The socials have been flooded with foreigners coming to the United States, wide-eyed at Big Gulps, huge portions, and food that contains every additive under the sun except for what God likely intended to be in it.
Here’s one that gave me pause…a guy that came to a Mexican restaurant, and was almost ashamed at the idea of getting free food before eating even more food, and that they didn’t charge for getting extra baskets of tortilla chips.
So, for today’s Musings, where are we getting right, and where are we getting it wrong (note: no political discussions, just social, entertainment, food, etc)? Is the no-stopping-the-toppings culture a bad thing? Should we be limiting ourselves to only one glass of coke rather than three?
I fear these folks are going to get on a plane in a few weeks and require rehab and a diet to recover.
What say you?
Lord help them if they visit a Red Lobster while they’re in the land of the free and get hooked on cheddar biscuits😂!
I stopped at Jim and Nick’s and placed a to go order at the counter. After the person took my order, she whipped the payment screen around and said “it’s going to ask you a question”. The question was tip amount. I typically over tip when we sit down and eat, but is it customary to tip someone that just pushed a couple of buttons and handed you a bag?
Quoting Nancy Reagan … Just Say No. The vast majority of transactions neither require nor deserve a Tip.
The tip doesn’t just go to the person in the front. They split the tips with the folks in the back who make and assemble your food as well. I generally tip in this case but not the same as someone serving me at my table.
My problem is tipping at the register. I haven’t had the experience yet. If the food is poor, the service slow, or the drink machine only has Fanta cherry working, I shouldn’t tip
It is built into the payment system. The server most likely has nothing to do with it. That said, I’ll usually add a little as I like my food to come out promptly and correctly. Plus, if you’re there often enough they know you and don’t mind throwing in a few little extras.
I always think of it as will that extra few dollars make me happier, or the server?
I consider this a:
So do you want us to spit on it or not fee?
I figure its worth 10% for piece of mind.
They spit on it either way
I tip waiter/waitress only — unless at bar — then bartender is tipped. Otherwise, $15 – $18/hr counter staff/cooks are good to go. And never “round up for charity” as I donate my monies to charities of my choice.
When we round up for charity, the company makes the donation, gets the tax write off, and we pay for it.
Exactly
Always. Like Russ said: Those few bucks likely mean a lot more to the staff than to me and a couple of noticeable tips get you better service, if you’re a regular.
Works with Bartenders too…
I think what people around the world are learning is that America is more than New York, Los Angeles, Disney World, or the large cities. They are experiencing the opposite of what they experience with the “ugly American”/Karens they meet in their home countries (I travel internationally some and try my best to be a good guest) with tourists.
They are meeting people who regardless of background are genuinely happy to serve them and are thankful that they are here. JJ Watt has treated Freddy and his crew from Germany like royalty while they were in Houston. Someone went to the Louisiana state line sign on I-10 west from Mississippi and put up a banner that said “Welcome Freddy.” The Saints and the Pelicans rolled out the red carpet to them when they showed up in the Big Easy.
They are also seeing things for the first time that we take for granted. Free chips and salsa. Free drink refills. “My pleasure” at Chick-fil-a. Waffle House in an area of the country that doesn’t have a midnight brawl and a waitress trying to support her family. Gas stations with a selection of items that would make “supermarkets” in their home country look like the local bodega in Queens. Brisket smoked that day and put on a glorious sandwich. Hotel rooms that make theirs look like dumps for a lower price.
They are seeing what the American experiment in a republican (not party) form of government combined with mostly free market capitalism has produced. Freddy was dumbfounded at the size and beauty of homes as they drove through Gainesville.
They see beauty in a drive along the Gulf coast, the wonder of a local pointing out an alligator in a Louisiana bayou, and the majesty of the American landscape (Freddy was in awe of Brasstown Bald).
If we as Americans would take a fresh look at a lot of these things, we would probably be a hell of a lot better off as a people as well.
Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.
“If we as Americans would take a fresh look at a lot of these things, we would probably be a hell of a lot better off as a people as well.”
Well said, thank you.
A friend and I meet at Jimmy Johns every now and then. They make a fairly humble sandwich. He never fails to mention that we are eating better than probably 99% of the rest of the world.
I love a JJ’s sandwich. The Vito is a good sandwich on the go.
Well said!!🇺🇸🇺🇸😊😊
Well said, ee! I’ve been taking a lot of road trips through America and following the back roads. I’ve always enjoyed these types of trips, and it helps to restore my faith in people. You’ll meet good people (and a few bad ones) everywhere, and the stereotypes are usually overblown.
Heck, I even enjoyed meeting and talking to people in New York City when I visited there. Same for cities outside the US. I’ve found that people usually reflect back the attitude you give them.
We as Americans are spoiled. We are so blessed to live in this his country but we take so much for granted. We overlook all these freedoms and blessings and miss the main part of living here. We need to do more like Freddy, get off the interstate and witness what real Americans are. We have the greatest country in the world and we do not all live in NY LA ATL CHI or any other metropolis. We need to make sure our kids know this or there will be no God Bless America any more!! (Removing soapbox) Thanks for the space guys!!! Go Dawgs!! Whip them okies!!!
