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Italy is known for pasta, India is the land of spicy curry, Spain wins when it comes to paella and South Africans love a good braai. The United States, meanwhile, is a melting pot of foods from around the world. Many dishes are heavily influenced by immigrants, and carefully adapted to give that quintessential homegrown flavor.
If we’ve learned anything from Americans, it’s that they’re great at hyping things up. Even mediocre hamburgers, hot dogs and fried chicken can be spun into gourmet meals that'll have you standing in long queues and paying through your teeth. Someone asked, “What’s the most overhyped food in America that everyone pretends is amazing?” and no less than 6,000 responses came flying in, almost as fast as a smash burger getting sizzled in a hot pan.
Bored Panda has compiled a list of the best answers for you to scroll through while you decide what to eat tonight. There’s mediocre matcha, Hershey’s chocolate that reportedly tastes like vomit, and Crumbl Cookies, which someone described as "1,000 calories of raw sugar dough." We also take a look at how America has adapted global dishes and turned them into something a little different. You’ll find that info between the images.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Starbucks coffee. Literally the WORST coffee I've ever had.
nottheactualphoto 1 week ago
Starbucks' sugar drinks are for people who don't like coffee. Unsugared, the straight coffee tastes burnt, as in egregiously over-roasted.
You could be forgiven for thinking that the beloved hamburger was born in the United States. There’s no shortage of burger joints across the country, and several reports reveal that Americans chow around 50 billion burgers annually.
“That’s nearly 800,000 miles of burgers consumed by Americans every single year — a long enough line to go to the moon, come back, then go to the moon again,” reports VinePair.
Hamburgers actually have their roots in Germany. Made from minced or ground beef that is spiced and cooked, they appeared in the 1800s in the port city of Hamburg (go figure). But some historians believe that burgers were already being eaten in ancient Rome during a time when street food was popular.
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#2
While I do enjoy them, not every burger needs to be a "smash burger".
Also, not every beer needs to be a IPA.
#3
Not sure if anyone in the USA thinks it's amazing but to the European taste hersheys chocolate tastes like vomit. I know the reason it does, but still horrible.
Nevertheless, hamburgers (known then by the Germans as frikadellen) are believed to have arrived in the United States in the mid-to-late 19th century, thanks to German immigrants who introduced the salted, minced beef to New York and other cities.
“I can imagine the frikadellen meant nothing to most people who were living in the US unless you were German. So they had to change the name at that point to ‘steak in the style of Hamburg,’ or simply, Hamburg steak,” explains George Motz, a burger "expert" who has traveled America researching hamburgers for his 2004 documentary film aptly titled, Hamburger America.
#4
Anything pumpkin spice flavored.
Elladine DesIsles 1 week ago
I love pumpkin pie. Pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin fudge, I'm up for most of the real, seasonal pumpkin desserts and baked goods. But if it's been labelled "pumpkin spice", I'll pass. Years ago, when I encountered a fall display of pumpkin spice dog treats, I decided that was the line for me, personally, and I have subsequently treated all things "pumpkin spice" as though they were "unfit for human consumption". I would have sworn, at the time, that the dog treats would signal peak pumpkin spice saturation. Sadly, I was proven wrong. After that came pumpkin spice Oreos and pumpkin spice bath bombs, and a couple of years ago, a local restaurant was advertising pumpkin spice ramen. Can we not just find a new autumn flavour already?
#6
Gold leaf. Paying extra for something with zero flavor has never made sense to me.
Motz believes that the hamburger, as we know it today, was inspired by the hot dog. Not ones to do “basic,” Americans started putting Hamburg steaks onto bread (Hamburg sandwiches), and eventually onto buns. Voila! A quintessentially ‘American’ meal was born.
“The hamburger is pretty much the only food invention in America in the last 100 years or so. It started out as ethnic food from Germany, but we adopted it and made it different by putting it on bread,” he says.
#7
Dubai Chocolate.
