11 American Habits I Lost after Moving to the UK

[@robcarter55]

I'm British. We always order dessert after we have had the main course. That way you can decide if you actually need a dessert or not. Just seems logical !

[@carollewis3912]

My grandmother always said life is short. Eat your dessert first. If you eat the meal first you might be too full for your dessert! I think she was only half kidding.

[@charlesjay8818]

not always..... some order all 3 courses sometimes, just depends

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

When I was at school in England, aged 8-13, if we asked for dessert we'd get an apple or a pear, or perhaps some cheese. So we learned to ask for pudding. 😋

[@christopherwatts1833]

Most people i know when out eating will order the starter & main meal. Then when eaten will decide if they need a pudding depending if their full up from the meal. I also know a few people that omit the starter & have the mains & a pudding as not everyone has a sweet tooth as they say.

[@hypsyzygy506]

​@@carollewis3912 My aunt also mentioned the same idea of ordering dessert as the first course, just in case she was too full at the end of the meal.

[@alanbudgen2672]

I'm English, and live in London, and I smile and acknowledge people I pass in the street all the time. Most folks will happily smile back, some seem genuinely cheered by it while a few look baffled. I think it's a great thing to do. Smile at someone, you may never meet again, just passing in life's journey, you want nothing more from them than wish them a happy moment.

[@individualmember]

I do this most of the time, the time I don’t is during the morning commute until I’m out of the tube. It’s just too overwhelming in the crowds.

[@Taylor23890]

@@individualmemberAs a runner , most of us acknowledge and smile at other runners , which is nice . I’m a Londoner however moved to the south coast now tbh I try and have a laugh with people in the pub , in the shop

[@ericamacs3875]

Yep also Londoner, people do smile and nod to each other all the time. It's just not to everyone. If there's only you walking along and only one other person is passing you, then it's pretty normal to nod or say Hi.

[@pixiemerlin6735]

I am from the Proper North and live in North North of the UK and a wee nod in passing to the people you see most days or journeys is acceptable and allowed - also acceptable is to natter away and have a good bleather with complete strangers about anything and everything including intimate personal things at the bus stop.

[@alanbudgen2672]

@@pixiemerlin6735 you mean more than just the weather?!! 😁I live in a very tall building, so we are often in the lift with neighbours for a while - you've got to make conversation, to avoid awkward silences 😊

[@simongoodwin5253]

In Yorkshire we talk to all strangers, all the time. We always greet strangers and have conversations when queuing.

[@adrianboardman162]

Even a simple smile or nod is enough. Us northerners acknowledge each other.

[@scottythedawg]

well yes how else would you tell them that youre from yorkshire every five minutes. It is gods own country after all. 🤣

[@barriehull7076]

which god?@@scottythedawg

[@DanBeech-ht7sw]

​@@barriehull7076the perfection that is Yorkshire is proof that there is only one God, because it is clearly not designed by a committee

[@scottythedawg]

@@barriehull7076 jahovis

[@Barfield-cg7iq]

I agree with what other people have been saying. I order a starter and a main course (or sometimes just the main course). After I'd finished I would then decide if I wanted a dessert and have it there. The waiting staff would usually ask if you wanted a dessert as they cleared away. It would never even occur to me to go somewhere else just for a dessert.

[@KathleenMc73]

With regards to ordering dessert, Peter Kay explained it perfectly. Everyone's stuffed. No-one could possibly eat any more. Then the waitress comes and says 'anyone for dessert?' And everyone looks at everyone else. No-one wants to be the only person to order one. So one person will say 'are you having dessert? I'll order if you do'. Almost giving permission to the other person to order. Suddenly, you've managed to create room in your over-full stomach for a piece of cheesecake or sticky toffee pudding.

[@simongoodwin5253]

🤣😅😂

[@bugtracker152]

Then later you regret doing that 😆 😂😂

[@KrisHughes]

Yes. This. But I think it's also because people are looking to continue the evening.

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

And a wafer thin mint. kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4PTpWeXa61sb8U

[@MrGearoid65]

This is 100% 👍 true! I love Peter Kay, he's a comedy genius.

[@davidmckie7128]

I think that the saying hello to strangers is a personal thing. I always say hello to people I pass in the street (I livve in Kent, but I was born up North) and some people reply and some don't. I used to say to friends at work that Northern people are your best friend after a day and Southerners are your best friend after a few months.

[@BrandonLeeBrown]

I agree. Before I went to the UK, a French girl told me that British are really friendly. As an American I wasn't so sure of that, but maybe so, compared to the French. When I did go to the UK, I started in Ashford, Kent and everybody was very friendly. People smiled and said hello. A stranger gave me change to use a pay phone. A young woman offered to let me use her cell phone, when I was counting change at the pay phone. She came up to me and said, "I see you're struggling with the money. Would you like to use my mobile?" After the call she hopped into an Aston Martin convertible with another woman and rode away.

[@ddguitars1969]

We Northerners say hello to everyone...terrifies londoners....

[@scottythedawg]

in town i wont say hello to people, on a country walk I would.

[@simongoodwin5253]

😅@@ddguitars1969

[@simongoodwin5253]

🤥@@scottythedawg

[@rosslogan4154]

The reason that UK restaurant staff press "no" for "are you leaving a tip" on the POS terminal before handing it to you to pay the bill is that if you pay it electronically on the bill it's seldom paid directly back to the waitress/waiter. It's either kept by the restaurant or split evenly between all of the waitresses/waiters. The staff would much prefer you to tip in cash. By doing that the individuals who've been serving you can keep all of the money to themselves.

