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American ordering Chipotle in the UK has British people calling him 'rude.' Yes, he said 'please.'

"I would advise using manners in the United Kingdom."

MiosotisJade via Wikimedia Commons/Photo credit: Canva

American ordering Chipotle in the UK has British people upset.

It's pretty safe to say that in the United States, it's universally accepted that saying "please" and "thank you" are considered good manners. They're two of the first few words we're taught after baby babble starts becoming single-syllable words. Every household will vary on whether you should seek permission for something by saying "can I" or "may I," but "please" and thank you" will always be signs of politeness.

A man named Noah Osborne was on a trip in the UK recently when he found a Chipotle restaurant. In a TikTok video, he excitedly brings the audience along as he orders food from this American restaurant chain in the land of tea and crumpets. Nothing seems amiss from the American viewers' point of view, but his seemingly very polite ordering technique bristled the Brits. According to a number of people across the pond, the main issue is that he was rude.

British; American; Chipotle; fast food; chain restaurant; good manners; rude americans; british manners Chipotle's inviting entrance, ready for customers to enjoy a meal.MiosotisJade via Wikimedia Commons

In the video, Osborne's tone is light and friendly; he greets the workers upon entering and continuously says "please" and "thank you" throughout the ordering process. It's a seemingly overly polite interaction by someone who appears not to want to offend the locals. Since Chipotle is much like an assembly line, Osborne uses his manners before and after every added ingredient—something that might be a bit too much for an American Chipotle worker.

"Guys, I just stumbled upon Chipotle in London, and now I feel like I have to try it on my last night here and compare, see which one's better," Osborne explains as he enters the restaurant. "Hi. Can I do a bowl, please? Here please," he says in response to the worker asking if he'd be dining in. "Do you have white? Ok, yeah. That's my only option," he nervously chuckles as she scoops brown rice into the bowl before she asks about the type of beans. "Let's do black, please."

British; American; Chipotle; fast food; chain restaurant; good manners; rude americans; british manners Enjoying coffee and conversation at an outdoor café.Photo credit: Canva

The entire interaction is full of pleasantries to convey appropriate manners, but British folks thought the process from start to finish showed just how "rude" Americans are, with one person writing, "'Please can I have' must not be in the US language."

Another says, "Maybe if you weren’t so rude you’d have gotten the portion size you wanted. 'I’ll do'. How about please may I have? Gross."

One person asks, "Manners banned in the US?" While someone else throws out, "Maybe she gave you less cause you talked like that."

@notnoahosbrne Chipotle in the UK vs the US @Chipotle #uk #ukfood #londonfood #americanfood ♬ original sound - notnoahosbrne

It seems that the main complaint is the order in which he used "please," that riled up the British viewers. Apparently, in the UK, they prefer you to place the "please" at the front of the sentence. The other complaints were not only criticizing the placement of "please" but also his use of the phrase, "I'll do." It would seem that if you're ordering food in the UK, you should speak as if you're the titular character of Charles Dickens' Oliver Twist: "Please, sir, may I have some more?"

In all seriousness, there are cultural differences in the United States itself. In southern states, you'll likely hear a lot of people say "May I," while in northern states, you'll hear more people say "Can I." If the phrases change from state to state, they're likely to change from one English-speaking country to the next, and Americans were quick to point this out in defense of a fellow American.

British; American; Chipotle; fast food; chain restaurant; good manners; rude americans; british manners A restaurant counter.Photo credit: Canva

"Being rude is only relative to your own culture. I’ve been to the UK several times and I initially saw them as very cold, sarcastic, and judgmental. But I never was offended because I realized they had different cultural practices. Being introspective is an important trait," one American argues.

"Thats how we order here guys relax different countries have different mannerisms, and here in the STATES thats considered good," another chimes in.

"A lot of you in the comments are insufferable my goodness do a lot of you not comprehend there are different ways that Americans learn what politeness is? And as long as he’s saying please and thank you why tf does it matter he was in no way shape or form being rude" one person responds.

British; American; Chipotle; fast food; chain restaurant; good manners; rude americans; british manners Frustrated woman reacting to text on her phone.Photo credit: Canva

"It's completely acceptable that he's traveling and not going to use the same phrases as a native Brit. That expectation is completely unattainable. It would take several visits or longer stays to speak as a native would that goes for any English speaking country. Just like if a Brit visits the States we aren't going to expect them to automatically know how to speak as a United States English speaker. Also things to consider, we have a lot of different races and cultures here such as people who are native Spanish speakers and that also influences how people speak in certain regions. I'm sure this war with the Brits ended in the 18th Century and we should appreciate our differences rather than argue what is correct or not," someone else declares.

