To ask overseas folk what British quirks they think are weird/funny?

[Burntmybiscuits]

Us Brits are always on our high horse, making light humour over the habits of other countries (particularly the U.S!), so I thought it would be funny to see what people overseas find 'unique' about us!

Telling other people how polite British people are. If you really believe it, then why the need to tell people about it all the effing time? If you were actually polite, people would be able to tell.

I am vair English and I have never had a chip butty or a fish finger sandwich

What the hell do other nations eat for lunch if they don’t eat sarnies?

Ooh, I have an American DH and Greek dad, and the things they find weird are:
Dad: Washing up in a bowl as opposed to under a running tap, British men's love of dressing up as women at the slightest excuse.

DH: He's a New Yorker, so he's baffled by how snobby brits are about flats. He's always lived in a flat! Likewise baffled that people in the UK are aghast that dogs live in a flat.

Confused that banks are (mostly) only open office hours. Thinks everything closes early in the UK.

Perplexed by garden centers and why they're considered a day/afternoon out.

The level of discomfort that Brits are willing to put up with in their own homes is a mystery to him. He's always noting an abundance of grotty carpets (in the kitchen or bathroom?!), crap showers and willingness to put up with drafts and damp. Doesn't understand why we can't have plugs in the bathroom.

There are loads more, but I think they're specific to being a new Yorker, rather than American...

Okay, on the whole tiered wedding thing. Am I right in thinking that the reason why couples choose not to invite more people to the ceremony is predominantly because of having to fork out thousands for the wedding breakfast??? I think if this part of the day was removed and it was ceremony followed by reception with buffet (as it was 30 or so years ago), everyone would be invited to the whole thing? It's often a crap roast anyway and very boring, having to make small talk with people you don't really know and won't ever see again!

And the worst thing is you are sober.

@Ginnyrellas @CaribouCarafe coronation chicken was created for the Queen's coronation in 1953. Cold, to be eaten with salad (weird). I think it's better as a sandwich filling

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronation_chicken

I’m British, but on behalf of my German colleagues:

Over-politeness and being unable to say what you mean. They find it incredibly frustrating that British people waste time and energy wafflling around the subject and, as they see it, speak in riddles. They would find it much easier to communicate with us if we just got straight to the point and said what we mean as directly as possible.

What the hell do other nations eat for lunch if they don’t eat sarnies? grin
I don't know how others but we have it kind of other way around. Proper meal for lunch and something light for dinner

It's not really a quirk but the biggest thing I notice when I visit England is how rude people are to each other. People like to tell you off, especially store assistants.

I was told to put something down when I was considering buying something from a small High Street shop. I walked out. I had a shop assistant standing next to me breathing down my neck, trying to intimidate when I was shopping for perfume. I left the shop.

I've had people stocking grocery shelves tell me to move out of their way when I was in the middle of taking products off a shelf to put in my cart.

A worker in one store shouted very loudly at my very elderly dad (who had PD) when he became confused while riding his mobile scooter and went through the wrong door. I heard it from the other side of the shop and if I had known my father was the recipient of the abuse I would probably still be in prison. My dad was humiliated and never went shopping again.

This behavior must be expected/allowed by the general public as it seems to continue.

I live in the US and store clerks here go out of their way to be nice/helpful. Shouting at disabled people in wheelchairs or disability scooters wouldn't be tolerate by management or other shoppers.

Lack of mixer taps - drives me up the wall, the rest of the world moved on from that 30 years ago
Funerals being held weeks after someone died
Easter not being a thing at all - we get free days from work, weather is good, why isn't it as big as Christmas?
The whole day/evening wedding guests
Windows not opening in - I live in a flat and there's no way to clean them!!! I have to live with dirty windows for a year until someone has to be paid to come and clean them

Do toddlers stay up later in other countries/have more snacks/nap longer? Just curious!

Yes! My mother is Italian and they have a snack in the late afternoon and then all eat together. Children go to bed later and usually wake later as a result.

The wedding thing, yy, the 'breakfast' (that isn't), usually a rip off, overrated, dull roast of some sort. And the weddings are often so early! Guess that's why they end up being so costly and two-tiered.

People are very very polite though, I completely disagree with posters who say British people are rude. There's arseholes everywhere but politeness is firmly a British thing and I love it!

Electric kettles are definitely very common in NZ and Australia. We were bloody baffled when we got to Canada and they didn't have one!

I'm really interested in how many other people have noticed the contrast between how polite some British people are, as opposed to how polite they tell each other they are. That makes me feel a lot better.

Chip butties. When I first heard of them I thought my leg was being pulled.
Not rinsing dishes. Taking a bath and not rinsing yourself.
Showers that have to be switched on.
Carpet around a toilet.
The drinking.
The obsession with holidays.
The obsession with houses - owning and buying and selling.
Cold cheddar cheese in sandwiches.
Toast racks.
The tea is great though.

I am baffled by bad customer service and rudeness too. I am actually generally massively praising the quality of customer service in UK. Not so much the customers, mind me....

@JassyRadlett So when I clean my teeth or get a glass if water I know it's cold and dont have to think about moving a lever a certain way.

@quarntino at that age a 7pm bedtime is very normal! My kids were 7pm-ish. I’d do dinner with them around 6. My husband arrived home around 6:30 and he’d join in or eat separately later. My kids are 4 and 6 now so 8ish bedtime. The dinner, straight to bath (clean off the toddler food mess!), and bedtime routine seems common with younger kids.

Oh and the lack of naps for kids!! They all go to bed so early and have no naps! Baffling! I had naps until I was 6.

The difference between brown sauce and BBQ? About 50p a bottle 😂
I know Americans find it strange we enjoy beans on toast. Delicious.
As for washing the dishes? We have a dishwasher. I think she's from the Philippines.
And no matter the crisis, we always feel everything will be okay if we have a cup of tea. 👍

Am I strange for liking separate taps?

We finally did up out 20 year old bathroom last year and I must admit that I am not too smitten with the new bathroom mixer taps. I never had a problem with single taps. The cold tap provided fresh potable mains water and the "hot" tap takes about 20 seconds to warm up (because the pipes wend their way right round the house first!) so if you time it right you have the correct temperature water at the point you need it.

The drawback of a single mixer tap is that its harder to swill the water around the sink to rinse off toothpaste or soap suds. I find that the water just goes straight down the plug hole. I should have insisted on movable tap head or chosen a sink with the tap offset to one side.

14:03Whichoneofyoudidthat
There's a Wetherspoon near you

But the electricity output is a bit rubbish in the USA when you take your appliances e.g. travel kettleto make decent tea not coffee tasting 😊

We had an open bar at my (London) wedding. The guests didn’t know quite what to do with themselves and I think actually held back!

Same! It was great.

We also introduced our venue to the idea of alternate drop and it blew their minds. We got there in the end, but they were SO worried that people would refuse their meals. Fortunately over half of our guests were Australian & Kiwi so they knew the drill

I've taught EFL and ESOL for 25 years now and the tap one is brought up every year

What the hell do other nations eat for lunch if they don’t eat sarnies?

Open sandwiches on rye read

I don't know how others but we have it kind of other way around. Proper meal for lunch and something light for dinner

Many jobs these days only give you 30 minutes for lunch. Sandwiches are pre-prepared so take less time than a full meal, and tbh getting a full meal ordered, eaten and paid for even in an hour can be a bit of a gamble let alone half that time.