, Oreos, Budweiser, Hersheys chocolate, WonderBread, and others you can't get enough of.

[@geoffreynolds8835]

Organic food in the UK operates under the guidance of the Soil Association. American Organic Food would not be able to sell as Organic in the UK . Due to non Organic (ingredients such as chemicals etc).

[@philiprowney]

When I was working in a farm I always thought the word organic as a sham in itself. I passed my O level chemistry, organic just means 'contains carbon'. The way language is changed to mean what other people want is plain weird. There are many farm 'chemicals' we count as organic.

[@spiritusinfinitus]

I once knew some previously "organic" farmers who were also Parliamentary advisors and involved with the Soil Association. They ended up abandoning the whole system of labelling that the UK regulatory bodies put in place and dropping out calling it all a scam that had been captured by big business interests, and being a small producer they couldn't compete. They still produced the best possible organic produce and their livestock was tended at the most humane and comoassionate levels they could possibly achieve, but they weren't allowed to sell it as such. They ended up selling their produce locally and were completely transparent to their customers who didn't care that they weren't allowed to use the old labels any more. They were more interested in having a direct relationship with their customers who knew exactly what they were buying!

[@karlbmiles]

I think you are mistaken. Organic foods are chemical free in America. The difference is, if we want chemical-free food in America the shopper has to choose it, it's not chosen by our nannny government. If you want bread or other foods that last longer than two days, you can buy that too with the preservatives added. Freedom in America means the citizens make the decisions.

[@spiritusinfinitus]

@@karlbmiles To display an organic food label, producers need to be certified annually which involves paying a fee to a government agency that overseas it and carries out inspections. Some smaller producers who actually grow the most "organic" food as you or I would perceive it aren't actually allowed to display an organic label because they haven't paid to be in the organic club. Meanwhile large producers displaying the organic label can get away with displaying "made with organic" labels.. So there is the possiblity that a small local farmer's farm is actually 100% organic but they will not be able to label their produce as such, while a similar product marked as "with organic" may only actually be 70% organic.

[@Varksterable]

@iles "Organic foods are chemical free in America." I also studied chemistry; up to A-level. And what you have just said makes _absolutely_ _no_ _sense_ . Everything is made of chemicals! Or are implying that all Organic food in America is simply a whole load of nothing? Surprisingly, as I wrote that, I realised that by UK standards, that might possibly even be true. 🤣

[@dianeknight4839]

We are very lucky in the UK, apart from Farm shops most towns and cities have a market place where weekly markets are held (sometimes twice weekly) there you can buy everything from meat, vegetables,eggs etc. to a new set of underwear. My home City of Leeds has a huge indoor/outdoor market where everything is set out from Butchers row to fish market. The indoor part is a beautiful Victorian building. Leeds market is so popular that companies run coach tours from other areas of the country.

[@mhplays5993]

i started going to the market a few years ago, was never really a fan i don't know why might be because its not a store or a supermarket, i used to order food and groceries online but once i started going to the market i stated to like going, you buy what you need portion size meat beg the hole lot, even from eggs and milk, the fun stuff i like that you talk to these people that sell these items they tell you a lot about that product and how these products are from them and not imported elsewhere, im a big meat lover and by far the best meat is from them, the stool i get my meat from, i know everything about the meat because of the owner that sells meat, i could literally sit here and type pages, but after going for a long period of time he started saving meat for me and once im there he shows me good/great cuts and texture and quality of meat he has done, and some meats i've had he even said this was done this morning, i recommend people start going to their local markets not only you save money its local business and family run, you pick what you need/want and they are great people to talk to even discussing products, i have learned alot from these people because its their products and their business

[@kimgrattage6049]

I agree. Got all my fresh food at the market. Far too much obesity in USA.

[@thatonebritishidiot3037]

Chichester has a decent market that's usually held mid week every now and then, it's got everything from veg, to meat, to fish to cheese and local beer

[@Hayley-Bell]

Hell yeah, long may they continue. We do love a market don’t we lol.

[@izibear4462]

​@@kimgrattage6049They have Farmers markets in many places in the States.

[@simonmcglary]

The other thing to keep in mind that generally, when eating out in the UK, the service charge is included in the price. With the UK the price you see is the price you pay. In the US local taxes and service charges have to be added.

[@StephenSilverbeard]

There is a significant cultural difference between the US and the EU, In the US the emphasise is on the consumer proving the ingredient and level in food are dangerous, in the EU there is a requirement on companies to provide evidence the ingredients being used are safe for human consumption.

[@harbl99]

The Germans have food laws so strict that you can only have four ingredients in sausages (the foundation of all German culture): meat, fat, salt, spices. There's a joke that British mass market sausages imported to Germany are counted as a form of spiced bread for customs purposes because they contain breadcrumb as a bulking agent and therefore don't meet the requirements of the _wurstgesetz_ (sausage law).

[@AndrewAHayes]

@@harbl99 I have recently started making my own sausages and I made some with rusk and some without and the ones without were nowhere near as good as the ones with rusk added.

[@Phiyedough]

Yes, another thing not mentioned.

[@reactingtomyroots]

Yeah, definitely as it should be!

[@raycardy4843]

@@harbl99 Same for beer - water, barley, hops and yeast!

[@masterofparsnips5327]

We don't have a tipping culture here. This means restaurant staff are paid a fair wage and don't rely on tips, which makes eating out a little more expensive.

[@RushfanUK]

Correct and the food served in UK restaurants is fresher and healthier.

[@markcruise]

And is the US price even including the expected tip?

[@kiddcapri1711]

Unless you're in London.... Then you see a service charge on your bill 😔

[@concordep2504]

@@kiddcapri1711but you can have that removed, they can’t force anyone to pay for it

[@kiddcapri1711]

@@concordep2504 true

[@Eb-ic1kr]

Horse meat is very popular in France and Belgium. It is lean and healthy. In the UK horses are treated like pets. The problem stems from not declaring that the product contained horse meat

[@harryt5021]

No shit, it was sold as beef. Which is probably illegal in France and Belgium too selling something which is not what it says it is

[@stevekirkby6570]

Had my best steak in South of France... horse. Yum. But yes, you got to sell what your saying your selling.