Some sort of American Bat Signal must've been shone because Americans quickly outpaced the British in the comments to the point where new commenters are confused about what people are arguing over. The overwhelming defense by Americans, aside from frustratingly pointing out the double standard for when British people visit the States, was arguing cultural differences. We're all a little different from country to country, and that's okay. Osbourne has certainly learned a unique cultural lesson, and the Brits in the comments have learned to have a bit more grace for tourists.

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Non-Americans share 15 things that left them utterly bewildered when they visited America

The way we just scrape our food into the sink after meals.

Derek Wolfgram/Flickr & Canva Photos

People are sharing the weirdest things that are considered normal in America.

For better or worse, it's easy for all of us to find ourselves in a bubble. We're surrounded by a certain way of thinking, a certain lifestyle, and a certain perspective on cultural norms. We can get caught up in thinking that people outside of our little bubble are weird, or different, and that the strange ways they might do things are flat out wrong or bizarre. This is especially common in the United States. The world, in a lot of ways, is America-centric. Most anywhere we go, people will speak English, accept our currency, and know who Taylor Swift is.

But the truth is that there's a big wide world out there, full of vastly different cultures and ways of life! And have we ever stopped to think... maybe we're the weird ones?

A recent thread on Reddit posed the question: "What is something Americans consider normal, but people from other countries find it disturbing?

Here are the best responses on things that are normal in the U.S. but considered strange, shocking, horrifying, or just plain weird elsewhere.

1. Portion sizes

america, usa, american culture, europe, culture, americans, europeans, americans abroad, tourists, immigrants American portion sizes are colossal. Photo by mostafa rzq on Unsplash

"The portion thing always makes me laugh now since I learned Europeans apparently dont do leftovers from restaurants. I get that if you're used to a restaurant portion being something you always eat all of in one sitting our portions probably seem ridiculous. ... As a big dude who eats a ton just to live, I'm glad our portions are what they are," one user wrote.

2. Garbage disposals in kitchen sinks

"Yeah, it’s wild how normal they seem here, but elsewhere they’re seen as loud, dangerous, or just plain weird," someone commented.

"They also seem to think we dump large amounts of food waste down them when they’re just meant for small scraps," a user added.

Garbage disposals, indeed, are not often found outside of the United States. In fact, they're outright banned in many European countries. The thinking is that encouraging people to scrape leftover food down the drain places additional stress on the sewage system and harms the environment.

3. Prices don't include tax

Foreigners think it's weird when they come to America and a 99 cent item ends up costing $1.06. Differing sales tax across state lines is partly to blame, but users in the thread were convinced that's only an excuse:

"If the cash register knows the price, then the price sticker machine can be set with the same price. It's really that simple," someone wrote.

4. Gaps between restroom stall doors

america, usa, american culture, europe, culture, americans, europeans, americans abroad, tourists, immigrants American public restrooms aren't very private. Photo by Austin on Unsplash

Visitors from Europe are used to public restroom stalls that are almost completely enclosed. In America, for some strange reason, we love leaving gigantic gaps between the edges of the door, the floor, and the ceiling. Why? There are a few reasons: It's easier to mop under the stalls this way, and less privacy means it's harder for folks to get away with doing sketchy things in the stalls. But either way, a lot of people don't like it.

"I once cried during a layover in the US because I needed to empty my menstrual cup after 12+ hours of traveling, and you could literally just see into every stall. Plus I need to squat down to do it, and the doors ended at my knees. A random lady saw me panicking and when I said the stalls weren't private enough, she said "awwwwe, are you European?"

5. So. many. commercials.

"I had a British friend ask why were there so many commercials during an episode of Family Guy," one user wrote.

"And the content of those commercials. Apparently it's only American doctors who need their patients to ask about some amazing new medication that has crazy side effects," another added.

6. We get healthcare through our jobs

It always struck me as funny that a country that supposedly loves entrepreneurs and small business owners makes it so incredibly dangerous to leave your job for any reason. It's even more shocking to people from, well, almost any other developed country.

"This job pays like shit and I hate it, but if I quit my essential medication won't be covered until I get hired somewhere else, so I can't risk it!" one user joked.

7. Worrying about the cost of the doctor

At least a quarter of adults regularly skip necessary medical care because they're worried about how much it costs. Visitors from abroad are utterly horrified by the thought of having to consider whether potentially life-saving procedures fit the budget.

8. Cashiers don't sit down

america, usa, american culture, europe, culture, americans, europeans, americans abroad, tourists, immigrants Cashiers in America stand all shift long. Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

People who work the cash register generally sit down in most parts of the world, including Europe. It's more comfortable and ergonomic, and in fact there's something called Right to Sit that guarantees this benefit.