[@donaldboyer8182]

In general I agree with this. BUT kitchen staff are the ones who prepare your meal. The waiter/ waitress brings you the meal, deals with the small stuff (I'm not belittling front end staff). One way for the guest to deal with this is to tip electronically for the staff behind the scene and leave a couple of bucks on the table.

[@Alex727Pasco]

As someone who's managed multiple pubs/restaurants in the UK I can say with confidence that if you're at a chain ie a lounge, cozy club, peach pubs or green king etc all the card tips go to staff. It might be the case at independent pubs and restaurants but even then generally it goes to staff, and usually includes back of house staff and excludes management

[@MrLunarlander]

Not a great plan, IMO - I don't think I'm alone in just not carrying cash any more, so no card option, no tip I'm afraid.

[@artemisfowl66]

If you pay by cash they can avoid paying tax on it

[@ethelmini]

@@donaldboyer8182 Tips constitute earnings, so are taxable.

[@NikNak500]

My friend visited me in the UK from Chicago a couple of years ago, and we headed to London. She was amazed at how friendly people were, and was shocked at how often strangers asked each other for help (directions, time etc); saying she would never feel comfortable enough to do that back home.

[@wessexdruid7598]

One American habit you _haven't_ lost is referring to the main meal as the entrée - in Europe, the 'entrance' is the starter. 🙂

[@bobh7410]

The 'Enterence' is where you come in 😂 Sorry couldn't resist, God dawn autocorrect.

[@katrinabryce]

It is entrée, or hors d'oeuvre in France 💁🏻‍♀.

[@aiistyt]

@@katrinabryce What?

[@juliaw151]

Or using "gotten".

[@terrybarrett2368]

Same in Australia as in Europe

[@stevelloyd5621]

I'm British born and bred grew up in London, smiling and saying hello is a British thing and I have done it all my life

[@AlbSec7480]

Americans living in UK seem to think saying hello as you pass a stranger is not done in UK. Living in Glasgow I can definitely say most folks give a nod or say hello as we pass on the street.

[@CarolanneTitmus-Greene]

People used to but not so much these days.

[@deanosaur808]

@user-nc2kz2mn5v it's risky talking to strangers in London 😅 Plus there are so many people, it gets tiresome saying hi to every person you pass in the street 🤷‍♀️ You have to be selective 😉

[@FeniksGaming]

​@AlbSec7480 on an empty street in the small town yes, on packed street in London you can walk passed 100 people a minute noone is sating hello 100 times a minute

[@HaggisOfDeath]

Born in London too, and generally speaking if you make eye contact you smile, and if you accidentally bump into someone, or someone turns a corner and you see them unexpectedly (happens quite a lot as we have high walls and fences on properties so you often cannot see people until they turn the corner), its common to say hello. Generally though if its a very busy road, its just impractical to say hello or even acknowledge the existence of anyone else. When making eye contact, you might not smile or say hello if the other person is scowling, which is very common with asians and slavs, or kissing their teeth and muttering to themselves, which is also common with younger asians, and also younger blacks. When I say asian I don't mean east asian (chinese/japanese/etc), they are rare and tend to be polite, I mean indian/pakistani/bangladeshi, etc.

[@anthonyquinn3671]

I think the way the British Health services think is "Prevention, is better than the Cure" in other words it is better to find out early whether you have Cancer in the early stages which can be cured if caught early enough, Rather than waiting until it is too far gone that they can't do anything for you.

[@carollewis3912]

That's why they do the colonoscopy in the U.S. and the mammogram among other tests.

[@capitalb5889]

The UK is actually relatively poor at doing health checks than other developed countries.

[@hesky10]

​@@capitalb5889you almost have to take the morning off work just to try and get a doctors appointment these days, but the Conservative party seem determined to gradually erode our NHS so we're forced to have an American style health service. They forget that when us brits get pissed off, it will be carnage, see the poll tax riots of 1990 down in London as an example of when a government forced an unpopular policy on us.

[@peterfhere9461]

No-one in my family or in my circle of friends, or anyone I have known at work, ever orders/ordered a dessert with their main course. Often people order starters and the main meal together. Itis very rare to go somewhere else for a dessert - this is part of the culture of sitting after a meal for a longer time than in the US.

[@PaulParkinson]

Brit checking in on the dessert point. When we (as in my family) eat out we order the starter and main and then, if we feel like it, go for a dessert as a separate order. We don't finish and go elsewhere for dessert - that never happens. Most common though is the decision as to whether we do two or three courses. Starter and main or main and dessert. It's rare that we do all three!

[@peterjackson4763]

I very often have a starter, as I expect a main to take time to cook. Then if I still feel hungry I'll have a desert. Unless going to an upmarket restaurant for a special occasion. Then I will make sure to have room for three courses.

[@schubertuk]

For me - as a Londoner - homemade soup is a staple and so simple to do (rarely takes more than 15 mins) - and is a really good way of emptying the fridge of older, wilting vegetables and other ingredients. All you need is a pan, a blitz stick and optionally some stock (or stock-cube) and/or cream & spices. Always tastes so much better than any canned soup. Definitely do not need to be a chef to do! I rarely make the same soup twice

[@simonegacia4429]

It’s almost 40 years ago… 20 years old and pregnant stationed in the UK. Asked to take my food home (pregnant issues) and they had no idea of the situation so they wrapped up my food plate and all for me. LOVED living there …..

[@sroberts605]

I have to say though that the UK has changed enormously since then. Whether for the better or not is a pretty big subject.

[@carolineskipper6976]

Saying hello to strangers seems to be a geographical thing. The nearer you are to London, the less likely you are to do it in my experience. I usually glance atpeople approaching me, and if we make eye contact I smile and muttr'morning' or whatever. If we find we're playing that "I'm not looking at you!" game then I avert my eyes and carrry on.