[@chrisdaniels3929]

Illegally butchered is not food safe, nor was it edible meat. According to the news it could contain veterinary meds that isn't tested for being edible. It revealed no one properly checks where the food originated.

[@jeremybalchin6872]

@@chrisdaniels3929 That's the job of the Food Standards Agency, UK Trading Standards, the Advertising Standards which is now part of OFCOM, and UK Customs and Excise. All three bodies cut to the bare bone by austerity Government (who see them as meddling nanny state busy-bodies unless we can get them to collect money for us) such that they're barely able to cope with their workload. But, I hear you say, everyone insists de-regulation is GOOD. A well trodden fallacy I'm afraid. In fact it's BAD. A de-regulated system means it's the law of the jungle out there. People can make Quack Doctor claims for literally anything and everything they sell. When someone is shot, it's the responsibility of the person who made the gun, not the person who fired it, and other such ridiculous nonsense. But a regulated system (like gun control for example) enforces a uniform level of regulation throughout the consumer base. E.g. Only people with a certain level of behaviour, experience and mental maturity have the right to own a gun. Universal Regulation is the basic premise of the EU Single Market - and Britain voted out. Still, you can't stop turkeys voting for Christmas.

[@karlbmiles]

In America horses are treated as pets too, which is why most Americans won't eat them or dogs. I lived in London (Richmond) for a year, and I liked the food everywhere, tapas, pizza, curry, Chinese, whatever. As for real English food my only complaint is the beef. Can't get a good steak in the UK.

[@CriticalBrit83]

UK actually has a lot of chains but pretty much none of them are fast food, they're all almost exclusively restaurants or Pubs (that serve food). Even the ones in the video, Wetherspoons is a pub that serves food like a restaurant, Greggs is a bakery and food is mostly pre-made and you can have it heated or take away cold or to heat at home. Actual fast food chains are almost all American.

[@ellapugh4985]

The craziest thing for me is that in Britain our dog food must be fit for human consumption which means so much of american food can't even be sold as dog food over here....

[@charlestaylor9424]

In the UK tax is included in the price you pay in a restaurant not added on at the end.

[@johnmcafee9663]

in america all you find are king size ? in uk our Choc bars get smaller and more expensive over time. we call it '' shrinkflation ''

[@elyon1898]

Don't forget comparing prices with Fredos 😂

[@dzzope]

But multi packs and "share" packs are 4x-8x the size but only 2x the price of an individual bar? There are some serriously shady practices going on.

[@cazfloss1990]

It’s happening with everything. Bunches of daffodils have been a pound a bunch for years but now you literally get about 6 dafs per bunch.

[@smiles51]

🤣

[@josiebridle1947]

Trading Standards have just stopped the American Candy Stores in the UK from selling certain American candies, as the ingredients contravene our strict food standards.

[@EmilyCheetham]

Maybe so but I still see some things that should be banned on the shelves.

[@josiebridle1947]

@@EmilyCheetham You can always report it to Trading Standards, for them to look at.

[@Belisarius536]

@@EmilyCheethamlike what?

[@Medusa13579]

Having tasted a Hershey bar, I'm very pleased 🤮🤮🤮 ! Give me a bar of Galaxy any day of the week. 😊

[@josiebridle1947]

@@Medusa13579 I agree about the Hershey bar. My sister was sent a bar of Divine chocolate from the USA. They should be prosecuted by Trading Standards, as it was anything but divine.

[@AEMMERSON100]

Hi Guys, Have you read the book ' Ultra Processed People' by Chris Van Tullekan? He looks at the research about the ingredients in the food, and the motivations for the companies. You need to do a review of the book on your channel x

[@robynblondie1132]

I’ve become obsessed with your channel over the past few days! 🤩 I absolutely love seeing your opinions on things

[@Aloh-od3ef]

In the UK We have something called an allotment. It’s a protected area of land that is owned by the local government. People can rent out a peace of this land for a very small fee. To grow whatever fruit and vegetables they like. They are very common across the UK. Found in every town and city. But for some reason they are not popular in America!

[@avaggdu1]

Growing your own food instead of owning a cattle ranch is too much like communism!

[@Temeraire101]

Allotments in the U.K. have been around for hundreds of years, mainly for the poor to be more self sufficient. The ‘Dig for Victory’ campaign during WW2 at a guess really increased the need and popularity to this day. America hasn’t had the need, and is still a young country.

[@samanthalangford6325]

Also old houses came with big gardens so you could grow your food.

[@MrGrimsmith]

To be fair, with the amount of space available and the land prices in the USA then allotments really aren't necessary. They might start turning up more in rural areas like mine as the new houses have a tiny garden where most of the older ones have half an acre or more. We still have a third of that used just for vegetables and fruit.

[@mehallica666]

They're not all owned by by the local government, my brother's is on privately owned land, same as many in my town. The veggies and eggs are in a different league to shop bought ones.

[@GaryNoone-jz3mq]

As a chef in Australia, we would never call a fast food store a restaurant.

[@karlbmiles]

I get your point, but McDonalds sells a "big breakfast", with pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, and hashbrowns. What would you do with that differently in your restaurant? Don't you mix the pancake batter with the same basic ingredients, spoon it on griddle, flip it mid way? Break the egg, scramble the egg, ladle onto the griddle. Sausage, grill, roll it around so it doesn't get to crispy. Look who I'm telling how to make a breakfast.