In America, cashiers are often forbidden from sitting down while working, which comes as a big surprise to foreigners.

9. HOAs

HOAs exist in some parts of the world, but they are particular intense in America. It can be a bucket of cold water for people who move here from abroad.

"A client of mine had a sick husband. He unfortunately passed away. She leaves her garbage cans out during this time and begins to get fined by the HOA everyday her cans are left out, and letters posted on her door," one user shared.

10. School children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance

america, usa, american culture, europe, culture, americans, europeans, americans abroad, tourists, immigrants America loves the Pledge of Allegiance. Photo by Townsend Walton on Unsplash

Some countries around the world have their own version of the Pledge of Allegiance. What's extremely rare is a democracy forcing children to recite their loyalty every morning and even face punishment if they refuse.

"Did a student exchange [in the US] when I was 17 and got detention on my first day for not saying it. I didn’t know it, but even if I did… It’s not my country! Tried so hard to politely explain that to the teacher and they wouldn’t have a bar of it," one commenter shared.

11. Our obsession with grass lawns

The love, nay, obsession, with lawns found in the America suburbs is not a global phenomenon. A lot of foreigners find it to be extremely strange, and a little disturbing. But there is a bright side:

"As a married, middle aged man with 3 kids, ill let everyone in on a little secret: Its the only time we get to ourselves... It also is really satisfying. But the actual reason behind why it became a thing is rooted in the classwar and racism like everything else in this country," one user wrote.

12. Declawing cats

Optional or cosmetic surgeries on pets are pretty unique to America, all things considered:

"Docking tails, and clipping ears, and dew claw removal on dogs, too! Our miniature pinscher has had all three done to her by her previous owner, and it's just so needlessly cruel. She didn't need any of those surgeries," someone wrote.

13. Wearing shoes in the house

Shoes in the house is not uniquely American, but it's more common here than most other places around the world.

"This is insane and nasty. The city I live in unfortunately has a lot of shit — and I don’t mean from dogs — on the ground. Wearing shoes in the house is disgusting," someone wrote.

Personally, I love wearing shoes in the house—otherwise I'd constantly be stubbing my toes!

14. Circumcision

Again, a few other places around the world perform circumcisions, usually for religious reasons, but America is unique in the way it has become the default choice for almost every boy regardless of religion or background. Europeans, in particular, find this practice extremely strange.

"So glad I didn’t do this to my son. My fiancée’s family gave me serious backlash for choosing not to because all of the boys on her side of the family are circumcised. I simply told them that I am not a barbarian and I don’t care what they think," one user wrote.

15. Sugar in weird places

america, usa, american culture, europe, culture, americans, europeans, americans abroad, tourists, immigrants America loves extra sugar in savory foods. Photo by Immo Wegmann on Unsplash

A lot of food items on American shelves include tons of added sugar and high fructose corn syrup. You expect to see it in soda, candy, and desserts. But bread? Pasta sauce? Why is there so much sugar in everything?

Sugars are used regularly in America to enhance flavor and work as a preservative, whereas the practices aren't as common in many other countries.

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People share 'very American problems' that many Americans don't realize are unique to the U.S.

What we see as "normal" is not normal everywhere.

Photo credit: Canva

Apparently, losing your job without notice is an American phenomenon.

When you live in one country your whole life, it's easy to form ideas about what's "normal" and what's not. Cultural standards and accepted norms vary country by country, though, sometimes in dramatic ways that we wouldn't even think of.

That's why when someone asked, "What’s a very American problem that Americans don’t realize isn’t normal in other countries?" the answers were eye-opening. Seeing major aspects of American life that are not realities in other countries, especially other wealthy, developed nations, is wild. It's also a good reminder that we all have things to learn from one another and the things we might think of as impossible actually aren't.

from AskReddit

Lots to think about here as we ponder our quality of life and what's worth trying harder to change:

The cost of healthcare and medical bankruptcy

"Was in Germany with food poisoning. Drove myself to the ER. They were SHOOK when I told them I did. They then quietly told me you don't pay for ambulances there."

"I’ve never understood why police and firefighters get covered but we get a bill for ambulances. You'd think anything related to 911 is covered by our taxes."

ambulance ride, er visit, emergency room, medical costs. emergencyAmbulance rides can cost a pretty penny in the U.S.Photo credit: Canva

"First time I was living in Japan (didn’t understand the healthcare yet) and took a cab to the ER. They were so concerned and confused why I would do that. I was seen immediately, given IV, six medications on my way out: it only cost my like 60$USD. My friend apologized for how I had to pay so much as a non-citizen. I was shocked it was so cheap."