Elladine DesIsles 1 week ago
Dubai chocolate is enjoyable. It is not, however, $20/bar (CAD)-level enjoyable. I love pistachio and there are plenty of other options at reasonable prices.
#8
Truffle infused/flavored anything. Just because it’s expensive doesn’t mean it’s good.
It would seem that Americans have Germany to thank for more than just the hamburger. Hot dogs apparently also have their roots in that European country. Again, it was German immigrants who introduced frankfurter sausages to the land of the free and the home of the brave.
These sausages originated in a city called Frankfurt (hence the name), and just like burger patties, they made their way onto soft buns in the United States. Nowadays, hot dogs come in all shapes and sizes.
Sara Lee Corp. even made a 1,996-foot one during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. However, it didn't qualify as an official Guinness record because it used separate individual buns instead of one continuous bun.
#12
Oysters. Consistency of congealed snot, smell like a damp beach towel, and taste like nothing except the cracker and hot sauce you add.
"The hot dog’s simplicity invites creativity: mustard, ketchup, relish, sauerkraut, chilli or cheese," reports luxury travel site Condé Nast Johansens. "Cities claim their own specialities: Chicago’s pickle-topped version; New Jersey’s Italian hot dog; and Los Angeles’ legendary chilli dog."
"Each bite reflects the immigrant ingenuity and local pride that make American street food so iconic," adds the site.
#13
As a SoCal native I think we should only praise in-n-out with the caveat that it’s “not the best burger ever but good for its price” and compliment it for having fresh ingredients over being some amazing life-changing burger. Because the amount of people from other states and countries who hear about in n out only to come try it and be extremely disappointed is staggering. We hype it up way too much.
nottheactualphoto 1 week ago
The nearest In-n-Out to my house is over 1100 miles away. Doesn't seem worth the trip.
#14
Thank God we're past the kale period.
Elladine DesIsles 1 week ago
I love kale. Seriously. I will continue to crave and savour a good kale salad. But I'm not completely insane; I also crave cake.
#15
Kombucha = slightly less vinegary vinegar.
GenericElder 1 week ago
And too many Kombucha makers leave in "the mother" (the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast that MAKES it Kombucha) when they serve it, like a slimy goo to make sure the awful taste sticks to the inside of your mouth. Bleah!
According to data from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (yes, that's a thing), Americans eat about 20 billion hot dogs each year. That's roughly 70 hot dogs per person. In case you were wondering, peak hot dog season is between Memorial Day and Labor Day, when around 7 billion hot dogs are consumed. Another 150 million (or thereabout) are chowed every Independence Day.
But the United States of America isn't all hot dogs and hamburgers. They like their fried chicken, too...
#17
Anything from panera.
nottheactualphoto 1 week ago
Panera is mediocre corporate lunch-n-learn food. Not the worst, but I've never paid for it.
Southern fried chicken makes it sound like it originated in the south of the country. But yet again, this is a dish that was first born further afield.
"Some culinary experts linked such expertise to West Africa where, for several centuries prior to European contact, local populations ate chicken and deep fried their food," the BBC notes, adding that the West African version of fried chicken was a bit different.
"It was more like a fricassee, where chicken was lightly fried and then braised for a much longer time in a seasoned sauce – similar to Senegalese chicken yassa," it explains.
#19
Not just in America, but the Dubai chocolate craze. It's extremely expensive and not even very good.
#20
Matcha. It tastes like lawn clippings. And in case anyone says "you've just never had good matcha." A friend's mother in law was trained by the same people who train the people who do the tea ceremonies for the royal family of Japan.
Nicole Weymann 1 week ago
I've tried matcha about three or four times in different contexts (cookies, for example, and, weirdly, a Dirty Chai Latte, which I had thought would come with a shót of espresso, but had matcha instead). I can only agree with OP: with my eyes closed I'd have sworn someone fed me lawnmower blade scrapings.
#21
Crumbl is such a disappointment. Paying that much for 1,000 calories of raw sugar dough is wild. I really don't get the hype, lol.