[@LeePorte]

Wasn't a thing in London, was in Bristol, definitely is in the countryside

[@davidmartin8211]

This is an issue with any large city. London, paris, Chicago. new york, etc. eg. A keep your eyes down and carry on.

[@judithhope8970]

I'm fifty miles east of London deep in the countryside and we do speak to strangers and always greet when walking through the village or on a country walk. We don't see people often, whereas in London, obviously you do. People are everywhere.

[@carolineskipper6976]

@@judithhope8970 I lived literally on the edge of Greater London for some years, and strangers were ignored generally. I moved about 10 miles further out, and on my first day at the shops people struck up genuine conversations with me. It was a bit of a culture shock, but lovely!

[@robindtgriffiths6487]

I was a student in the US quite a few years ago in Pennsylvania & Wisconsin then after getting married in Missouri. Friendliness did differ from one area to another. Pa. People were pretty friendly Wi. They wre a bit more reserved but Mo really over the top friendly. Absolute worst place apart from NYC was Chicago. NYC on the few occasions I made the misfortune to visit they wre ever ruder than Chicago! UK is similar. I grew up in the Isle of Wight and apart from some of the grockles that have landed up there the pace of life is slower and and people do smile and chat to strangers. Same here in Cornwall where we now live.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

When I moved to work in the US, one thing well-travelled American acquaintances often mentioned was this ice in cold drinks thing. Actually, not loading the glass with ice is normal across Europe. My US colleagues would say, "Even when I asked for ice in London/Paris/Stockholm, they'd only put in one piece the size of a contact lens." 😅

[@PhilipWorthington]

I don't mind having ice in drinks, but I consider it a waste because you sacrifice around a third of your drink. Nobody wants to pay for a drink and then only get two thirds of what you paid for. In America, where refills are usually free, that doesn't matter as you can just get another drink for free (unless you're taking your drink away, in which case you have lost money because you can't get a free refill to compensate for the 'missing' drink.)

[@charlesunderwood6334]

There are 2 reasons for putting loads of ice in drinks- you need to sell less drink because it is all water and, more importantly, taste buds do not work well if they are too cold so if a drink is really cold you can get away with inferior ingredients and pump it full of cheap sugar.

[@phil2186]

Yeah this ice cube thing irritated me in the US, especially when you’re really thirsty and want a big quick drink rather than a load of ice to waste. When I lived in Singapore a lot of the food courts did the same thing. But there you don’t get free refills and many have a sign saying that if you request less ice there’s a higher price!

[@vamvam7690]

@@phil2186oh wow, I’ve never seen that before where they actually make you pay more if your drink is full and pay less if you have ice. Makes sense I guess because you are being given more drink but seems pretty stingey with how much of a mark-up there is on drinks anyway lol

[@johncrossley]

I think as you live in London saying Hi to a stranger is a no. In many places in the UK, it's accepted. Keep smiling 😊

[@lorrainevart8827]

Same of all big cities in the world.small towns everywhere more friendly

[@FeniksGaming]

​@@lorrainevart8827it's just not practical. I can walk passed 1000 people on 10 min walk in London I will walk passed 8 people in the same time in small town noone is saying hi 1000 times on short walk

[@ajs41]

Well maybe it's time for Londoners to change their attitude on this. Don't just accept something because everyone else does it.

[@vamvam7690]

@@FeniksGamingto be fair, even in small towns like where ai live you usually don’t say hello to _everyone_ …just the people you make eye contact with You can greet people by just smiling or nodding etc, you don’t have to actually speak to people so I really don’t feel like it’s that much effort…even in very busy places 🤷‍♀️

[@ShaunG73]

I live in Scotland and I remember years ago, an American tourist was hit by a car when she accidently looked left instead of right when crossing the road. When a local female told her she was calling for an ambulance, the American got really scared and tried to get us to call her a Taxi instead. When we asked her why she told us she could not afford the cost of the Ambulance. It was only when the ambulance arrived and the medic explained to her that the NHS do not charge anyone for calling an ambulance, she finally agreed to have her injuries treated and be taken to the hospital to be checked over. She told us that where she lived in the US (can’t remember the State but I do remember her accent sounded like Reese Witherspoon in the film Sweet Home Alabama), it would have cost her anything from $3.5k to $4k just for the ambulance medic to treat her injuries and to be taken to the hospital.

[@kenholst3541]

Many towns in the u.s. rely on private ambulance and medics contracted through the city or volunteer fire departments who have paramedic training and insurance does not cover the cost

[@TheSteve2305]

Ill take things that never happened for 500 alex!!.....they could afford that trip tp scotland but was worried about the ambulance?? Nobody is impressed by your crappy NHS

[@katrinabryce]

@@TheSteve2305 A holiday in Scotland is going to be far cheaper than a visit to a hospital, unless you are flying first class and staying in the most expensive room in the most expensive hotel you can find.

[@TheSteve2305]

@@katrinabryce whatever.....i bet left nut this clowns story didnt happen

[@juliaw151]

​@@TheSteve2305tell me you've never been here without telling me. Typical seppo energy, 🙄

[@aarondavis9290]

Please smile & say hello again, from a UK person

[@patriciaorourke8850]

Up north we smile to strangers especially if you’re walking a dog.

[@Bolachas25]

I live in the south of England and I always say hello or good morning to random strangers. I guess if we don’t catch each other’s eyes I don’t, but generally speaking I would.

[@missharry5727]

Me too. My walk from home to town is on an urban footpath used for three schools and shoppers and dog walkers. It's normal to say "morning" or "hello" to people, especially if you see them regularly, and to pet any dogs you know.

