We asked 19 of our non-American readers to share the quirkiest, most surprising things they’ve noticed about life in the U.S.
18 Things Non-Americans Think Are Totally Weird About America
Their answers range from amusing to downright baffling:
1. Why Are American Coins So Confusing?
“I didn’t realize this until I traveled outside the U.S., but some of our coins don’t say their actual value on them.
For example, our 10-cent coin just says “One Dime.” How are tourists supposed to know what a dime is worth?
They might think it’s the smallest, so it must be worth the least. Nope, wrong!
I love America, but this one’s pretty weird.” – Ethan Carter
2. Americans Are So Friendly
“As an outsider, I was surprised how easy it is to make friends here. You guys are seriously so nice! I moved to the U.S. at the start of the year.
Back in New Zealand, I had my small group of friends and thought it’d be hard to find new ones.
But Americans have been some of the friendliest people I’ve ever met.“ – Liam Jackson
3. Why Are Their Faces on Signs?
“Having the real estate agent’s picture on for-sale signs is a strange custom.
It’s like they’re saying, “Buy this house because you can trust this face!” Does it really make houses sell faster?” – Tom Anderson
4. The Angry Sinks
“Americans have those angry sinks that chop things up, the garbage disposals.
It’s the middle of the night.
The kitchen is dark.
Everyone else is asleep.
There are two light switches.
One turns on the kitchen light. The other activates THE NOISIEST THING IN THE APARTMENT. Choose wisely.”
– Maxime Lefevre
5. Leftovers Are Totally Normal
“Restaurants actually expect you to take leftovers home if you can’t finish your meal. My mother finds it really embarrassing and refuses to do it.
But the portion sizes in American restaurants are so big, it’s like they’re designed for this!” – Elena Kovacs
6. Chatty by Nature
“Americans can start a conversation with anyone, or even anything, it seems.
You don’t even need to reply, and they’ll happily keep chatting away as if the conversation doesn’t need a second person.
Of course, it’s a generalization, some Americans are quieter, but here’s an example: I was at a Publix, trying to decide on a beer, when a woman started telling me all about how she met her husband.
I actually love it. I’m a pretty quiet guy (Sweden is a reserved place), so the way Americans can just stream their thoughts out is amazing.
(For context, I married an American. She talks enough for both of us!)”
– Erik Lundström
7. Casual Warnings About Death
“Seeing prescription drug ads on TV casually mention “side effects may include death” was a complete shock to me.”
– Sophie Dubois
8. Endless Customization
“The options when ordering food blew my mind, I thought it was just a TV joke!
Back home, I’d feel cheeky asking to swap chips for mash, but in America, you can customize almost anything!” – Marco Ricci
9. So Much Space
“The wide-open spaces in America are mind-blowing. There’s just SO. MUCH. SPACE.
I once read a book, can’t recall the name, but one quote stuck with me:
“Americans can’t understand how old Europe is, but Europeans can’t understand how big America is.”” – Lukas Müller
10. Doorway Heroes
“In America, people will actually run ahead to hold the door open if they see your hands are full. It’s such a thoughtful and surprising habit!”
– Clara Novak
11. Movie Accent in Real Life
“Hearing someone speak with an American accent in real life felt surreal at first.
My brain had always associated it with movies and TV shows!”
– Tomás García
12. Sensory Overload News
“American news channels cram so much information on the screen at once! It’s overwhelming compared to what I’m used to.” – Anya Petrova
13. Standing Cashiers
“In America, store cashiers are almost always standing. It’s so different from other places where they usually sit during their shifts.” – Hugo Moretti
14. Coffee Culture Shock
“I’m American, but one thing I’ve noticed is how different coffee culture is.
Back home, coffee is almost always a “to-go” thing, but in much of the world, it’s about sitting down and relaxing.
I realized this the hard way when I got a tattoo in Barcelona. I asked the artist if he wanted a coffee from next door, and he looked confused, saying, “Oh no, I have to keep working.”
He thought I was asking him to go sit and chat for a while, I was so embarrassed!”
– Ryan Caldwell
15. Why So Much Water?
“American toilets are so full of water! Every time I use one, I have to remind myself that I’m not about to dunk my cheeks.“
– Felix Schneider
16. Texas Letdown
“When I first arrived in Texas, I couldn’t resist singing out, “The stars at night, are big and bright…”
But to my disappointment, no one joined in. Pee-wee’s Big Adventure totally misled me!”
– Nico Janssen
17. The Sheer Size of It
“It’s massive. Seriously. I’m from the UK, and two years ago, I traveled Route 66.
Even sticking to the interstate (not the exact Route 66, but you get the idea), it took me four days of driving over 12 hours a day to cross it.
The size of America is just unbelievable.”
– Lars Andersson
18. Accent Admirers
“My boyfriend is Scottish, and every time people in the U.S. hear his accent, they absolutely lose their minds. It’s like they’ve just met a celebrity!”
– Emma Lawson
19. Always On the Clock
“The work culture in America is wild. When I worked there, I noticed some people never take time off, they’re basically on call 24/7, even during evenings and weekends.”
– Jakob Eriksen
These unique perspectives remind us that what feels ordinary to one person can seem extraordinary, or just plain weird, to someone else.
What do you think is the weirdest thing about America?