Bored Jellyfish 1 week ago
I’ve never even heard of crumbl before. From the picture, it looks to have Oreos in it. Is it a cookie?
According to the site, America's first widely accepted printed recipe for fried chicken appeared in 1824 in the first regional American cookbook, The Virginia House-Wife. It was Mary Randolph, "a white woman from a slaveholding family," who wrote:
“Cut them up as for the fricassée, dredge them well with flour, sprinkle them with salt, put them into a good quantity of boiling lard and fry them a light brown.” And this recipe reportedly set the tone for southern fried chicken as we know it today.
Condé Nast Johansens has a slightly different take, though. The outlet's foodies believe that the Scots should aat least get some credit for southern fried chicken.
#22
Any national pizza chain. They are all bad compared to mom and pop pizza chains. Dump the dominos!
#23
Am I the only American that thinks ranch dressing is disgusting???
Lost Panda 1 week ago
I don't particularly care for it, don't hate it, but my Japanese wife? Good lord she'll devour a bottle if you let her
They argue that the dish "owes its irresistible flavour to cultural fusion: Scottish frying techniques meeting the bold seasonings of West Africa." And go on to explain that enslaved Africans were forced into kitchens across the South, where they marinated chicken in buttermilk, then coated it in spiced flour, before frying it to a golden crisp.
"Paprika, garlic powder and onion powder became hallmarks of the breading, while buttermilk ensured tenderness," notes the site. "What began as survival cooking evolved into global comfort food, carrying both cultural memory and the universal pleasure of that first crunchy bite."
#26
Raising Cane's . It is 100% adequate at best. Without the sauce it's flavorless.
Patricia Steward 1 week ago
The chicken was actually quite good at the one here --- I understand they marinate it -- but the sides were terrible. Obviously frozen crinkle fries, soupy cole slaw, dry Texas toast, and very few sauce choices.
Meanwhile, the BBC reports that fried chicken in the US was considered a food for special occasions before World War Two. "It later transitioned to something that people ate for breakfast or dinner a couple of times a week," the site reveals.
The United States seems to have a council for everything, and according to the National Chicken Council, the average American ate 28lb of chicken in 1960. That figure is closer to 99lb of chicken each year, making it more popular than beef (57lb) or pork (53lb).
#28
Dunkin’ Donuts. They are always stale these days.
nottheactualphoto 1 week ago
They used to be a solid choice. I'll bet it varies between different franchise owners.
#29
As an avid McDonalds fan over the years, I’ll say The McRib. It came back on the menu a few years ago and the hype made me curious, finally got it, I literally took one big bite and spit it out. Then I tried a second just to be sure it wasn’t that particular spot, even worse. Never again.
#30
I am English but I’ve visited America a fair few times and every time someone says I have to have Mexican food, and I say I have always found it underwhelming and then they say that I have never had Mexican food like this and insist I go to whatever local “authentic” Mexican place and it will blow my English mind. And it’s underwhelming but I am English so I politely tell my American host that it has blown my English mind and they look so pleased with themselves and it’s kinda worth it.
Also, for all that you invented mcdonalds and coca cola, both of those things are so much worse in the US than in any other country I have had them in.
America may now be known for it's southern fried chicken, juicy beef burgers, and hot dogs, but food-wise, the country has so much more to offer.
It's a melting pot of global cuisine, and as the International Organization of Migration's Charles Kinney puts it, "sushi, falafel, fajitas and pho are as American as well, apple pie, buttered popcorn and potato chips." That's all thanks to the many migrants who have introduced their dishes to the United States.
#31
Raising Cane's. I went to the first location of Raising Cane's when it first opened up in my state and I was not impressed (we received our first Raising Cane's location within the past 3 years). Basic chicken tenders, the chicken sandwich is just the chicken tenders in a bun, and the fries are very basic as well.
Miracle Max 1 week ago
Why does BP do this? They cannot find anyone competent to edit out duplicate entries?
