Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
It’s no secret—the rest of the world looks at how peculiar American culture can be and wonders if it’s even real.
‘Cause let’s face it—even if it looks fine for us, that doesn’t mean that having police patrol your school, paying for a ride to the hospital, and calling the toilet “restroom” when we all know very well there ain't nobody going there to have a rest shouldn’t raise a brow for others.
So this time, we are looking at what American things make our fellow non-American friends scratch their heads in simple, yet very spot-on questions below. Our dear American Pandas are also welcome to help separate what’s real, what’s rumors, and what only happens in movies in the comments! And after you're done with this post, check out our previous one with things Americans do that require an explanation for non-Americans.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Ceredwyn Ealanta 5 years ago
But taking off shoes and socks when you come in is nearly as good as taking off your bra.
RELATED:
#3
GirlFriday 5 years ago
We have them. They are usually part of the cheerleader squad or dance squad. It is a sports thing. We take sports very seriously.
Even though Americans and Europeans share many things, like commitment to democratic principles, a strategic alliance, and some of the highest standards in the world, there are still some very notable differences between them.
A 2016 study done by Pew Research Center was very revealing in that respect. First of all, it showed that Americans are more likely to believe they control their own destiny.
The research showed that a staggering 57% of Americans disagreed with the statement “Success in life is pretty much determined by forces outside our control.” The percentage was higher than in any other European nations polled.
#5
The second interesting thing the Pew poll showed is that “Americans prioritize individual liberty, while Europeans tend to value the role of the state to ensure no one in society is in need.”
When it comes to religion, it turned out that over half in the US (53%) say religion is extremely important in their life, which is nearly double the share with the same view in Poland.
In France, for example, only 14% consider religion a very important aspect of their lives.
#7
#8
chi-wei shen 5 years ago
How else would you call them? Students wouldn't use the teachers first name.
#9
GirlFriday 5 years ago
Some schools are more strict than others and require them. My schools didn't require them. We just excused ourselves and went to the restroom when needed.
#10
GirlFriday 5 years ago
No. They don't - at least the schools that I went to and my nieces and nephews don't (they are ages 4 - 17). In the past, students were made to recite the "pledge of allegiance" each morning, but I think this is something that has fallen by the wayside.
#11
giraffescupcakesandlove 5 years ago
Some schools don't allow it, but at the schools I went to we were allowed to. It was fun! You can put magnets, quotes, pictures of loved ones.
#18
chi-wei shen 5 years ago
What's so unusual with this? I'm Austrian and my children's friends never used my first name.
#22
Truth Monster 5 years ago
Some do. We don't talk about those heretics....those mad, mad heretics....
Carissa Blair 5 years ago
I eat ranch with my pizza hell a lot of people where I live do!! PINEAPPLE DOESNT I REPEAT DOESNT GO ON PIZZA!!!
Load More Replies...
Omag 5 years ago
We have place that makes a sea food ranch pizza and its insanely good
Load More Replies...
Cassie 5 years ago
I had never encountered it and I've grown up moving between many places in the US, but I noticed our local shop now offers dipping ranch if you order a plain cheese pizza, so, apparently it's a thing somewhere around here that may be catching on. Dunno. Sounds gross to me, but I don't like ranch.
Luna Lovegood 5 years ago
I haven't heard of this, but it sounds pretty good? Idk I would try it. Don't knock it til you try it.
Sarah Luna 5 years ago
I won't eat pizza without ranch...I'm as Midwestern as you can get. And a bacon cheeseburger with ranch and BBQ sauce is a party in your mouth! Second only to Big Mac sauce on fries.
Torchicachu 5 years ago
my friend did this and i was horrified every time. she would do the same thing with spaghetti
Hermione Granger 5 years ago
In the Midwest you eat ranch with EVERYTHING. I drink it straight from the bottle
Brett Layton 5 years ago
Youll find it to be alot more prevalent on the west coast of america , not so much in the heartland or east coast.
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
East coast born & raised with ranch for fries, pizza, in tuna. Mix it with salsa too & dip chicken egg rolls
Load More Replies...
Matthew Greene 5 years ago
Actually, this is common in upper end pizza restaurants on the west coast of the USA. Many restaurants in Reno Nevada ask if you would like ranch and / or honey with your pizza. Not joking.
Kelly Murray 5 years ago
Some places have a ranch sauce that is used instead of tomato sauce. As someone who doesn't like red sauce, I appreciate the effort.
Adem Townsend 4 years ago
ranch on pizza tastes good but bbq sauce with parmesan cheese is the bees knees.
Mark Jones 5 years ago
Yes, it was very common in my high school. Then again, they served terrible quality frozen pizza and the ranch was the only thing that could adequately cover up the taste.
Kristina Paris Ferguson 5 years ago
Only with Little Caesars pizza, not sure how it even started!
Randomcthulu 5 years ago
I eat pepperoni and pineapple pizza...and I like to dip the crusts in ranch lol, or I slather it all in sriracha, take that GI!