[@djs98blue]

@@missharry5727I do sometimes but it depends on location around here in the East Midlands. If I’m on a footpath I usually would, but obviously not with a group in conversation or younger people with phones and earbuds etc and if I was in a busier area of town.

[@captvimes]

It is London that gives the whole of the south east a bad rep...we arent London. I dont tend to find the north friendlier as a southerner though sometimes not very often but sometimes a southern accent can get a bad reaction.

[@williamburnham3659]

I do as well, I don't know but it may be that I grew up in Sheffield, but I have lived in Kent for 35 years and have always smiled and said hello to strangers. Not doing so may be more a London thing as opposed to a South East thing, I do not know 😊😊😊

[@barriehull7076]

My mum always said if a tramp spoke to you to be polite and respond, S E resident.

[@michael-pn9po]

Being from North of England - I smile and greet strangers - where paths cross and appropriate

[@delboy1727]

You will find both 'Best Before' and 'Use By' dates in the UK. They are not the same. A product with a 'best before' means exactly that. You can consume it beyond that date, but it won't be at its best. A 'Use By' date is used on products that will go off, and should generally be adhered to.

[@jacquieclapperton9758]

I'm always amazed by the cake mixes for even the simplest cake. All you need is butter, sugar, eggs and flour (plus raising agent if you only have plain flour) for a very basic sponge. I was making that in primary school.

[@gwynneharries7024]

Please keep smiling and saying hello. It started happening more during covid and I’ve kept it going. It’s infectious and I think it makes us better individuals. It used to happen when I was a child. Go to it girl.

[@michaelbarnard2128]

I'm British and I always smile and say hi to strangers, I will say more people will smile when the sun is shining.

[@08emily89]

I live in the south west and always say hello if you past someone on a quiet street

[@jonntischnabel]

The heat in the uk seems so much more unbearable (and the cold), because there is so much moisture in the air, due to it being a small island. If it is 38c in spain, it is much more pleasant and bearable than 30c in Britain, which gets really stuffy.

[@etherealbolweevil6268]

And too noisy to have the windows open.

[@danaandra9735]

I take it you've never been to Palm Springs. 🥵

[@capitalb5889]

I hate to quibble and be a pedant, but Britain is actually quite a large island.

[@lewilewis3944]

Morrisons are planning to remove 'Use By' dates from a lot of products to reduce waste. They recommend using the sniff test. 'Best Before' is also just a guide, I've still got half of a 5 kilo bag of pasta that was best before Aug 2021, it's fine.

[@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t]

"Best before" was never the same as "use by". A "use by" is an indication that there's no longer a reasonable guarantee that the product is safe to consume after that date; "best before" just means it might not be as good as it was before.

[@alexanderevanska4274]

Pasta packed right can last for years. Same with rice and oats.

[@lewilewis3944]

@@f0rth3l0v30fchr15t kind of my point...

[@rickconstant6106]

Some supermarkets (Sainsburys, for one) have stopped putting "use by" dates on fresh produce, but instead, use a cunning code, such as 1803, instead of 18 Mar, because nobody is going to be able to work that out.

[@vmitchinson]

What I think is to put the manufacture or production date. I want to know how old it is. Use by or best before is misleading.

[@gaynorhead2325]

I always have to ask for my drink WITHOUT ice, I hate ice as it melts and dilutes your drink.

[@geefull]

I'm in the UK and don't keep eggs in the fridge. I usually buy mine from a local free range egg farm, My gran taught me it's easy enough to test an egg if you're not sure how old it is, ( fill a jug with cold tap water and gently 'float' the egg, if it sinks towards the bottom it's good, if it floats to the top get rid).

[@davidmckie7128]

I generally don't tip and never feel pressured to tip. If the service is above standard then I will tip. The main problem with tipping is that it is not just the waiters/waitresses who deserve the tip, the chefs do as well. In the European cities I have visited, tipping is not expected.

[@misterbonzoid5623]

You should tip, and it IS expected in Paris, Madrid etc. Many London restaurants understand that tips need sharing with chefs and plongeurs and so have yhe intelligence to organise that for themselves. I know because I ask.

[@jonntischnabel]

You definitely still say "the hospital" instead of just hospital. 😊 Its the same as going to school, or to church, the word "the " isnt necessary here. ❤

[@Barfield-cg7iq]

You only use 'the' if you are being specific. "He's in hospital" (he's a patient). "He's at the hospital" (to visit, work or for an appointment).

[@Hirotoro4692]

As a Brit myself and everyone I knows says "the hospital" It just sounds wrong to say "Nan's in hospital"

[@Hirotoro4692]

UK resident here and I have and still used "the hospital" all the time​@@Barfield-cg7iq

[@dianacarter_art]

"The" hospital implies that there's just one. I'm American and this still is a sticking point for me! 😂

[@shellieeyre8758]

Smiling at strangers doesn't seem to me to be unusual; grinning and saying "Hi!" like they're a long lost friend certainly is.

[@ajs41]

If you're a man, like me, you probably don't smile at about 50% of people, ie. women, in case it gets you into trouble. And smiling at another man is a bit weird, so therefore you don't smile at many people. It might be different for women.

[@q.e.d.9112]

London heat is something else. I swear 30°C (86°F) in London, felt more unbearable than 35 (95) in Houston, TX.

[@jackieoconnor4926]

I agree! I live in the UK and cannot tolerate any temperature over 26C here, but we’ve visited Florida in November a few times and the temperature often hits 30C and is completely comfortable. I’m sure it’s completely different in high humidity season though. 😊

[@Hirotoro4692]

It's a mixture of humidity and the urban effects

[@Mick_Ts_Chick]

​@@jackieoconnor4926 Florida in the summer is absolutely ghastly! I'm from North Carolina and the humidity is bad enough here. In FL it's like NC on steroids. I honestly don't understand why people want to live there. You couldn't pay me enough to live there, lol.

