Recently, TikToker Mollie Layton (@mollielayton) visited the U.S. for just over a month, and let’s just say the culture shock was real. So, of course, she took to TikTok to break down all the bizarre, chaotic, and downright confusing things Americans do.
“I just spent five weeks in America, so here are some things they do in America that would send us Brits into a coma because we just would not know what to do or how to live there whatsoever,” Mollie began her video.
Number one: the tipping culture in America compared to the U.K. is so strange to her. You’re asked to leave a tip almost everywhere you go, so if you don’t like tipping, then America may not be the place for you.
“I get asked to tip at Starbucks, every coffee shop, every restaurant, all drive-throughs,” Mollie said. “You’re safe there to be tipping at least 20% onto every bill. Just the cost of things is so different there. It’s a very expensive place to be.”
She also pointed out that the sales tax is different in every state. For example, you could go to a Target in California and pay $9 for something, but at a Target in a different part of America, you might pay $7 or $10 for that same item.
In the U.K., people simply pay tax on their monthly income. There is no state tax like in the U.S.
Number two: the amount of artificial foods, coloring, and calories in the U.S. is through the roof. She noted that the ingredients and nutritional facts are actually listed quite clearly on food products in America.
Everything seemed to contain Red 40, which is a synthetic red food dye used to add color to food, drinks, and cosmetic products.
Red 40 is banned in the U.K., so to Brits, the food and candy tastes better in the U.S. because they are full of stuff that is illegal in the U.K.
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Number three: the layout of the roads is very different. The U.S. did not seem to have as many roundabouts as the U.K. Instead, there are crossroads.
Americans can also turn right at red lights. Mollie thinks this is really scary, but it makes sense because it keeps traffic flowing and causes less congestion. Plus, the cars in America are much bigger and intimidating.
“My country lanes in Somerset could never, ever have a car like they do in America,” Mollie said. “Some big cars in the U.K., Range Rovers, Land Rovers, Jeeps, literally minuscule compared to the cars in America.”
Number four: American public bathroom stalls have large gaps, meaning that everyone can see you taking care of business. She is a fan of the toilet seat covers, though.
Number five: everyone is super nice in America, and not just in the hospitality industry, either. Mollie says you could be walking down the street, and women will shout compliments to you.
Overall, Mollie has enjoyed her experiences in the U.S. So far, she has been to California, New York, and Las Vegas, and can’t wait to visit again at some point.
By Emily Chan
Emily Chan is a writer who covers lifestyle and news content. She graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in... More about Emily Chan