#32
KFC. They got rid of potato wedges, popcorn chicken, extra crispy tenders, and the gravy is less flavorful than the stuff you make from powder at home. South Park had an entire meme about how the gravy was the best part of their subpar menu!
From what I understand KFC outside North America still has all those items and the good gravy, at the cost of not having bacon (usually Halal menu). Sounds worth it for me!
Bored Jellyfish 1 week ago (edited)
KFC was the best when I was a kid! I don’t care for it now, and I don’t know if it’s because they changed the formula or how they cook it, or if my tastes have just changed.
#33
Lobster. And I say this as a Mainer. Not because it’s overhyped per se but because it’s made out to be far more of a luxury (especially in price) than it actually is. Especially lobster tails. The best meat is in the knuckles and claw. People pay a premium for the less than best part of the bottom feeding ocean bug.
#34
Dishes that involve mixing in lobster (ravioli, Mac and cheese, etc.). Lobster by itself or in a well made lobster roll is great.
George Costanza 1 week ago
I don't know. I've had some lobster ravioli in cream sauce that was nearly orgasmic.
#35
Chipotle. Man I just do not understand how that place is still hyped up after all these years.
#36
Shake Shack was NOT worth the price, was pretty disappointed.
#37
Voodoo Donuts in PAC NW. It’s a donut with Capt Crunch on it or something similar. Wow! They’re not bad, but they didn’t blow me away. It’s better now that the hysteria has piped down. I remember waiting in line for an hour and then feeling like…this is a donut. Why did I wait so long for a donut?
#38
Crumbl Cookies are not good.
Bored Jellyfish 1 week ago
So it is a type of cookie. The above pic looks like chocolate chip cookies where the other entry looked like some kind of Oreo-hybrid, so I still don’t know what it is.
#39
Specifically Hidden Valley Ranch. If you're an international tourist visiting the US right now, I need you to hear me when I say there are much better ranches out there. Even buying Hidden Valley's seasoning mix in the pouch or shaker bottle and making your own is miles better than the trash they bottle themselves, but the best pre-made ranch is the Litehouse Homestyle Ranch in the glass bottle from the refrigerated section.
#40
The hot honey phase currently going on. Can we not?
George Costanza 1 week ago
It's just honey with spice. No one's making you have it, but plenty like it.
#41
IPA beer
Not food, I know, but bad enough to merit special attention.
nottheactualphoto 1 week ago
It's not "bad." It's just a style that not everyone likes. Now, the true definition of "bad" is food that *I* dislike.
#42
Dubai everything. It’s like people just discovered pistachios exist.
Laszlo Larthlanc 1 week ago
There are miles and miles of pistachio groves not far from where I live. They started up during the Reagan years when we weren't able to buy anything from Iran, the country that used to supply most of the world's pistachios. We (California) now supply 65% of the pistachios eaten worldwide, and the number keeps climbing. Locally they're grown in a very wide river valley, which is good because each single pistachio takes about 2 gallons of water to grow. If you've never eaten extremely fresh pistachios purchased from one of the various farm stores I hope you'll get to some day.
#43
Chick-fil-a. The first time I had it was over 15 years ago--long before I was aware of the chain's politics--and I was really confused over the long as line for something that was just ok.
#44
Waygu. It’s fat cattle that they have force fed like lamb. And it’s bad. If you have ever had a5 wagyu in a restaurant it’s way different. Don’t tell me these hamburger patties are Wagyu. They aren’t. Nor is this beef you claim (it’s not, it’s American sourced and the cattle are not certified Wagyu; but a hybrid). Just like “shaved Wagyu steak” it’s not WAGYU! Same with duroc pork but duroc pork is cheaper ffs.
detective miller's hat 1 week ago
I see soooo many shops selling "wagyu" beef and one look at the price should be enough to tell anyone it's not genuine. Then there's the Japanese supermarket near my office that sometimes sells a reasonably sized wagyu steak for like $120 and HOLY CRĄP that might be the best steak I have ever cooked in my life. For the last 2 years, I've bought one as a birthday gift to myself. :D
#46
Tomahawk steak,
anything Starbucks sells
the current "Dubai chocolate" trend thats showing up everywhere but is just meant to flood the internet so that you get mixed results when you google it.
