Let's face it — we Americans have some tendencies that seem totally normal to us, but to the rest of the world, they're super weird. And these habits look even weirder to others when an American is spotted abroad. So Redditor u/Xark_Oasis asked, "How do you spot an American tourist from a mile away"? Here are some of the responses. If you're an American, prepare to laugh...or cry.
1."They act so amazed by things that are more than 200 years old, presumably because they don't have many things that old in the USA."
2."You can hear them in museums when everyone else is extra silent."
3."They're constantly wearing their college t-shirt, sweater or cap."
4."Tipping. Americans will try to tip everyone, even in countries where tipping isn't a thing and can even be considered insulting."
5."Asking for the bathroom in a restaurant or public place. Do you need to take a shower? No. What you're really looking for is the toilet."
6."They are the first to take their shoes off at airport security...even when there is a sign blatantly saying not to remove your shoes."
7."When Americans introduce themselves they never say they're from the US. They always start with the state or city they are from."
8."They say 'hi, how are you?' and make conversation with the barista, restaurant servers, retail workers, etc... My country doesn’t quite have that friendly culture."
9."They are absolutely fearless when it comes to asking any random person on the street about anything. I've watched Americans approach people in my home country and abroad starting conversations with strangers that I wouldn't dream of."
10."They always look cheerful and are constantly smiling and seeming happy. Tourists from other places look more neutral or even unhappy."
11."They're always asking for extra ice in their drinks."
12."They ask for cheese on everything."
13."They ask for to-go coffee cups. Everyone else in Europe sits and drinks their coffee, but Americans always seem to be in a rush so they take their coffee to go."
14."They ask things like 'what is that in degrees Fahrenheit?' 'How many miles?' and 'That's two pounds'???"
15."They assume stores stay open late or 24/7, even in European countries where most stores close by 7 pm."
16."They have impeccable facial hair. Maybe Americans get a trim before they go on holiday, but I'm always impressed by the tidy beards and mustaches."
17."The way they dress. For some reason Americans abroad dress like they're doing some hard core exploring in the Amazon...even when they're just visiting a European city."
18."They wear white socks pulled all the way up."
19."When they cross the street, they expect cars to stop for them. In my country, a car will run you down without the driver thinking twice."
20."They ask for ketchup no matter what they're eating."
21."Everyone else is freezing outside and then there's that American walking around in shorts as if it's nothing."
22."They get over-excited over very ordinary events and say things like “OMG look that grass how green it is!"
23."They pronounce things horribly and make zero attempt to say it correctly."
24."They complain that the portions at restaurants are too small."
What are some tell-tale signs of an American tourist? Share in the comments!