"I had a cancer diagnosis in 2019 and I joined an online support group. Americans were worried about the costs or losing their job because of missed days for treatment and doctors appointments. I'm Canadian. None of that stuff was any part of my worries. FYI, we got it all. I'm good."

"Yea the amount of GoFundMe’s for just like routine life medical s__t is wild."

"Breaking Bad would not have happened anywhere else but the US."

Prescription drug commercials

"I can’t even afford to go to the doctor. What makes you think I would book an appointment to see a doctor and ask for a drug that could give me 'blindness, or even death.'"

list of side effects, gif, America, drugs, problemsSide effects from drugs, GIF by Eternal FamilyGiphy

"I really love the ones that can give you 'potentially fatal disintegration of the perineum.'"

"This sports game brought to you by a prescription drug with a long list of horrifying side effects!"

Losing your job without notice

"That you can lose your job without warning. No notice period where you can get paid while looking for something else. Just getting thrown out of a workplace you've been at for years, with your belongings. And that this can lead to losing your right to proper health care because of insurance. Basically, no rights and no safety net. Only the rich seem to get severance packages."

"In my first job in Europe, I and the university screwed up majorly with my visa and I ended up stranded in Canada for a couple of weeks waiting to fix it. When I wrote to my boss to tell him what happened, I reassured him that I knew I'd probably lose my job over this etc. He was shocked that I even thought it was a possibility."

being fired, losing job, lay off, America, being laid off with no noticeOther countries have policies that prevent being let go with no notice.Photo credit: Canva

"Here in Ireland, there's been multiple instances where American-run companies think they can fire/lay off employees just like in America, and end up getting legal proceedings taken against them as a result."

"In Norway 3 months notice with pay is the standard."

No guaranteed maternity leave

"I still can't believe paid maternity leave is not a standard thing. And shit like women going back to work two weeks after giving birth. What is going on?"

"I know of a company that was bought out by an American company. They tried to enforce American rules on maternity leave. It did not work out well for them."

Pregnant woman, maternity leave, pregnancy, America, american parental leave policiesPaid parental leave is not guaranteed in the U.S.Photo credit: Canva

"The company I worked for denied my maternity leave and then approved it and then fired me for a system error that I begged them to fix for month. One that I didn’t cause. The maternity leave wasn’t even paid, it was just so I could return to work."

"I'm sorry, not an American. How are people meant to deal with raising a child without a maternity leave?"

Vacation time is seen as a luxury

"Getting time off. 2 weeks here feels like a lot. You work a bunch to get some more time off after x number of years. Other countries can get a month off no issue it seems like."

"I'm in the UK, I get 6 weeks plus bank holidays. I want more, asked for more, so my manager checked with HR. He now can approve another 3 weeks unpaid every year without needing further approval.

Also my American colleagues get the same benefits including 6 months paternity leave (full pay). He used it and he said his family genuinely questioned if he'd been fired and was trying to hide it. 😂"

"The law in France forces me to take 2 consecutive weeks between May and October of each year. After that I still have almost 6 weeks of vacation left on top of public holidays. You can take 3 weeks in a row without issue, but 4+ requires some negotiation, but it really depends on your job and company, for some it's a non-issue."

vacation time, time off from work, sitting by the pool, relaxingVacation time is seen as a given, not a luxury, in Europe and Australia.Photo credit: Canva

"I get 4 weeks Annual Leave a year + 2 weeks sick leave [in Australia]. They accrue and the annual leave must be paid out when you leave the company. I also get Long Service Leave (13 weeks at 10 years of service and 1.3 weeks every year after that.)"

"A friend of mine has like 5-6 weeks vacation per year in the US. Hasn't taken more than a week off within a year for years now. And I don't even think it's a full week as a block. He just takes 5 days max within the year."

Gun violence

"Guns. So many guns. So much gun violence. Just not an issue in other countries."

"Active shooter drills for kids in school. Bullet proof backpacks."

"One of the things that may surprise Americans, is that over in Europe and other places in the world, we don't do gun drills at schools or other places. We don't simply need to, because firearms offences are so low."

Protesters, holding signs, advocating unity, action, anti-gun sentimentsGun violence and active shooter drills are not the norm in other developed nations.Photo credit: Canva

"There are a lot of developed countries with a lot of guns. Canada, Switzerland, Finland, for example. Heck, even the UK has a lot of shot guns in the countryside.

The American culture of gun violence is unmatched in the developed world. It's not quite as bad as some Central America or under developed countries, but it's definitely an outlier in developed countries...I guess that is just America in general."