[@biancafenix5959]

​@karlbmiles the biggest difference in an actual restaurant unlike Macca's is what is considered "fresh ingredients". Macca's claims their ingredients to be fresh but according to most of their own workers they may as well be reconstituted garbage. A restaurant with chefs create their foods to order and make their own sauces/gravy/stock from scratch. A restaurant that has short order cooks, you could argue this to be Macca's but I wouldn't, has most of their fresh ingredients made off site and ordered in. Most of Macca's food is premade and frozen including their so called "healthy menu". It isn't the method of cooking that is being questioned, it's everything else.

[@EmilyCheetham]

It depends on what it is. Somewhere with just a counter is not necessary a restaurant but somewhere that you can sit in is kind of a rest if they also bring your food to you.

[@pinkthistle5713]

Same in UK !

[@dishy1939]

Same in Ireland

[@lisasmith2660]

In the UK its the whole process from keeping animals on farms to a good standard, feeding them good healthy food there death has to be painless, and nothing can be added afterwards, the same with crops no pesticides are used, some crops are even grown under shelter ( because of our weather) No harmful chemicals or additives can be added during the making of products and warnings have to be put on food for people with allergies ( may contain nuts ) for example if it isn't obvious, If something does go wrong it's picked up on straight away and items will be taken off shelves and a investigation done, usually its something that has come into the country and not British In America it would go under the radar When you come over I'm sure you will taste the difference most Americans do, they compliment our food and service

[@davidcook7887]

When you first go to the States and I’ve been a lot, you can taste salty, sugary and chemically food BUT after a few days it disappears. Your taste buds quickly become accustomed.

[@HerHollyness]

I don’t know - everything tastes really weird to me in America. Even Diet Coke, which I love in the UK, tastes weirdly metallic in the US. Like licking a penny, you know? And I always think everything is over-salted. Of course, they’d say our food is bland so 🤷‍♀️

[@fuhqsideways]

And? I'm an adult in the UK. I should be able to decide if i want these things...this nanny state needs to back off

[@philipstearn4743]

And having your taste buds commit suicide due to too much sugar is a good thing ❓

[@izibear4462]

This!

[@davidcook7887]

@@izibear4462 Also, not that but….

[@HaurakiVet]

I worked in food safety for some years in a management role hete in NZ. Probably the main difference between the US and other countries is that in the US essentially a risk needs to be proven before acting while most other jurisdictions will act if there is indication that there may be a risk. This would appear to be to protect US manufacturers rather than protect the consumer. As one of your presidents said, "the business of America is business"

[@TheMightyHams]

Not sure how accurate the "variety" section is either. Their metric was entirely based on fast-food chains, but ignored accessibility to independent restaurants and availability of different cuisines. I think you'd find that the variety of different cuisines would probably be more expansive in the UK (notably asian & middle eastern food) than the US, even ignoring average distance to those restaurants.

[@Kat-po3mn]

add continental european, caribbean, continental africa, jewish foods. The UK is far more multi-cultural than the US population understands it to be.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Agreed, though they tried to say something about the general availability of more food options they forget that having 80 differently packaged cereals, for 4 or 5 actual cereals, just means, more variety of box it comes in.

[@gillianrimmer7733]

There's just more brands of the same processed foods to choose from in the USA. But there's much less variety of fresh foods. I was shocked at the choices available in fresh meat when I visited We have a much larger selection over here in the UK - lamb, beef, chicken, pork, duck offal etc... there were very few of the different cuts and joints we get here. And, don't get me going about the cheese -cheese aisles in the USA don't have as many different types of cheese, just multiple brands of a few types , unlike the UK, where it is standard to find many different types of British cheeses as well as dozens of European ones. Also fruit and veg - very little variety.It seems the US lives on Broccoli.I can go and buy a savoy cabbage, a green sweetheart cabbage, spring greens, white cabbage and red cabbage at my local smallish supermarket - only ever saw white cabbage in the USA . Also, US cream - all I saw was half and half, heavy and sour cream and pre-whipped cream- multiple brands for them, but no actual variety.All supermarkets here will sell single cream, double cream, whipping cream, extra thick cream, clotted cream, sour cream, creme fraiche as standard. And the price of fresh food is exorbitant - nevermind organic.

[@AEMMERSON100]

You are so right....after all we don't eat the box the cereal comes in, this is only branding from different companies x​@@Thurgosh_OG

[@davidmartin3947]

The weird video when talking about variety seemed to be looking at everything which was available across the entire US, as against the UK, mainly concerning different names on junk food. If it were sane, and looked at what variety of food was available at a specific location, not assuming that you would do your grocery shopping in New York for some things, and San Francisco and all points in between for others, it would have come to the conclusion that there is greatly more variety available in the UK. And that is before we narrow it down to edible food which will actually nourish, not poison you. And in Europe.....

[@mauradias2862]

In the UK the restaurant staff get a salary, tips are welcome but not necessary as the cost for their salary is already included in your food bill, which is not always the case in the US as waiters depend heavily on commission and tips.

[@FTFLCY]

I can categorically state that eating out is considerably cheaper in the UK. If you have a bottle of wine, it's a slam dunk. Americans are wrung out to dry on wine. I think you would find variety is not a problem here. May not have 23 brands of mayo, but I find 6 quite ample choice.

[@stevegee8010]

Well, they said the USA has more variety, which I wouldn't deny, but then listed a bunch of fast food joints, most of which are also here in the UK as well.

[@Donizen1]

I found supermarket prices in the US was very similar to Australian prices. The thing that is very different is petrol prices. The price per gallon (converted) in the US was about 2/3 the cost of petrol (sorry, gas) in Australia. And yes the portion sizes in the US are much larger.