If you, your wife and kids weigh more collectively than a semi-truck, travel to Europe and stay in a Best Western to visit Disney in Paris, eat Burger King and come home complaining about the food, small spaces, rude people, etc. then you are in fact an ugly American. Immersing oneself in the culture while traveling is critical to understanding and enjoying what other places have to offer…and for us in America being able to come home and realize how fortunate we truly are in many things. But we could do transportation better. Our food could be healthier and fresher. We could waste a lot less. We could have cleaner streets and parks. We won’t ever have castles and churches that defy how men in the Middle Ages made them nor monuments carved from stone using only stones and ingenuity. My foreign family fell in love with Buc-ee’s and Yellowstone park last summer. My nephew ate steak nearly every night. But I miss French cafes, the Swiss Alps, the waiters at my favorite Greek restaurant in Athens (the original) and a setting like Hallstatt, Austria. The world is a big place. Get out there and enjoy it!
Well said. We’re gracious hosts. In many of those places, they are gracious as well.
Great advice.
I’m thinking all these foreign accounts pretending to be foreigners here amazed by the American culture and cuisine are CIA psy-op plants, big Corp or big pharma propaganda plants, or all of the above. And even if they are real foreigners, they are controlled by some deeper state/corp forces to push this propaganda. None of it is pushing true tradition and culture of our great land, of which there are great examples, but only the modern day unhealthy over indulgence and unhealthy habits (yes even the corporate glorification and money grab of huge college stadiums) that our overlords want to glamorize. Notice only things corps or gov can profit from are being highlighted. I’m not buying any of it.
I’m assuming this is a good use of the sarcasm font.
If you’re ever driving through Sikeston, MO, and you want to see American excess or American generosity, you should stop at Lambert’s Cafe the “Home of Throwed Rolls”. https://throwedrolls.com/
As soon as you’re seated, you’ll likely have a hot yeasty roll thrown to you. When I was there, a guy walked by with a pot of fried okra and asked if we’d like some. We pointed out that we didn’t have plates, and he told us to use a paper napkin. He gave us each a free serving of fried okra before we ordered anything, and shortly thereafter we had rolls thrown our way. I was already full before I received the food I ordered.
I’d say probably the best thing we have going for us is the people. Overall, we’re generally a friendly lot. Also, we happen to live in a beautiful, widely diverse, and HUGE country that many others don’t have.
I will say that its a damn shame that the chances of these folks going home after eating food like momma, grandma and granny cooked is about nil.
Frozen fried okra is an abomination before God. As is most versions of “creamed corn.” And that damn noodles in powdered cheese sauce that they sell as mac and cheese.
And can you get decent cornbread that isn’t a damn choking risk?
https://youtube.com/shorts/6rzZ-4vXnqM?is=ftqxp5RqWg3Llz3V
Most folks are good people wherever you go. There are some cultural differences for sure but most people I’ve run across are good folks and it doesn’t matter whether they are from a big city or a small town or another country. Some folks are more hospitable but again a lot of that is cultural. Doesn’t make them bad people. When I grew up the least hospitable place you could be a stranger was in the mountains. There were reasons for that.
The “we’re better than them” bullshit goes both ways and its all just bullshit. Be proud of who you are and respectful and understanding of others.
Ego and superiority are a stupid waste of time.
Not sure if everyone is noticing that this is a parody account. Google says “The account uses the persona of a 16th-century Japanese samurai—Oda Nobunaga—experiencing modern-day life in the Western world (often the USA).” Funny though. Hope Nobunaga-San will stick around long enough to see a football game.
For sure, it’s parody, but kind of summarizes the growing trend of foreign visitors finding delight in our courtesy and gluttony, to some extent. I had already mentioned Freddy last week – the German having a blast in America right now – but there are several others that just aren’t as viral. Apparently, the Scots are having a field day up in Boston…the Brits aren’t too impressed with anything, but that’s the British for you (I suppose, not making assumptions here, but they are a salty bunch online).
I’m absolutely LOVING Freddy and friends journey through the South. Have seen other visitors posting about the hospitality of the American people.
One of my favorites was a Scottish fan ‘discovering tailgating’. Tl;dr – their buses stopped near a park, where some Americans were grilling and handing out beers to them, and some Haiti fans, and being just ABSOLUTELY GOBSMACKED by the concept. As the poster I found said, “Scots discovering tailgating could be a real Prometheus stealing fire moment.” And I agree.
My daughter and her friends are doing a European vacation now after graduation, and loving it. I told her to make sure you don’t embarrass our family and our country, be nice to people and enjoy the scenery. Everything else will be gravy. So far, so good. Let’s hope our visitors do the same.
Has Freddy and Co tackled the Golden Corral yet?
Golden Corral is about like Charlie Williams Restaurant. If it’s frozen, deep fat fried, canned, jarred, adulterated, over salted or ultra processed, Golden Corral will serve it. Even the vegetables they serve are unhealthy. But if that dude thought Waffle House is great, he’ll probably love Golden Corral.