There are lots of wonderful things about the United States, but that doesn't mean there aren't places we could improve. Sure, some of these things are enormous, systemic things that are difficult to change, but knowing they're not "normal," only normal for Americans, might give us an extra push to advocate for what we really want as a people.

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Germans demonstrate how windows, of all things, separate European life from American life

Who knew this was such a cultural difference?

Photo credit: Canva

Stoßlüften is the German tradition of replacing the air in the home several times a day.

We may share some significant historical and cultural roots, but Americans and Europeans also have some distinct differences in the way they do things. There are the big things for us Americans like how we handle healthcare and young children doing active shooter drills at school, but there are also little things like how generous we are with ice and free soda refills.

And then there's something most of us probably don't think of as a difference, but apparently is: windows.

For the most part, in the U.S., windows are just…windows. You look out them. You clean them sometimes. When the weather is not too hot, not too cold, and not too windy or rainy, you open them for a while to get some fresh air.

windows, looking out, gif, open window, curtainsOpen Window Windows GIF by GarbageGiphy

In Germany and many other parts of Europe, window culture is an entire thing. First, windows have a tilt-open-from-the-top option that you rarely ever see in America. And second, Europeans use their windows actively, opening and closing them daily, all year round, regardless of the weather. And in Germany, it's not just daily, but multiple times a day.

Watch the creators at Radical Living humorously demonstrate this cultural difference by acting out someone learning about German windows from their first day in the country through 10 years of living there.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Stoßlüften literally means "shock ventilation" and refers to the German habit of replacing stale air with fresh air, which Germans do several times a day, every day. Yes, even in the dead of winter.

The discussion in the comments of the video is hilarious, as Europeans say they just thought this was normal and Americans (and apparently Australians?) are agog over the tiltable window design.

"I actually didn't knew that in other countries they had no tiltable windows. I just thought every country would have these."

"In Turkey, we call windows that open from the top 'vasistas.' The word comes from the German phrase 'was ist das,' which means 'what is this.' A bit silly, but really funny."

"I'm Australian. I had no idea windows that open on both axes existed. This is the first time I've ever seen this concept."

"My hotel in Italy had a tilting window like this, and until today I really thought that window was broken this whole time. Glad I didn’t complain to the front desk. That would have been embarrassing haha."

window, tilting window, fresh air, culture, GermanySnow Wind GIF by SnowmindsGiphy

"Used to live in Switzerland, and it is so true! You need to air out the kitchen and whole apartment during winter more often. The heater and closed room, mixed with our own body heat, gives off a very moist and warm feel in the room, which means more mold growing."

"I'm an American and do this during the winter too. My grandfather was German, maybe this is why I do it."

"I married a German woman. I LIVED THIS EXACT CHARACTER ARC."

If you're an American reading this, your first reaction to opening all the windows in winter is probably, "Doesn't that do a number on your heating bill?" Most of us get chastised just for leaving a door open longer than a few seconds in winter. According to some, it's not as much of an energy suck as you might think, since the change of air helps regulate humidity levels and it's only a short time that the windows are open.

@liamcarps

In Germany we don’t say 🇩🇪🪟

As Carrie Bradon writes in House Digest, "While you may find that the air in your home feels a bit chillier following a Stoßlüften session, the limited amount of time that the indoors are exposed to outdoor temperatures is short enough to keep all of the walls, floors, and furnishings from getting frigid. This means that it will take limited energy and time to get your home back to your ideal indoor temp."

However, at least some of the American reactions to this idea and the European normalization of it has to do with the age of our homes. Europe has a lot of very old buildings that don't have the kind of ventilation systems newer buildings in America have. Air really does get stale there in ways that it rarely does in most U.S. homes.

heat, cold, thermostat, air, fresh air, GermanyAir Conditioning Summer GIF by Cartoon NetworkGiphy

Americans are also accustomed to right-down-to-the-Fahrenheit-degree climate control in our homes. Not everyone, of course, but many Americans have full HVAC systems with heating and air conditioning that blows through ducts with air filters and return vents and whole house fans, which not only circulate the air but keep it exactly the temperature we prefer. Whole house air conditioning is much less common in Europe, and heating in older buildings is often radiant heat, fueled by natural gas that heats water that gets pumped into radiators. So naturally, using windows for air purification and ventilation would be more necessary in Europe than in the U.S. and sensitivity to indoor temperature fluctuations may be less pronounced.

Still, getting fresh air into our homes on a more regular basis isn't a bad idea, and experts recommend opening windows at least once a day for 5 to 10 minutes—yes, even in winter. Looks like we should follow Germany's lead on this one, fellow Americans.

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