Lukas (alt) 1 week ago
I got a tomahawk steak from a food bank once, and it was the best steak I've ever had. It was also my first time making steak, I had no clue how to make steak, and I ate it sitting on the living room floor of my apartment because I didn't have a table or chairs yet. Delicious.
#47
Crayfish. You need a ton of spices just to make it taste decent. A lot of work when a shrimp is easier to peel and more delicious.
Bored Jellyfish 1 week ago
Oh… finally something I disagree with on this list. I love crawfish! The meat is deliciously sweet, and the spices should compliment their flavor rather than overwhelm it. They do become tasteless when overcooked, though. Shrimp are relatively tasteless to me in comparison.
#48
Does Buc-ee’s corn nugget things count?
#49
Oh boy an askreddit where people get to hate on something. This will do numbers.
Laszlo Larthlanc 1 week ago
Yeah. Hate is big. Rage bait is big. That would make a good posting, wouldn't it?
What do you think ?
Paul C. 1 week ago
Sorry, just my opinion but I don't get Mac and cheese. We went to a nice restaurant in the UK and the waiter talked me into having it because the chef was an American who said it enhanced everything. Not my bloody steak it didn't!
Robin Roper 1 week ago
I make my own cooking the pasta in chicken broth and hand grated cheeses. It's good.
Load More Replies...
Multa Nocte (she/her 8647) 1 week ago (edited)
I just realised that after having been out of the US for almost 5 years, I can no longer really comment on the food. Especially since the year before I left it was during Covid and I wasn't exactly eating out a lot at the time.
WindySwede 1 week ago
is food better these days? when moving outside of u s ?
Load More Replies...
Anony Mouse 1 week ago
Now do one where everyone hates on a different country, but with fewer repeats. France maybe? Japan? You pick.
Laszlo Larthlanc 1 week ago
Sorry. No can do. Only the US sucks. Didn't you know that? /s
Load More Replies...
Randomosity 1 week ago
Boba tea. Why anyone would want booger balls in their drink is beyond me. 🤮
MalayDragon 1 week ago
They're optional, you don't have to have them. Or you can also have flavoured ones that will pop in your mouth and add an additional flavour to the drink. These are also optional.
Load More Replies...
Ban-One 1 week ago (edited)
OK, the US right now is worse than ever. Mostly a political thing of course. That said I'm not a fan of American food or their big chains. But even as non-american: Many of those aren't US things. Steaks, gold, oysters...lobster??? And the double and triple entries. It's a lazy list this one.
Must Be Bored Again 1 week ago
My brain has an area that was wired incorrectly or maybe it is my nose. My first husband thought he was the ultimate coffee gourmet, special beans, special roast, ground freshly at home each morning, coffee machines, french press, whatever. But the only scent my brain recognizes when coffee is brewing is cat p00p. So as soon as he started his morning ritual, I’d come walking out say “Oh great, the cat did something”! Then to look in her favorite hiding places when she was “bad kitty”. He would reply, “knock it off, I just brewing coffee.” But still to this day, and I am in my 60’s, I cannot tell the difference between coffee brewing and cat p00p. Needless to say, I have saved a boatload of money from ever needing an expensive coffee fix. I don’t even like coffee flavored candy or ice cream.
Petra Schaap 1 week ago (edited)
pop tarts. Bleeegghh! Cheese curds... i love cheese, i even love some american cheese... NEEDED to try cheese curds. I let my american friend who loves them, pick a bag he likes, in case i wouldnt like them. Tried four, he finished the rest of them :-D Also; most American cake, esp store bought. Had birthday cake once.... it was horrible. Just sweet muck and goo, with sugar coating and horrible whipped cream. There wasnt even "cake" inside just foamy shitt. Funny enough, the best cake i ever had in the USA was a small chocolate cake from Walmart (it was "expensive")
Mike Barrette 1 week ago
Most Americans with any sense, or taste, would agree that most of the things on this list are terrible... Starbucks, Hersheys-- just objectively terrible.