[@jakeoliver9167]

I'm from a conservative voting, immigrant critical, traditional, older population county in the UK. Yet I can go on a 10 minute walk to my town centre, and fine Indian/Chinese/carribean/african/Japanese/korean/Thai/Taiwanese/Lebanese/Italian/Greek/Mexican/Spanish/Turkish/Portuguese (just ordered nandos)/French/Indonesian/Philippine and more restaurants. I'm not even exaggerating. I honestly, strongly think even the UK wins on variety. America is bigger, but you only get variety in big cities. And any of these are still rare, like Indian food isn't that common in America. I think the uk could've swept this video. At the very least... its ridiculous that usa wins because of bigger portions. Edit: I'm not conservative. Not even close. I just live in Maidstone Kent. Have most my life.

[@steven54511]

Agreed 100% despite your living in Tory area 😜🤣😂

[@alimantado373]

A Conservative who loves that Johnny Foriegner food, typical, did you vote brexit too.

[@99fruitbat94]

I live in Chatham Kent , considered a pretty run down area . We have a wide variety of different cafés offering a huge choice of world foods. Indian, Polish, West Indian, Lebanese, Chinese, Halal and a lot more

[@no-oneinparticular7264]

No need for that comment ​@@alimantado373

[@alimantado373]

@@irene3196 You are exonerated, apologies 😄👍

[@Rob1972Gem]

Good day all I’m from the UK about seven years ago myself of my family went holiday for the second time to Florida in the good old USA this time round we stayed in our house for two weeks so we bought our own food so we could have some snacks in the evening in the house First time I made myself a ham sandwich took a bite of it and was shocked to find it tasted like they were sugar in. It went back to check save my Wife had made a cup of coffee and spilt some sugar on the worktop where I’ve made the sandwich nope my wife made a sandwich making sure that there was no sugar around the same thing she goes this is way too sweet. The bread was sweet so having checked that the bread we got was just normal bread which claimed it was. Can’t remember the brand now, but we even tasted a slice of the Processed ham that we got and that Even tastes sweeter than what you would get in the UK, so I can see where people say that there are more additives in American food products

[@MoominJude]

Yes, I shopped at an American base when I lived in Bermuda, (military posting) and the bread was sweet, it was horrible ,as was a lot of their food.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

US standard laves have 5 to 6 times the amount of sugar in them, than UK standard loaves.

[@traceyrhoden9808]

​@@Thurgosh_OGwhy put sugar in bread, we dont do that in the uk

[@Sine-gl9ly]

Yes, when I first ent to work in the Middle East 50 years ago, the only vaguely Western-style supermarket had US 'Pepperidge Farm' brand of bread. It was absolutely _fine_ for making toast to put jam, marmalade or honey on - and that was ALL it was fit for, in the opinion of everyone except Americans.

[@JimbalayaJones]

Greetings from Germany! ✌️ Here we have a saying: "The quantity makes the poison" I don't think it is bad when children take Skittles or something like that on a birthday (5-10 times a year). However, if these chemicals are in every meal and drinks, it will be bad over time.

[@thebandofmaids]

Everything in America comes down to 'profit over people'. America is a corporation, not a country.

[@peterlangan1181]

US eggs are refrigerated because the eggs in the US are chlorine washed out of necessity due to farming methods and after that they have to be in a fridge.

[@emmam.2784]

It might be more expensive to eat out in the U.K. but also we are not obliged to tip unless we want to - unlike in the USA It’s not up to customers to make sure staff get a liveable wage.

[@Kat-po3mn]

definitely a factor to be taken under consideration.

[@SnKKS]

On the whole I found eating out in America more expensive than the UK when adding tip cost in the US

[@MichaelLynch1]

Good service deserves a tip 👌 average/bad service no tip That makes for a return or bad review

[@DerekOwenLangdon]

No,No, It is not up to the employer to make sure their staff gets a liveable wage..The government has mandated what the minimum wage should be.

[@karlbmiles]

That seems to a very UK way of thinking. The best health care is free healthcar,e, the best restaurant is the one where you don't have to tip.

[@francis_n]

Hahaha laughed out loud when Lindsey said "ahh not me 😏" when Steve said we have a habit of rambling 😂😂

[@reactingtomyroots]

😂

[@jeremybalchin6872]

@@reactingtomyroots That's not rambling, it's blarney and all part of the craic. Father Ted would be nothing without it now, would it Father. No Mrs. Doyle it wouldn't Cup of tea, now Father? No thank you Mrs. Doyle, where's Father Jack now? Oh, I don't know Father, have you asked Father McGuire? No I haven't Mrs. Doyle, I must prepare my sermon right now. Are you doing Mass tomorrow now Father? Oh yes Mrs. Doyle, but I just can't make my mind up what verses to base it on..... Cup of tea to help you then, Father? Really, no Mrs. Doyle, thank you but I musn't... Oh go on now. No Mrs. Doyle, really. Go on, go on, go on , go on, go on..... Really, no, really..... Repeat ad nauseum....

[@thefiestaguy8831]

One of the things to bear in mind with the "eating out" prices.... in the UK the price of an item on the menu IS the price you pay, VAT is included, your waiter/waitress is paid a liveable wage and not $2 an hour and the restaurant DO NOT expect customers to tip left right and centre so that their employees actually get paid a somewhat decent amount. When you compare UK worker rights to US worker rights especially in the food sector for the small additional cost the UK is actually miles ahead. Waiters are paid properly AND have rights such as annual leave (paid leave), sick leave, usually discounts on services/goods, sometimes healthcare plans. Meanwhile in America workers can be fired at any moment with seemingly no legal recourse. The UK LITERALLY has employment tribunals that decide whether someone is unfairly dismissed, if they are the company can be FORCED to give them their job back - if the person wants their job back. Often a former employee will be awarded monetary compensation for unfair dismissal and loss of earnings which can often lead to missed mortgage payments, their house being repossessed, etc.

[@suemoore984]

Ditto in Australia. We also don't regard fast food chains (e.g. KFC, MacDonald's, Pizza Hut, etc) as restaurants, they are just fast food places

[@colinmorrison5119]

Steve should do a video on workers rights. Joining a union is considered a human right in the ECHR - European Convention on Human Rights. The Tories, naturally, want out of that.

