15 Cringe-Worthy Things American Tourists Do That Make Us Stick Out Like A Sore Thumb
My fellow Americans, we have some behaviors that are 100% normal to us — but to the rest of the world, they’re bizarre, cringey, or downright rude (even though we don’t mean it).
It’s hard to notice what these are, as they’re so commonplace for us, but when asked in a couple of Reddit threads, there was a lot to point out.
In one thread, Reddit user Xark_Oasis asked, How do you spot an American tourist from a mile away?, and in another, Reddit user mknapp37 asked Besides their accent, what’s one way you know a tourist is American?
Below, I’ve compiled a list of the 15 most common responses from these two threads.
If you’re an American like me, prepare to laugh 😆, and in some cases, prepare to cry 😢 at how obvious we can be to the locals in other countries.
1. Calling it “The Bathroom”
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. —isysopi201 (🚻 Side Note: If you’re in Canada, it’s called the washroom, and in the UK, you might hear it called the loo or even the bog).
…in my little village in Scotland I was in the pub and a woman politely asked the barman where the restrooms were. He didn’t know wtf she was on about and then it obviously clicked. “Ye mean the toilet?” —MogadonMandy
2. Waiting to Be Seated at Restaurants
When visiting Paris my wife and I learned they don’t seat you at restaurants. You just walk in and sit down at an available table. We figured it out after standing around at the entrance a few times. Then we started noticing other American tourists doing the same. —dcabines
3. Smiling at Everyone for No Reason
From an Irish perspective, generally the older Americans are very nice. They will always be happy to hear about the history and talk to people. They also seem to have resting smiling faces which isn’t really common here. —Deleted user
Went to Russia once, and they knew because I smiled too much. —Bangbangsmashsmash
They always look cheerful and are constantly smiling and seeming happy. Tourists from other places look more neutral or even unhappy. —Deleted user
4. We Always Need More Ice
They’re always asking for extra ice in their drinks. —Deleted user
5. Tipping Absolutly Everyone
Americans will try to tip everyone, even in countries where tipping isn’t a thing and can even be considered insulting. —Deleted user
My dad tipped at a restaurant in Japan. Waiter thought he just forgot the money and ran out the restaurant to give it back. When he tried to explain it was for them as a tip they got very serious that [my dad] take it [back]. —KnowMatter
6. We’re LOUD AF
While in Korea, I was casually talking to a friend on the bus in regular speaking voice. Not even a minute later, the lady in front of us turns around in her seat and says very casually, “please calm down.” I guess American volume is noticeably louder. —jrlags
Americans are very loud, I swear you have loudhailers hidden in your clothes somewhere. —Sco0bySnax (Side note: I have to look up what a “loudhailer” is, and I learend it’s a megaphone 📢 )
You can hear them in museums when everyone else is extra silent. —Deleted user
They usually talk really loudly and ask a lot of questions. —pizzzame
Sneakers, baseball cap and fanny-back. Also, Americans tourists tend to be really loud. —Another_Day_613
7. Our Clothing Gives Us Away
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. —jackofharts94
Baseball caps, University spirit wear, cargo shorts, free t-shirts from events with ads and text all over them… —Zack1018
They wear white socks pulled all the way up. —grittypokes
The huge American flag they are wearing usually gives it away. —verylonelyhufflepuff
Beige cargo shorts and very very white legs. —jayboogie15
Everyone else is freezing outside and then there’s that American walking around in shorts as if it’s nothing. —mangiboo
8. Where are you from?
When you ask where an American is from they will always tell you a state or a city. I haven’t found anyone else in the world that says that rather than just say what country. —Wylfen
9. Americans are… um… Rounder
They complain that the portions at restaurants are too small. —gaminette
I taught English in Japan. One of the ways we got the students to speak was to make them guess where we were from because they had a hard time differentiating between American, British, Aussie, etc. accents. After a year, none of them ever guessed I was American so I asked them why: “Americans are fat and loud. You’re small and quiet!” —TheBenji300
The American will be very fat and wearing clothes large enough so they can get fatter. (In comparison, the Europeans will be very thin, and wearing clothes that barely allow them to move.) —Deleted user
10. Food Faux Paus
Aiming for Starbucks or McDonalds in any foreign city, scared of trying local food and drinking cheap good coffee [as opposed to Starbucks]. —rjl_thereal
In Italian restaurants, the American will always ask or expect something that isn’t Italian but is passed off as Italian in America. Like, butter for the bread, or garlic rolls. Worst part is they’ll be mad that actual Italian restaurants won’t cater to the fake [stuff] we have here. Cultural cringe. —PutridF
They ask for ketchup no matter what they’re eating. —sirZofSwagger
They ask for cheese on everything. —Deleted user
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. —sirZofSwagger
When they say an extra large is small. —mixbi
11. We’re Overly-Friendly
Saying “Hi, how are you?” to the barista, servers, retail workers. My country doesn’t quite have that culture so I find it really sweet. —tajmer
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. —AthleticallyLazy
…very likely to strike up conversation with any passer by, which many of the locals here (rural UK) find intimidating or annoying. —LeadPeasant
I live in London. Generally American tourists have a cheerful vibe, which I enjoy. —asdfghjklJul2018
Acting like best buds to a confused local they just started talking to on public transport. —apple_kicks
12. We Get Excited Over Mundane Things
They get over-excited over very ordinary events and say things like “OMG look that grass how green it is!” —tajmer
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. —Dusepo
They get amazed by old things. Girlfriend used to work on a farm and an estate in the U.K. and would often have Americans in awe of the old buildings. One once said “Some of these buildings are older than my country.” —curved_oracle
13. Unnecessary Shoe Removal
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. —alphamone
14. We Don’t Do the Metric System
They ask things like “What is that in degrees Fahrenheit?” “How many miles?” and “That’s two pounds???” —whatissevenbysix
When they constantly use the wrong units of measurement and ask you for personal information. —jolharg
15. Not Fooling Anyone With That
Canadian flag patch on their backpack. Real Canadians aren’t that kind of nationalistic. —propsie
They’re the ones with Canadian flags sewn onto their expensive backpacks. —TimesThreeTheHighest
When I lived as an American expat in Japan, the joke was that you could tell right away who the American tourists were. We were the ones with the biggest Canadian flags sewn on to our backpacks. —Deleted user
Their Canadian flag patch is sewn on upside down. —mikehauptman
Here are the full Reddit threads if you want to see more: How do you spot an American tourist from a mile away?; Besides their accent, what’s one way you know a tourist is American?