Miracle Max 1 week ago
Robyn, you are an incompetent editor! Starbucks is on here 3 times, many other duplicate entries. If I did such terrible work at my job, I would get fired!
2WheelTravlr 1 week ago
Robyn Smith and BP, a list of random things people think are yukky and over-hyped does not automatically make these things "American Foods". Your prejudice is showing.
Paul C. 1 week ago
Sorry, just my opinion but I don't get Mac and cheese. We went to a nice restaurant in the UK and the waiter talked me into having it because the chef was an American who said it enhanced everything. Not my bloody steak it didn't!
Robin Roper 1 week ago
I make my own cooking the pasta in chicken broth and hand grated cheeses. It's good.
Load More Replies... Multa Nocte (she/her 8647) 1 week ago (edited)
I just realised that after having been out of the US for almost 5 years, I can no longer really comment on the food. Especially since the year before I left it was during Covid and I wasn't exactly eating out a lot at the time.
WindySwede 1 week ago
is food better these days? when moving outside of u s ?
Load More Replies... Anony Mouse 1 week ago
Now do one where everyone hates on a different country, but with fewer repeats. France maybe? Japan? You pick.
Laszlo Larthlanc 1 week ago
Sorry. No can do. Only the US sucks. Didn't you know that? /s
Load More Replies... Randomosity 1 week ago
Boba tea. Why anyone would want booger balls in their drink is beyond me. 🤮
MalayDragon 1 week ago
They're optional, you don't have to have them. Or you can also have flavoured ones that will pop in your mouth and add an additional flavour to the drink. These are also optional.
Load More Replies... Ban-One 1 week ago (edited)
OK, the US right now is worse than ever. Mostly a political thing of course. That said I'm not a fan of American food or their big chains. But even as non-american: Many of those aren't US things. Steaks, gold, oysters...lobster??? And the double and triple entries. It's a lazy list this one.
Must Be Bored Again 1 week ago
My brain has an area that was wired incorrectly or maybe it is my nose. My first husband thought he was the ultimate coffee gourmet, special beans, special roast, ground freshly at home each morning, coffee machines, french press, whatever. But the only scent my brain recognizes when coffee is brewing is cat p00p. So as soon as he started his morning ritual, I’d come walking out say “Oh great, the cat did something”! Then to look in her favorite hiding places when she was “bad kitty”. He would reply, “knock it off, I just brewing coffee.” But still to this day, and I am in my 60’s, I cannot tell the difference between coffee brewing and cat p00p. Needless to say, I have saved a boatload of money from ever needing an expensive coffee fix. I don’t even like coffee flavored candy or ice cream.
Petra Schaap 1 week ago (edited)
pop tarts. Bleeegghh! Cheese curds... i love cheese, i even love some american cheese... NEEDED to try cheese curds. I let my american friend who loves them, pick a bag he likes, in case i wouldnt like them. Tried four, he finished the rest of them :-D Also; most American cake, esp store bought. Had birthday cake once.... it was horrible. Just sweet muck and goo, with sugar coating and horrible whipped cream. There wasnt even "cake" inside just foamy shitt. Funny enough, the best cake i ever had in the USA was a small chocolate cake from Walmart (it was "expensive")
Mike Barrette 1 week ago
Most Americans with any sense, or taste, would agree that most of the things on this list are terrible... Starbucks, Hersheys-- just objectively terrible.
Miracle Max 1 week ago
Robyn, you are an incompetent editor! Starbucks is on here 3 times, many other duplicate entries. If I did such terrible work at my job, I would get fired!
2WheelTravlr 1 week ago
Robyn Smith and BP, a list of random things people think are yukky and over-hyped does not automatically make these things "American Foods". Your prejudice is showing.
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