[@karlbmiles]

Do you know how big California and Texas are? THey pay $20/hr and $15/Hr. respectively. UK waters don't et that.

[@thefiestaguy8831]

Actually UK waiters get close to that.... as of April this year they will be earning a minimum wage of £11.xx an hour, that's about $14-$15 an hour. Even at the moment before the new wage increase takes place the minimum wage is £9.20 odd, around $12 an hour. But you also have to factor in other things, in the UK most employers give their employees benefits, 28 days PAID holiday, unlimited sick leave, discounted paid medical insurance, etc. You are ALSO forgetting the fact that in the UK, our waiters are PAID properly BY their employer. If they get tips, generally they are kept by the waiters and these tips are ON TOP OF their hourly wage. UNLIKE in the USA whereby a lot of people working as waiters are paid $2-$3 an hour and the restaurant expects customers to tip (no matter how good or bad the service is) just to make up the employee's wage. @@karlbmiles

[@thefiestaguy8831]

@@karlbmiles I guess you are out of touch with the uk wages... I can assure you that a lot of waiters are probably getting $15 (about £12-£13) an hour and some might be on more. I went to a restaurant a LONG time ago with my family - this was probably around 2011/2012 and I recall my dad striking up conversation with the waiter whilst she was taking payment on the mobile card machine (something you are unfamiliar with since you allow them to walk off with your card???) - she stated she was earning something like £10-£11 per hour, this was by no means a "posh" restaurant and not a huge chain either. Given this was 12-13 years ago the salaries have gone up. My sister works PART TIME as a cleaner in a school. She gets to work for 7am and is done with work by 12:00-12:30, for this she earns around £13 an hour. She has no degrees, a handful of GCSE's and no A levels (she is not very academic at all), this would absolutely be considered a "minmum wage" unskilled job in the USA and someone would be paid perhaps $9 an hour to do it. The wages for waiters in the UK are nowhere near as low as you think they are - and what's even more shameful is even if the wages are perhaps let's say $5 an hour less, for that less money you get a somewhat secure job (no firing on the spot) - PAID time off, sick leave which is separate from your annual leave, often heavy discounts at the chain/restaurant itself, discounts on other goods/services, consideration for payrises typically within 6-12 months and usually either FREE or heavily discounted private medical insurance. Currently the UK living wage (i.e the MINIMUM wage) is £11.44 - that equates to $15.20 - the legally paid minimum amount. Many companies actually pay a "realistic living wage", which is slightly higher, and currently this is £12 ($15.94) per hour outside of London and £13.15 ($17.27) per hour if working in London. Consider the very slightly less overall pay but with the added benefits, paid time off, sick leave, opportunities for career progression, etc, I think you'll find it's nowhere near as bad as you're making out, and the US is still miles behind. Corporate greed is king in the USA...

[@GSD-hd1yh]

Personally, I would not count having a greater number of fast food outlets a positive thing, nor would I consider having a bigger portion of food that has a greater number of additives as a win.

[@sophronia9221]

As an American living in England, I was vegan until moving to England. All meats are superior quality in UK! UK uses vegetable dye, not petroleum based as in the U.S. Unfortunately UK adapted genetic engineered grains to livestock. Also, most sugar has been exchanged for aspartame in UK, which causes hyperactivity...and taxing sugar!🙄

[@BikersDoItSittingDown]

Hi folks, another great choice to react to. I am not sure what they meant by variety in the video, but to me it means a variety of different types of food. I live in a rural farming area which has less choice than most places in the UK and we have a huge amount of choice within 10 miles. The closest to my village is a McDonalds but we rarely eat fast food. We have a proper American diner called Mattias, also within walking distance. An Indian restaurant within 2 miles, a Chinese restaurant within 4 miles. Across the road to it is an Italian restaurant. About the same distance is a petrol station with a Burger King, Greggs, & Subway. 2 local towns are 6 miles away which opens up a huge amount of choice. Even pubs will offer a diverse selection of food and there are many within a 5 mile radius (maybe a dozen or more). My many visits to the USA did not seem to have as much diversity with foreign food even if the towns were larger, but it might be that I did not know where to go to find them. The USA may have variety, but I do not consider the UK to be lacking in it.

[@josiemorgan6567]

It looks like they decided this category on the number of big restaurant chains. The very antithesis of variety.

[@Varksterable]

I live in a small village in the UK. It has a co-op (small supermarket-like shop), a fish and chips shop, a Chinese take-away, a wine/drinks shop (high quality stuff; not just a 'bottle store') an excellent independent butcher and green grocers (all selling locally sourced stuff as far as it is practicable), a bakery with everything made on the premises, a café, two delicatessens, and a pub selling excellent food, including thing like pizzas, burgers and fish and chips for take-away or delivery. And a Greggs at the local petrol garage. All within one mile. (Apart from the Greggs, all within about 1/2 miles.) If I could be bothered to go further afield the list grows exponentially. Add and extra mile you'll find a load more pubs, an Indian restaurant (in the 'proper' sense of the word) several farm shops and a few more cafés - again selling locally sourced food where possible. But the point I really wanted to make is this. We have a lot of independent retailers, all 'doing their own thing.' More built up areas (my nearest is about 8 miles away) have the usual Starbucks, McD's, Burger King, KFC, Tesco, Morrisons, Iceland, etc. But there area also a plethora of independent outlets all offering their own take on what to sell in that area too. I've seen several videos about travelling in the US, and the overall impression I get is that for massive parts of it, _all_ you have are the big chain stores. (I've no doubt someone will correct me on this. But I only know what I've seen.) So in truth, which do you consider to be offering 'more variety?'

