25 Dead Giveaways That Someone Is An American Tourist, As Described By Non-Americans
There's a lot of internet discourse around how people from other countries view Americans, and, spoiler alert: It's usually not great! Well, if you're an American who has ever gone abroad and tried to keep your ~identity~ a secret, turns out your accent isn't the only dead giveaway.
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Reddit user u/TheRighteous999 posed the question, "What are some things American people do that instantly tell you that they're American?" Sure enough, the replies quickly filled with the little and not-so-little things Americans do that make them stick out in other countries. Here's what Reddit users had to say:
1."Americans are extremely extroverted and talkative. I've lived in Germany for 14 years, and I've never seen strangers talk really. When I went to America, everyone was so nice and talkative. It was a nice, but strange, experience."
2."It's very American to cut with the right hand, then swap the fork to the right hand to eat that bit, then swap again to cut with the right."
3."Sometimes, they introduce themselves as their ancestors' nationalities."
4."Asking for refills, ice, or iced tea has outed me as an American more times than I care to admit."
5."The word 'vacation' is also a big clue. Aussies don't use that word. We use 'holiday.'"
6."Most Americans I meet are some of the friendliest, most polite people. That being said, they are unmistakably loud and over-share personal details of their lives. Also, they should know that the customer is not always right, service industry jobs are respectable occupations, and asking for ketchup is a dead giveaway."
7."We get a lot of American tourists in Ireland. Why do you all wear the exact same clothes? Ireland T-shirt, shorts, socks with sandals, or those awful trainers, sunglasses, and baseball caps."
8."Honestly, all the Americans I saw in my town were particularly cheerful and enthusiastic about things we take for granted, like walking on a thousand-year-old street. I also find them very expressive about their feelings. They don't hesitate to say: 'Oh! This guy is so funny!' or whatever in public. In Europe, I have the impression that we have lost the habit of communicating with one another in public."
9."A dead giveaway is asking where they're from. They don't say 'America' (which would make many people wonder which part, or maybe even South America). No, they say stuff like, 'I'm from Texas!' No other people in the world tell you what state they are from. They usually start with a continental level, like, 'I'm from Europe,' then maybe go further like, 'My country is Germany,' then perhaps if you're still talking, they'll tell you which part of Germany. American folks just go straight to the state. I'm from Texas, I'm from Florida, etc. Half of them even just say their town, which nobody knows. Then, when you look confused, they say their state: 'Oh, that's in Texas.'"
10."Saying 'Hey, how are you?' or 'How's it going?' without expecting an actual answer. When you answer and ask how they are, it usually baffles them!"
11."Sweatshirts with logos on them."
12."They put cheese on everything."
13."They start talking to you or are always trying to make conversation. I was at the car wash one time, and this guy sat beside me and asked if the truck was mine. I politely said no and hoped he would stop talking to me, as English is not my first language. Lo and behold, a few minutes later, he was telling me the story of 9/11 and how he developed an illness from it because he was one of the first responders. Americans are really interesting people. They really know how to keep a conversation going. I couldn’t do that. Europeans wouldn’t do that, I don't think."
14."They drive from one shop to the next, even if it's only a 50-meter walk."
15."They make a huge fuss over your accent. I was in London, and some American tourists asked for directions. I told them, and they were like, 'You sound so British!’ One guy even called his friend over to marvel at my accent. Like, dude, you’re in England. What do you expect?"
16."I know they're American if they’re a 35+-year-old man wearing a large T-shirt, khaki cargo shorts, and white sneakers with socks that go halfway up their calves."
17."They ask what you do for a living in the first 5 minutes of a conversation."
18."'Can I get some ranch for my fries?'"
19."They talk about 'freedom' like it’s an exclusive American privilege and not the bare minimum for a good chunk of the world."
20."Asking about common American chains that are uncommon/nonexistent in other countries. Also, assuming that international chains serve the same thing in every country. McDonald’s, for example, has different menu items in, say, China. They also assume the food is prepared the exact same, too. I remember ordering chicken nuggets as a kid in Germany and being shocked they tasted so different. Probably because they were made with real chicken."
21."Wearing a baseball cap at an indoor restaurant."
22."Eating while walking (e.g. eating a bagel or breakfast sandwich on the way to work or school)."
23."Smugness and overconfidence. This especially applies to white American men. I work in engineering consulting, and it constantly amazes me how comfortable they are listening to the sound of their own voices and being wrong or inaccurate more than 50% of the time."
24."Wearing their shoes inside, even if it has been raining."
25.Finally: "Wearing their entire political personality on their clothing, or approaching strangers to share an unsolicited opinion about something."
What are other ways you can always pinpoint an American tourist? Tell us in the comments!
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