[@charlesunderwood6334]

Anywhere in Europe (and elsewhere) eating out is an event and spending 2-3 hours in a restaurant is typical. I was surprised by the way I felt rushed in the US, and found the whole eating out experience quite unpleasant.

[@kevinmoffatt]

Went to an American restaurant with extended family at lunchtime and didn't want a meal, although everyone else was eating. I ordered coffee only for myself and all of us were then asked to leave even despite the rest of the party having ordered a full meal! (This was a fast food type place). To be fair I had even worse treatment in Strasbourg at lunchtime when ordering a coffee for two; they absolutely hate people taking up space if not ordering a full meal at lunchtime.

[@dereklupton5259]

Just discovered your chanel and subscribed immediately. Love your free-flowing, direct but insightful dialogues. 👌

[@ccpbass2032]

I can't imagine living in a city where folk don't smile and say hello to each other. Up here in Yorkshire it's really friendly in general. You can start up a conversation with anyone.

[@MsPeabody1231]

Have an outgoing child under 8 (or just babysit one) other Londoners will talk to you even on commuter trains.

[@DavidTheConkerer]

I'm a man of Kent and I love saying hello to everyone! 99% of folks love it really. :)

[@shezza66]

Australian here who grew up in England with a British parent. As per desserts I think that pudding after is common and taught in school from school lunches. I make all my soups from scratch as they taste better due to the availability of cheap and nutritious ingredients

[@clivemortimore8203]

Kalyn, a good five course meal is Dessert, Seconds, Pudding, Sweet, and Afters.

[@colinseeney471]

I have a morning walk when I work from home. I nod to the regulars. After a few weeks you exchange hellos, but with some I've ended up having some lovely conversations. I live near Manchester City centre, even here you don't expect it.

[@lesleynelson7708]

I'm English. we always wait until after main course before seeing the dessert menu. Simply because we don't know if we have room for dessert til after the main meal

[@la58076]

Use by date is important - it relates to potential harmful bacteria growing after that date! Best before is purely that, when the product is at its best.

[@Drew-Dastardly]

Yes. I ate a tin of tuna last night found in the back of my cupboard with a BBE date of 2019. It was absolutely delicious. I obviously used common sense when checking for smell and outgassing when opening the tin and it was fine. I would never eat anything with a USE BY date from that long ago. I've only ever saw McD's products survive that time without going mouldy. However I often eat them within a week of the use by just because I know the bottom of my fridge is colder than the supermarkets and I keep that stuff there. Of course it gets the sight and smell test too. Occasionally I do chuck stuff out which annoys me.

[@MKay-u7z]

If eggs have been washed(which occurs virtually everywhere in the U.S., they absolutely have to go in the fridge. Unwashed eggs can be left in a cool place on the counter.

[@jerryclark4628]

I assume you know that outside of North America the "entrée" is the starter - the hors d'oeuvre or appetizer - not the main course of the meal.

[@maudeboggins9834]

I left the UK 27 years ago & many many phrases I no longer use. I recently read "crud" & I thought Wow I haven't used that word in years, my sons didn't even know what that meant. So i started using it.

[@mascarasnake67]

I had a tin of sardines a few weeks ago, use by November 2017. They were lovely.

[@Mick_Ts_Chick]

I never take the expiration date on canned foods seriously. I mean in the Korean war they were using WW2 surplus canned food. 😂

[@gordonburns8731]

When I was in my teens, in the 60s, whenever I passed an oncoming person, we would always greet each other, with Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening.

[@lindahamilton4319]

I know exactly what you're talking about! I am originally from North Carolina but have been living here in London for the past 25 years. I have experienced all the things you've mentioned but you have been much more 'diplomatic' regarding your response and/or reasons for any changes. I'm sure there are many more differences we share and have either come to like or loath while residing here. It's not something I would even dream of writing in a public forum as it's not something easily understood unless you've lived it and it could possibly be interpreted in a way not flattering or as I'd actually intend it to be. I no longer expect to see the sun. That was a big one and the hardest adjustment I found I had to make. Good luck to you and I've now subscribed to your channel so who knows, if I see you on the streets I might recognise you and I'll be sure to smile and say 'Hey, How are you? and Have a nice day' when we part ways! Something else I no longer do either. Take care, Linda

[@Mick_Ts_Chick]

Hey Linda. I'm a fellow North Carolinian ( born in the Triad area and living about 25 miles east of Raleigh now). As much as I hate the summer here, I think I'd enjoy living in a cooler place like the UK. As with you, the downside would be all the cloudy/rainy days. Not sure I could handle that. We had a grad student at work from South Africa. He took a job near London after getting his degree. Later he visited and said he'd moved back to S. Africa because he couldn't take the weather there anymore because it was making him depressed. Being southern girls it's probably more natural for us to smile at and speak to strangers. I'm sure you've heard about the devastation in western NC from hurricane Helene. I talked to a guy from N. Wilkesboro who said the death toll on the news is way lower than what's actually happening. He said it was so much worse than we could imagine. Let's hope they find all the missing people soon.

[@philoshaughnessy906]

I'm getting an education from all of this. I knew that there were differences in Amercian and British culture, but I never knew it ran so deep. Fascinating stuff.

[@scottythedawg]

I recently found some popcorn kernels in the back of the cupboard and made some popcorn.... imagine my surprise that they were 8 years out of date lol tasted fine.