[@heathermurray9939]

In the uk we have food standards star's for restaurants, McDonald's, greggs etc 5* higher standard 1* poor standards if they get 1* they are given several weeks to clean up the standards and will be inspected again & if they have completed the changes they will be regarded. If they don't they are closed down

[@mama_bexx]

You are also expected to pass a food hygiene level 2 test to be able to work with food x

[@nigelparrott6944]

Tartazin was band in UK in the 1980's due to being a cause of cancer's and hyper activity in children. I was working in the food industry at the time.

[@jessieb7290]

Plus in the late 90’s I think it was pop tarts were banned for ages because a kid burnt their tongue. They’re back now but only in chocolate or strawberry unless you waste loads of cash at one of those stores in London.

[@sedwards7428]

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the average American diet consists of excess salt, saturated fat, refined grains, calories from solid fats and added sugars. Americans also eat fewer vegetables, fruits, whole grains, dairy products and oils than recommended.

[@Cree_running_rabbit]

There is it's called natural foods grocery store here in America they have many of them in different states

[@paulstanando1975]

id to thank you guys for make me appreciate my country (uk) a lot more the i used.👍😁

[@reactingtomyroots]

Love to hear it! :)

[@lilachiricli6756]

UK is not a country 😉

[@adrianboardman162]

This is something I've noticed with you all, (as a family) compared to a lot of Americans, you seem to prefer a 'cleaner' diet, like farm fresh eggs, properly reared meat, as few chemicals as possible on your fruit and veg. Where as I've got American friends that have stayed here in the UK, and they were getting almost withdrawal like symptoms because we don't use such preservatives, colours or as much MSG (we do have it, but not in everything). It's like they have addictive qualities too, which helps boost profits, as they'll continuously go back for more of their 'fix' if that makes sense?

[@reactingtomyroots]

There are definitely addictive qualities in all the additives they put in--by design!

[@reactingtomyroots]

There's actually a really interesting book on the subject called The Dorito Effect.

[@karlbmiles]

All meat begins with being properly reared.

[@NormyTres]

​@@reactingtomyrootsThat's interesting. I stopped eating Doritos after I noticed I had a pattern of eating them whenever I was going into depression, almost as if I was addicted to them. I had a real craving. I put it down to MSG and thought whatever it was couldn't be good for me, so I got myself off them.

[@peterdavidson3890]

Eating out in the U.K. involves proper restaurants with table cloths, individual seating, finer drinks including wines and properly trained staff so U.K. eating at restaurants is bound to be more expensive. American McDonalds/Burger King ect. and the pizza eating places should NEVER BE CALLED RESTAURANTS. They are just “Get you in, and Get you out asap” and leaving 20 per cent TIPS behind to pay servers.

[@Timbothruster-fh3cw]

You are literally overdoing it with the tipping crap!🙄

[@suemoore984]

Restaurants versus fast food chains... no comparison

[@emmawaldron6454]

When i was a kid (UK) tartrazine used to make me hyperactive too Not sure when it was banned but definitely a good thing!

[@samsprrr3548]

I don't think the amount of the same fast food restaurants across the country has anything to do with variety i think it has more to do with what you can get for example in my small town i have restaurants for Chinese Indian fried chicken burgers kebabs italian greek 3 bakerys pubs steak house 5 different cafes all serving different dishes pizza place and 5 fish and chip shops. We could also use 4 supermarkets to buy from cuisines from around the world to cook at home that is varied.

[@nodens30]

Totally agree on portion sizes. in the UK we prefer and encourage smaller portions. Variety, not sure I agree. It compared mostly on chains, we tend to prefer local take aways which cover a huge variety of global food types.

[@HarleyHerbert]

Plus in the UK in every town it's common to see many places selling food from loads of different countries and cultures, both with takeaways and restaurants. And supermarkets all have the foreign cuisine section which will have a selection of stuff imported from around the world. Every American I've known who've come to the UK have said they've never even seen either of these things in America

[@carlwalker7560]

On variety for example, kebab shops are all local, I don't think there is a "chain" kebab seller.

[@karlbmiles]

Why would anybody prefer less food for the money? Your 8 oz. steak is better than my 12 oz. for the same price? You want a free refill, or are just not thirsty anymore?

[@thuggie1]

the UK food safety and hygiene laws are very tough they started to come around in the late 19th century in a response of shops bulking out their produce like flour with things like lead oxide, chalk and other toxic chemicals as rising agents and they just ballooned since then. a few of the EU food standards where originally pushed by the UK government and also the German Government. this is what created the gold standard over the whole of the EU

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Yes, the UK was the lead in getting the EU to increase food safety standards and in many cases UK standards are a little higher than the EU ones.

[@irenejohnston6802]

Be interesting as time goes on, if we in UK keep to our agreed food production and environmental standards since Brexit (the gift that keeps on giving) Fear alternative regulated trade agreements will water down the standards. Already govt seems less bothered by water quality monitoring. Think the trillions spent on covid around the world have left huge deficits. We're drowning in plastic. Take care Lindsay n Steve. Liverpool

[@kevinh96]

One of the reasons restaurant prices are around 5% higher in the UK is very likely down to higher minimum wage laws. Waiting staff in the UK don't normally have to rely on tips just to survive, and tipping isn't compulsory and often isn't expected either. So restaurants will charge a bit more to cover those higher wages. Some restaurants do add a service charge, but even if that is added you are perfectly free to not pay that additional charge and can request it be removed.

[@unfixablegop]

About the eggs: In the US you must wash and refrigerate, in Europe you cannot wash and cannot refrigerate. It sounds like one side must be in the wrong here, but that's not necessarily true. Washing the eggs obviously cleans them, but it also washes off a natural protective layer. In practical terms the Europeans do better here because you have to have better sanitary conditions if you know you can't wash the eggs, and then you still have the protective layer. Refrigerating the eggs keeps them better, so it's a good idea to also do it at home. The reasoning for the refrigeration bann in Europe is that if the refrigeration chain is broken (which can easily happen on the way to the store fridge) then the warming eggs start to "sweat" water which destroys the natural protective layer. In the US that's not a problem because that layer has been washed off anyways.