Suzi Gauthier 5 years ago
If the pizza is tasteless, maybe. Kids probably start in school to perk up the school pizza.
Suzi Gauthier 5 years ago
My daughter does. Funny story. My ex was from France & had friends come to visit. He was trying to let them sample "American" food. They LOVED ranch dressing on their salad (he hated it). They next night he made corn on the cob & they smothered in in ranch dressing. I told him he was going to be responsible for a major shift in French cuisine.
averageperson 5 years ago
sort of, yeah. I don't like regular pizza sauce so I eat my pizza with ranch/white sauce
Michael Capriola Jr. 5 years ago
Never heard of that. We put a lot of weird toppings on pizza, so I suppose somebody's tried it.
Little Wonder 5 years ago
Okay while we're here - what's with honey on pizza? There's a honey brand that advertises their honey for pizza, is that a thing? I'm not okay.
Darci Dietrich 5 years ago
It must be a Midwest thing! I have eaten my pizza dipped in ranch my whole life, very much a thing we do!!
Demongrrrrl 5 years ago
Do all other countries (e.g., not America) put corn on your pizza? I encountered that in the UK and Scandinavia.
Elida Lechuga 5 years ago
I've seen many people eat the crust with Ranch or Marinara sauce. In Mexico many people eat it with ketchup or mustard and bring those habits here to the US. Thus I've seen that as well.
Roadkill The Brave 5 years ago
Ranch, Marinara, and Garlic Dipping sauces are the three most commonly used in the U.S. per any food chain Pizza Place, like Little Caesars, Domino's, or Pizza Hut. There are other sauces like BBQ or specialized per region but those are the big three.
BG 5 years ago (edited)
For some folks in the southeast, ANY food is an excuse to get more ranch dressing in you face. Pizza, wings, pasta, etc. You can even buy ranch dressing in powdered form and sprinkle it over everything. Some of my family members like it on popcorn, tacos, meats... Have you never had Cool Ranch Doritos? You can also get ranch dip for your McNuggets here.
Eric Mac Fadden 5 years ago
In São Paulo if you put ketchup in the pizza, they'll take the death penalty.
Jill Pulcifer 5 years ago
Some do, but on the list of American food offenses, thats literally the least of our problems. aaaaaaasaa...b4c784.jpg 
Hiker Chick 5 years ago
Not typically. Garlic sauce is more common but most people don't add sauce to pizza.
Amelia Sharjeel 5 years ago
what if you eat pizza with ranch you will be banned for life?!? that's crazy
Louise Stange-Wahl 5 years ago
EWW that sounds GROSS to me too...When pizzas are judged in contests, usually they judge a basic cheese pizza. My favorite pizza in the world is from a chain in Ohio called Marion's Piazza. Some celebrities and other weathy peeps, order them and have them flown to wherever they are...you can too for about $150. One peculiar thing about pizza there...they cut it into small squares instead of like it should be...pie cut. Now that we live on a small ranch in New Mexico, even though I can't get my Marion's the second best pizza in the world is a little restaurant called Pizza Barn. Everything is homemade. You can literally watch the dough rise. No inside dining allowed during COVAD, but the drive-in window is ALWAYS packed. Only about 1/2 mile from home..and we get carry out a couple of times a week. Like tonight!
GirlFriday 5 years ago
Some people like to dip their pizza (especially the crust) into ranch dressing. I personally find it disgusting.
#24
chi-wei shen 5 years ago
I think children all over the world have to feel "slightly suicidal" to do this.
#27
#31
GirlFriday 5 years ago
The term "20/20" and similar fractions (such as 20/40, 20/60, etc.) are visual acuity measurements. They also are called Snellen fractions, named after Herman Snellen, the Dutch ophthalmologist who developed this measurement system in 1862.
#32
#34
spirit wolf 5 years ago
I went to school in other countries aswell and boy did I write lines in detention. This is definitely not just an American thing. Yes, I was an exemplary student.
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Kenny Kulbiski 5 years ago
The weird part is that someone would give a rat's a*s about Americans microwaving water or how they eat bacon. Apparently no one has the same questions about Russians, Chinese, or even Lithuanians. Give it a rest Panda.
Lynda Momalo 5 years ago
I think it's becase more people around the globe see American movies or TV shows than they see movies made by Russians, Chinese, or Lithuanians.
Load More Replies...
Daria Z 5 years ago
Do Americans actually have that violent bullying culture at schools, with football players and cheer leaders on the social top and geeks on the bottom? Or senior students bullying first-graders? Please, tell me it's all a movie thing!
Luna Lovegood 5 years ago
It's not as openly expressed as in movies, but unfortunately yes. Bullying is a huge problem. Most schools "anti-bullying programs" are some posters and maybe a talk about how bullying is bad every month or so. I remember in seventh grade I was just the kid everyone hated for no reason. It got pretty bad and I was already dealing with some stuff that comes with growing up, but I know the bullying was a huge part of it. I know of lots of other kids who have had to deal with bullying too. It's really sad, but the whole social cliques and bullying thing is very real.
Load More Replies...