[@alexdewuk]

Great video! I'm a Brit who lived in the US for a while so am very aware of the differences!! :) Have you got your head around the Lunch/dinner/tea/supper confusion yet... LOL .. Southerners here say lunch, Northerners say dinner at lunch time and tea in the evening!! but then Southerners say Lunch then dinner for the evening, but then some parts of "The South" including my Mum and Dad from Gloucester say tea, then some say supper, but then supper can be after you've had your tea or dinner, and then afternoon tea can be thrown into the mix to confuse things even more!! LOL as in a cup of tea (Usually) and a cake or alike!! ...And THEN .... it could be late afternoon and a visitor visits someone's house and the host asks "Would you like some tea" and the visitor has to discern if they mean a cup of tea or food... but one has to be familiar with the context and judge the nature of the visitation! Confusing isn't it LOL ... 😀

[@MarkJT1000]

That is so true 😂

[@crossleydd42]

When I was researching my family history, which involved the slums of London around what is now New Oxford Street, I came across a book on the area, dated around 1830 and it mentioned garbage several times. Clearly this is one of those words which existed here, but has faded away, but not in the States, a point worth remembering.

[@BobHUK]

Interesting to note that in the States garbage normally refers to food waste, whereas trash refers to all other rubbish.

[@Mick_Ts_Chick]

​@@BobHUKI use trash and garbage interchangeably myself. I never thought of them as 2 different things, just 2 words for the same thing. I don't separate things in the can, so that's probably it. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@alanbrown9178]

I live in Scotland and we tend to smile or talk to strangers a lot. Especially if out on the hills, walking. Going to England is different. I walk with a friend in the Pennines sometimes and if you speak to someone, they tend to recoil a bit and look at you as if you have three eyes. We don't suffer the same high temperatures up here.... much more comfortable. The thought of going to London fills me with dread.

[@annbeth6730]

I spent a week in Florida . I don’t know how people manage the heat . I couldn’t live there.

[@isabelstokes4042]

I'm Scottish. We always say 'hello' to strangers as we pass! When I go to the South East of England and say 'hello' to strangers they look at me as if I am mad. I Come to Scotland - you will be warmly welcomed.

[@chrissmith2114]

Since paying by card etc in UK has become very common, most people do not give tips any more.... we prefer to give any tips to people who actually served you, not to the restaurant owner.

[@RebeccaHarrington-lf2kx]

Since I realised that staff don’t automatically get the tip when paying by card, I try to have enough tip cash on me when going out for a meal. It’s shocking how many restaurants don’t give the whole amount to their staff.. 😢

[@janemaber5420]

Annoying Aussie here again. We always say Hello as we pass people on a walk. Since Covid, restaurants are trying to get people back and quite a few offer set price 2 course meals. So some of the group can order entrees (starters) and mains while the others can order mains and dessert and you can share the entrees and desserts and have a taste but not too much food. We always linger over a meal as it's a social occasion, not just food.

[@cookielady7662]

So interesting. I'm American and rarely use instant anything. Instant mashed potatoes are disgusting. I know there are instant foods readily available, but I'm not sure they're relied upon as much as some might think. In my experience, they're used strictly for convenience when in a hurry. The comment about ice made me giggle. I like cold water but it doesn't have to have ice in it. Just chilled in the fridge is fine. Thank you for sharing with us. I learn a little bit more about UK life every time I watch your videos.

[@andyalder7910]

For Mash Get Smash adverts were brilliant even if the product was disgusting.

[@andrewhargreaves504]

Thank you for recognising the regional difference on speaking to strangers. I’m a Yorkshireman & we will say morning, afternoon or ayup when passing a stranger. This got me strange looks when I moved South (30 yrs ago). I still do it, desperately trying to get Southerners to react. It makes me happy.

[@Hydraas]

I would say smiling and saying hello to strangers depends on if you live in a bigger town or city vs a village or small town. I live in a small village just outside of a medium sized town. In my village I always smile and acknowledge older people as I pass them but I would never do it in the town or anywhere else I travel to. It just depends on whether it is the expected behaviour in the area. If it's not expected, people may judge you or be intimidated by it

[@jerplusjeff]

Now you are truly one of us! ❤😊

[@steveford1070]

The egg thing is because in supermarkets the eggs aren't allowed to be washed which means the farm has to be in a good clean condition

[@jimporter]

Not sure but I believe that because Americans prefer their eggs white and clean the bleaching process increases the porosity of the shell so they are not protected from pathogens in the same way and therefore must be kept in the fridge.

[@mortisrat]

​@@jimporter Their eggs are white because they mostly use chickens that lay white eggs. The egg colour is not bleached. They're washed to clean them, and that means that the protective layer that prevents bacteria from entering the egg is removed - but that barrier is invisible. They also don't vaccinate chickens for salmonella, which is why most young Americans have never seen an egg cup. Dippy egg is just not safe there.

[@Mick_Ts_Chick]

​@@mortisratYes, and there's a lot of debate in the poultry industry itself on the wash or not wash eggs thing. Getting them wet actually can draw the bacteria in through the shell. This is a hot topic with breeder hens whose eggs are being hatched. I feel like lots of folks here in the US don't realize if you collect eggs and don't initially refrigerate them, then it's ok to leave them out. We often have to transport table eggs long distances here so it's safer to refrigerate them in those circumstances.

[@YootubeUK]

I'm glad to hear you're eating better in the UK! I miss the UK not having Dunkin Donuts anymore, we did about 20 years back and they disappeared and a few other candies but overall the food is better for you here and it's nice to hear you making things instead of instant junk. Love the channel!

[@gamingtonight1526]

I lived and worked in the U.S. for 9 years in the late 80s/early 90s, I came back to the UK in 2000. I have lost all my American words, except for "elevator" (instead of "lift"), which just seems to have stuck, and I can't unstick it! Friends/Family think I could help it, and sometimes I catch myself, but most of the time the word "elevator" just leaves my mouth!