[@luciaguarino3465]

With eating out in the UK it’s a full evening thing and can last a few hours and the serving staff leave you alone and mostly get tipped well and they don’t depend on tips, in the US I’ve heard it’s in have your meal and out again and serving staff depend on tips.

[@janetroberts2262]

Bigger portions of crap food really isn’t a winner, I’d rather pay more and know the food is better. I watched an English food show where someone had KFC in the USA and he said it was horrible, the taste was totally different. It’s good to know that you and many others in the USA are actively making positive changes to your diets by sourcing food which comes from better farming practices etc. ❤❤❤

[@Timbothruster-fh3cw]

KFC in the US used to be good, it just went to shit in the last decade

[@mehallica666]

All that chicken marinated in bleach. Yummy!

[@itztehendd]

The biggest difference between the FDS and UK Food Standards is their approach. The FDA's bar for approval is so low it's in the floor

[@Kat-po3mn]

it's also influenced by external interests - corporate lobbyists that fill politician pockets - dominos effect

[@RobertHoward-d8g]

Yeah, you'd have to dig a tunnel to get under it.

[@sarahealey1780]

Around where I live, you will find lots of promise boxes in front of farms and houses where they will put out eggs for you to help yourself to and leave a little cash for them, they are pretty cheap, they will also leave out fruits and homemade jams ect...

[@fuzielectron5172]

Honesty boxes, called up here, nice to come across on a hike especially.

[@Kat-po3mn]

@@fuzielectron5172 you beat me to it on the name used north of the border.

[@mariacurtis9247]

I love the honesty boxes in the rural areas

[@peterwills1160]

we have a food standard agency if our food here isnt good it dosent get on supermarkrt shelves

[@ukguy]

When they say US has more variety of foods and then compare chains i really don't think that is a good thing. There are actually more local independent restaurants with a larger variety of cuisines in the UK. European foods such as Italian, French, Spanish etc for example are of much higher quality and more authentic than the ones i have come across in the US. Most likely because of the close proximity to these countries. Mexican food seems to be better in the US probably for the same reason. Also some Asian Cuisines such as Indian, Chinese and Thai are also much higher quality and more common in the UK.

[@Jeni10]

Aussies don’t dine out for every meal! We cook at home from fresh produce, with dinner out maybe once a week and go to our local barista for a coffee and a light meal so we can catch up with friends. We also take our own cup for that coffee so we reduce the need for disposable cups as much as we can. We have supermarkets that sell fresh produce, but we also have individual places as alternatives, so the local butcher, the local fruit and veg shop, the local delicatessen, the local seafood shop, etc. We aren’t held to buying everything in one store, we can buy from many places, all regulated by food and safety laws, such as the storage of food in restaurants must be at least 30cm/12” above the floor and in covered containers. In the fridge, everything must follow the guidelines for food safety to protect against cross contamination, and government inspectors make spontaneous visits to check that everything is in compliance with the Regulations.

[@bevkeyte6624]

Your average brit will mainly cook at home too. Eating out at a restaurant or take away food is mostly classed as a treat.

[@mehallica666]

Australia and the UK are remarkably similar (except the bloody weather!).

[@Jeni10]

@@mehallica666 😂🇦🇺

[@rickb.4168]

When eating out we are more expensive “initially” but our waiting staff get paid an actual wage so we don’t tip as highly, if at all. They haven’t factored that in.

[@karlbmiles]

Ah, good excuse for being cheap.

[@rickb.4168]

@@karlbmiles “cheap” where do you eat out, Pound Bakery? 😂

[@Aaron19987]

@@karlbmileslol. Cheap is not paying your staff a wage to live and expect customers to basically be the employers of your staff 😄

[@malcolmwatson9032]

In General UK "Home Grown" Food quality Standards are Higher than many in the E.U.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

True and where did the EU get its 'increasing of food standards'? From the UK, of course.

[@astrecks]

Not only food, electrical, mechanical and industrial standards that are current in the EU were developed chiefly by the British Standards Industry (BSI) and the Deutsches Institut für Normung (DIN).

[@alimantado373]

@@Thurgosh_OG😆😆 vice -versa, you obviously never knew pre EU Britian. Ive lived in Italy and Europe. You have not.

[@alimantado373]

@@astrecks Food Mechanical and Industrial is completely different in the UK. I suggest your a victim of English exceptionalism, and neve have lived in Germany or anywhere in Europe.

[@karlbmiles]

Of course they are. And you mom was the best cook in the world.

[@michaeljeacock]

yes, when eating out you must remember that in the UK the restaurants must pay the staff an actual living wage and tipping is a bonus. it may cost a bit more upfront but once you add the American tip on top it is probably less as we are not paying the staffs rent.

[@Mulberry2000]

American food has rat and mice droppings etc, no UK food is allowed to have them in them. Saying that some sweets (candy) have high EES in them and they can send kids crazy, they get giddy, start laughing at the slightest thing, hyperactivity etc. It happened to my kids i bought some sweets with them not releasing the impact, yep they went nuts. I am in the UK.

[@kimarnill7648]

Nearly 4 pounds for a loaf of bread, bloody hell 😮

[@avaggdu1]

You'd better be shopping at Harrod's for that kind of gourmet shit! If I paid £2 for a loaf of bread, it had better be the best loaf of bread I've ever tasted.

[@Kat-po3mn]

and, if you want commercially produced labelled organic bread it can cost $6.00 (commercial Dave's Killer Bread). Local bakery bread is very expensive too. All of this adds up to a very expensive basket which most americans simply cannot afford.

[@L0zzle]

i went to new york last year and in target it was $4.89 for a small loaf of bread that didn’t even LOOK bready…… it was like cake

[@kimarnill7648]

@@avaggdu1 Not only that but I would want it to be covered in gold leaf 🍂

[@Sophie.S..]