[@iannorton2253]

I live in the Midlands (Derby). We say hello and talk to strangers here, at the bus stop, in the pub or park, or at the supermarket checkout.

[@michaeldennis1569]

i have issue with number 3 because i do not think the tendency shown by people living in the SE to completely ignore strangers is a good thing,. Unfortunately, i adopted that tendency myself since i moved here and now am trying to get out of that habit because I don't think it is natural . My wife is completely happy talking to strangers at bus stops, shops or as she walks down the street. I think it's a matter of self-confidence and not fearing rejection. Most people I am sure, appreciate being acknowledged so I guess it is a matter of getting in the habit of doing it. Just keep smiling is my suggestion

[@markfletcher4886]

i have had tins of food out of date for 3 years and im still here and im 60 years old now love your videos keep up the good work

[@klaxoncow]

The whole original point of tipping was to reward good service and the UK retains that idea. If you feel your server did an excellent job, worthy of tipping, then you slip them an extra fiver or whatever. But, in America, this has been exploited by businesses to underpay workers and then have the customer make up the difference with a mandatory tip. So that's not rewarding good service at all, it's just subsidising the business to underpay their workers. It really should be illegal, as it is in most European countries including the UK, to ever pay someone less than minimum wage. The bill should be the bill, and all workers are properly paid from that, and then tips are an additional optional reward on top, when you want to give an extra "thank you" for excellent service. By the way, you are expected to tip taxi drivers in the UK. But this is because these people typically work for themselves - no wage, in the original "gig economy" - so tips are expected there (though still technically optional, as the taxi's meter ought to be correctly covering costs with a little profit margin already) because taxis have never been a salaried job, so you're giving them a little extra security. Indeed, now that the "gig economy" has become more of a thing over salaried work, perhaps we all should consider tipping more often to make up the difference like that, to make people have some more security in their work. When Brits don't tip in America, this is partly because we simply forget. But also I resent helping employers underpay - like if it didn't harm the worker, I'd want to not tip as a protest against this greedy dehumanising bullshit. But they have you over the barrel and you do have to tip, as you know that the employer won't make up the difference and the workers would suffer. Essentially, it's a form of blackmail that rewards them for being arseholes. America needs to change its laws that, like most countries, minimum wage really is the minimum wage. That it's not legal to ever pay less than it, for any reason whatsoever. And tips remain an optional extra payment, if you want to say "thank you" for a bang up job on top (and, really, workers should be able to just pocket the tip immediately, as it's for them and nothing whatsoever to do with the business at all).

[@ernaldcrisp3309]

Surely you can practice a good scowl, for use when passing people in the street - it's traditional in certain areas.

[@paulmcdonald7041]

You need to visit the north, especially Liverpool. We’re much more friendlier up here.😀

[@Beejay950]

I do keep my eggs in the fridge. 1. It's a more convenient place to put them, and 2. I don't know how long it's going to take to use them, so I put them there, just in case.

[@ruairi_d]

As regards to tipping, I rarely tip. I really only tip if the service has been particularly good, or just to round the amount up to the nearest couple of pounds.

[@adventuresinthelifeofkate6093]

American living in Ecuador eggs are kept on the counter. Milk only goes in the fridge once it is opened . Not a huge tipping culture. You are right as Americans we have to many options for instant or premade food I was looking for applesauce it doesn't exist here so i made it from scratch super easy

[@davidmartin8211]

The dates on packaged good are usually an indication of best before rather than unsafe after the date. I know many Americans who are paranoid about getting rid of canned food the day after the best by date. I use a lot more ice in my drinks during the hotter months of the year. It helps to deal with the 40 c temps. In the us, the word bin already has a separate meaning not usually related to refuse, although I have heard someAmericans use the term trash bin?

[@frankmitchell3594]

Yes, it's "Best Before" not a "deadly poisonous after" date

[@elcaballeronyc]

A trash bin in the USA is generally the larger trash receptacle that that trash bags from households are deposited into for pickup by garbage trucks

[@mattpotter8725]

I know this may sound counter intuitive, but it is good to drink hot drinks when the weather is hot, mainly because it helps your body regulate its temperature better. Next time it's not very it. That said I wouldn't say this means you can't drink cold drinks with or without ice in them. I love a nice cold beer on a warm summer's day as well, but I only found out about drinking warm drinks and amazingly enough it works.

[@Its__Good]

I wonder if the free refill and ice things are linked. You don't mind having a glass full of ice if you know you can get more of the drink for free.

[@pixie706]

The humidity in UK is the real problem I think

[@Brookspirit]

Humidity in Florida is on a different scale, it's only a problem in the UK a few times a year.

[@mattpotter8725]

@@Brookspirit Humidity can be high even when it's not that hot, we are a country whose climate is maritime, we're an island after all, so the air coming in will contain a lot of moisture year round. That said I completely agree, Florida, and where I once spent a summer in Atlanta, Georgia, the humidity is on a different scale, so yeh I'm not sure the original content you were responding to is valid. Even at a lower heat though it can still feel close and be very tiring, so it's not just the heat. I do think the bigger point made in the video though is that our houses just aren't built to keep the heat out, probably because we you say it only gets hot a few days, maybe weeks, a year and so it's not worth the expense.

[@scoops0406]

It's not the humidity it's the low dew point that's the issue, this is the temperature at which sweating is not very effective at cooling you down (ok, thats not the te hival definition of the dew point, but it'll do), it can be pretty low in the UK, so it's perfectly possible to feel hot and bothered at temps in the lowish 20's

[@janetwilcock2120]

Order the starter and main but dessert should wait until after you have eaten to see if you still have room for it. 🍰. Soup is one of the easiest things to make and it can be portioned out and frozen and it’s easy to just get one portion out and defrost.

[@colinhiggs70]

I've been to a few places in my life and my personal observation / guess is that smiling and saying hello to strangers is to do with population density. The less dense the population in an area, the more people smile at each other; the higher the density, the more people retreat into their own personal space - otherwise you get exhausted from the sheer number of personal interactions.

[@StragProductions]

We definitely do HAVE a lot of instant foods in the UK, you just need to know where to look for them. For mash, you can either get smash (pellets you mix up to create "mash") or literal frozen pre-mashed pre-buttered potato (this is a favourite in our house).

[@chrisonthedrums9955]

I think there are a few reasons we Americans don't often do desserts in restaurants: 1. They're expensive. In some cases, they can cost almost as much as main courses. 2. In America, dessert in a restaurant has become more of a special reward or bought for a special occasion (such as a birthday or anniversary, etc...) 3. Due to our faster-paced lifestyles, we tend to eat, maybe chit-chat for a few while waiting on the bill, and then we get out of there. 4. I've never been abroad but I've heard American portion sizes are significantly larger than other countries. So, it could be we're more "full" at the end of a meal compared to a UK person eating a smaller portion in their restaurants.

[@GirlGoneLondonofficial]

All great points!!

[@charlesunderwood6334]

Definitely portion sizes. In the UK, but even more so France and Italy, it is expected that you will have a minimum of 2 courses in a restaurant, often 3 and sometimes a cheeseboard as well, and drinks before and after. If the portions of any are too large you miss out on trying more food.

[@Gary-d4z]

Good video. Very informative ❤

[@harrya1113]

Okay, the “occasion” thing re eating out. This bugs me. Since living in the US for the past 6 years I’ve noticed a big difference. Whether it is going out for dinner or having family over for Sunday lunch, the Americans will eat and then go. That’s it. Same for Christmas - come, quick chat, eat the meal, then go. In the U.K. the meal is merely the centrepiece around which the rest of the day is based. It is expected that guests coming for Sunday lunch would stay all afternoon. It is about the company and not the food. Americans do everything at pace. There doesn’t feel like the same culture of hanging around after. Going to a restaurant is to eat food and then leave. For Brits, it’s about spending time together over/around good food and drink.

[@RebeccaHarrington-lf2kx]

Oh my goodness, I can’t imagine having spent hours preparing a meal for guests for them to leave almost immediately after eating! 😳 I’d be taking that very personally as rejection of the food or me!! 🤣🤣🤣

[@marmadukewinterbotham2599]

I live in Cornwall, we smile/greet everyone when we're out and about. Whenever I go to London I find it disconcerting they way everybody avoids eye contact in the street, as if it's a hostile act to do so.

[@iwb316]

Go to a good restaurant for a meal in the UK the first thing you are looking at is the dessert tray and the dessert menu, then plan your meal around that.

[@simoncampbell3144]

No , always look for the best starter and then main , I don't really have a sweet tooth , It's a personal thing , I'd much prefer a cheese board than a sweet, but if I do it has to be sticky toffee pudding and custard

[@iwb316]

@@simoncampbell3144 I guess a Pudding Club event would not be your thing. lol

[@robynpicknell7801]

I grew up in South Africa and came to the UK 23 years ago and now I too can no longer cope with the heat anymore either, but for me it is more about the humidity. I still smile at people when I walk past and will also say hello too. That is something I will always do because people are surprised when you do it, and I like that because it always seems to cheer them up a bit of they smile and greet me back too. Don't forget that waiters and waitresses get paid a regular wage, unlike America, so tipping here is an option and not a necessity.

[@debshutch]

Move to the North. We smile and say hello xx

[@robertgrimsted877]

Keep that smiling habit be positive always look at people’s eyes when you do nothing wrong with that god bless you and your family

[@michaeltovey02607]

During my frequent visits to the USA the ONE thing that grated was “have a nice day” said with no sincerity at all.

[@stevepalmer2389]

Regarding ice in your drink, do you choose fresh or frozen? 🤔

[@jonathanfinan722]

The thing about use by/ sell by dates is that you can trust your senses. Does it look and smell ok? If the answer is yes then it's fine.

[@StuartH922]

I don't use Eggs regularly just for scrambled or omelettes. So I make bricks up in the small aluminium trays you get from the take away and freeze them to use as required.

[@vijay-c]

Fun fact, you can decline to pay a service charge on your bill unless it's made clear verbally or in writing before your meal (I've done this). And not just that, (but I've never done this), but you can decline to pay some or all of a service charge if the service is poor - the restaurant has to use "reasonable care and skill" when providing its service. So yeah, totally different tipping culture!

[@tonys1636]

Be careful as a cover charge at the top of the bill must be paid, a service charge at the bottom is a tip and not legally enforceable. I've refused to pay a bill, apart from any alcohol, when the food or service has been terrible.

[@sumija52118]

I'm English and live in north east England. I always smile and speak to passing folk. Especially when out walking my dogs. As for dessert I'll order starter and main course. Then decide if i want dessert after I've finished eating. Also can't cope with the heat.

[@Phiyedough]

You still say "obligated" instead of "obliged".

[@nonamerooster5413]

Here in Australia if the food says Best Before and the date it’s still edible after the date for example peanut butter

[@TillyOrifice]

My record is a very large jar of vegemite that I ate rather slowly and finished just on ten years after the use by date. it was fine.

[@COMEINTOMYWORLD]

For me, being British, I think having ice in my drink is ultimately getting less drink for what I'm paying for. I'm not in Athens, sweating like an Olympic discus thrower, so no thanks to the ice.