Also their bread has so many preservatives in it that it lasts for weeks.

[@kiddcapri1711]

A couple of years ago the government in the UK banned chocolate, sweets and sugary drinks from supermarket till areas. They also cant have them in a certain distance from walking in the store. To help aid people in not making poor choices for unhealthy products which are considered "pick up lines", also to stop kids pestering parents for something sweet whilst they wait at the tills.

[@aphishoutofwater]

My local supermarkets (isle of wight) have chocolate bars right in your face at the self-service checkouts and the tobacco counter so I'm not sure it's a total ban

[@karlbmiles]

Ah, the nanny state. You don't need a mommy to slap your hand.

[@helenelooije-volwerk2120]

We live in Holland and have a son with the same problem. I learned that shopping at Aldi our Lidl helps they are German and not allowed to use food colouring

[@katanyajason3316]

It's not just the food colouring, it's other additives too. Lidl also has better ingredients. It's possible to find goods that don't contain glucose, fructose syrup. Especially in their own Deluxe brand. The list of ingredients is surprisingly short compared to other brands.

[@E-s.thoughts]

For an "Italo-Burgundian" like me, I have some difficulty with both cuisines, although I must admit that I do like Cajun and Tex-Mex when it's well made and, perhaps strangely for many, I also find haggis and English pie quite enjoyable. As for breakfast; I prefer a Burgundian or an extremely tasty Italian breakfast, but rest assured, I will not turn down an English or American breakfast.

[@philbarrance]

I agree with you guys there is no benefit from getting a massive portion of inferior quality food much better to get a regular portion of good food

[@sakerr0151]

Eating out at a restaurant in the US is cheaper but then you have to pay the servers salary of 20% of what ever your meal cost.

[@karlbmiles]

Somehow we Americans have done that to ourselves. 10% became 15% became 20% and we're pushing even higher. American just seem to like to tip. I like throwing it around in Europe because they're not used to be treated well and they appreciate even more.

[@trytellingthetruth.2068]

What a beautiful picture of a full English breakfast.

[@kathleenhyde771]

But no black pudding 😢

[@BlueTexel]

Yes, needs black pudding and real bacon not Spam 🤔

[@colinmorrison5119]

It's alright, but it's no Ulster fry!

[@jessieb7290]

Ummmmm 😋

[@really-america]

As a Brit living in Florida I do miss the real fried breakfast. However, I will say there are more eating out options here rather than UK

[@claregallagher8550]

The test of variety in this video seems to be based on fast food or food chains. Of course the US will have more chain restaurants and fast food, however that is not the source of variety. The UK has a lot of more individual restaurants and take away shops, which offer the variety that is not counted in this video. The US, as a larger country, has a lot of immigration providing the variety of food. However, it is ridiculous to ignore the impacts of Britain's colonisation of other countries, which means we have a lot of people who moved to the UK from colonised nations. Plus the fact that a lot of food from other countries was introduced into the UK over thousands of years of colonisation and trade, including others who invaded Britain, like Vikings, Romans, Anglo Saxons etc. We are also part of Europe and very close to the other 44 countries on the same continent, so we have a lot of imports and food sourced from the other countries in Europe. This has provided a lot more variety than seems to be taken into account when just using fast food and food chains in this video.

[@MichaelLynch1]

100% Clare , we have more varied foods with world cuisine shops and restaurants, Asian including every country across The World Europe and The Americas, not because US has more population, we have a melting pot of every food imaginable on a small island 😀

[@AndrewBuckleBookReviews]

Was surprised by the variety, I think the UK wins hands down in terms of variety - especially mixing in all the world cuisine we now have. There are zillions of shops / restaurants in the US but most of it seemed to be selling the same sort of thing over and over. In terms of well known fast food restaurants, yes, the UK will lose but I prefer the many different types of cuisines and unique places we have here any day. Not saying that I didn't enjoy restaurants devoted to cheesecakes and the like in the US (doubt if that would survive here)

[@karlbmiles]

When I think of English food I think of Indian curry, African tea.

[@claregallagher8550]

@karlbmiles Exactly, there is also Chinese food from Hong Kong immigrants, who took over a lot of chip shops and introduced chinese food as takeaways. Caribbean food brought from people who immigrated from islands of Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad, St Lucia, Greneda, etc. France is just across the sea and is actually only 20 miles at the shortest distance, and of course, Ireland is next door also. My point is that all of these, plus many others, have an influence on the variety of food in the UK. Even one of our national dishes is Chicken Tikka Masala, which is Indian dish adapted for British palate by a Scottish chef who immigrated from Pakistan.

[@matthewmasters2240]

Uk standards in live stock are higher than the EU

[@denismorgan9742]

I didn't mind horse meat, it's a lot leaner. The problem comes when it's called beaf burger it's expected to be beaf. People don't like the idea of eating horse meat, I don't have a problem with it, just rename it horse burger.

[@davidporter499]

Eating out is more costly in the UK and Europe because restaurants pay a reasonable wage to staff. Tipping is voluntary and lower, generally, here.

[@Aberbrothock1]

Before i met my wife she went on holiday with one of her friends to Florida, and they went to one of the burger chains and was able to share a meal it was that big.

[@northnsouth6813]

When eating out in the US you can add 20% plus as a tip whilst in the UK tip's are not always given.

[@ironclad57]

When we went to a McDs in Florida, we were shocked at how small the choice was compared to here in UK. I think the menu choice was near half the amount we have.

[@jamessaunders7931]

Variety just focusing on the amount of chain restaurants is a little shirt sighted. The UK sometimes has a bad rep when it comes to food quality, but in terms of TYPES of cuisine, there is a lot of choice. I have italian, thai, indian, persian and nepali restaurants within a 5 minute walk from home, as well as the standard MCDs and KFC (in the UK).