Cassie 5 years ago
I think some of these have to do with a word meaning different things in different countries. Jelly in Europe, for example, I'm pretty sure is what we in the US would call Jello (which is a brand name of gelatin that caught on as the general term for that item). So, yea, we don't eat peanut butter and gelatin. Our jelly is a spread closer to jam but made from fruit juice instead of the fruit.
Leo Domitrix 5 years ago
My jam (I am American) is made with the fruit. Jelly is made without seeds. Gelatin is Jell-O, or an additive to fancy desserts... So I figure we should call it "Fruit Goop" as my sister did!
Load More Replies...
CWF 4 years ago
Some people yeah but hopefully they just die off. Natural selection
Load More Replies...
CatWoman312 5 years ago
I couldn’t finish I think they chose the stupidest people they could find to ask questions about American culture. Some of these questions are flat out idiotic
Deborah Chapman 5 years ago
Yup, we really do all of that stuff. At least some of us do all of that stuff. The mom shut up thing varies from person to person. I didn't do it but my son unfortunately did. Question: what's the problem?
Miss Cris 5 years ago (edited)
They're not problems. It's just curiosity when in other places people do different things. Not worse or better, just different. Also it's interesting to learn that something you do in a way can be done diferent. For example, I also keep my medecins in the bathroom and never wondered why (Oh!). Wanting to know about another person or culture is wanting to love it. ;)
Load More Replies... Nevits Yibble 5 years ago
I really don't get the endless fascination here with American behavior. You can play this both ways. Do Australians really call ketchup "tomato sauce?" Apparently so. Do Americans give a f**k? No. Aussies are cool and can call s**t whatever they want
CWF 4 years ago
I mean America deserves to be ridiculed ngl (for the record I am in fact an American)
Load More Replies...
Drive Bee 5 years ago
I really don't get most of these questions, they are just normal everyday things, not anything hard to imagine or out of the ordinary.
Peko 5 years ago
Maybe they're asked by people to whom these things are neither normal, everyday, or ordinary.
Load More Replies...
Matthew Smith 5 years ago
My only question is why did American's vote for a bell end like Trump?
Jim Ellington 5 years ago
Because the other end of the bell was Hillary Clinton.
Load More Replies...
Beeps 5 years ago
I have one: do Americans really live in dilapidated or unfinished houses? In the movies or on TV you so often see them living in houses that either have the stud walls exposed, or, if they move into another house, the wallpaper will be peeling off the walls, and they just leave it like that through the entire movie or season.
Jessica A 5 years ago
Ok, 2 questions: 1. Is this going to be posted every week? and 2. Are any Americans answering these questions?
Marilyn Bojanowski 5 years ago
This is my first time seeing and yes, I am answering some
Load More Replies...
giraffescupcakesandlove 5 years ago
One thing I've seen many non-Americans ask is if we really have 2-3 months of summer break. The answer is yes.
K.Kobayashi 5 years ago
Well, the schoolchildren do, adults get maybe a week off.
Load More Replies...
Shelley McKinney 3 years ago
Canadian here. Most of these are true for us as well. Not all, but many.
CWF 4 years ago
Ok as an American: 1: Some of my friends have no-shoes houses, but generally people can wear shoes in the house. 2: Yeah some people eat peanut butter and jelly but it's not as common as it is in media (also it's not allowed in some schools because of nut allergy rules) 3: Yeah, mostly high schools and colleges but school mascots are common. 4: Yes. One time I accidentally put my retainer in the garbage disposal. 5: Yeah cereal is a good quick breakfast 6: Yep, not in all schools but it's very common 7: I don't think people do this but I'm not sure, my house has a tap that dispenses hot water so we don't need to 8: Not in my school (I go to a private school) but in lots of schools. 9: Again, not in my school but it's pretty common 10: Not at my school but yeah that happens, Girl Scouts also has the pledge of allegiance 11: Of course how else can I be ✨ fabulous ✨ 12: Yep, sometimes but not always. I'm running out of space so ill make a second comment
CWF 4 years ago
22: Some people dip the crust in ranch but I don't know anyone who puts ranch on pizza that would be disgusting 23: I don't think so, I sure don't but I'm not an adult yet so. 24: Only the rude ones. 25: Yes they're doctors that do doctor things with your eyes. Doctors for your eyes. Eye doctors. 26: Yes 27: A lot of American homes don't have fireplaces, and if they do, it's a fake gas one, so real fireplaces are kind of exciting. 28: Yeah some people do, it kind of sounds stupid 29: Most schools do that, I'm not sure why 30: Yes? what do you guys say?
Load More Replies...
Kaya Morris 5 years ago
I think I’m just weird because I don’t do most of these things... or they’re just in movies- no idea mates.
Jason Doakes 5 years ago
Articles in the past, with the same topic, as stupid as they are, at least had interesting questions, but this is just c**p
FABULOUS1 5 years ago
Sorry I find most of these if not all really stupid. Yes we Americans do different things that other countries dont do, and its made to sound like what people do in England, China or any other country is not strange to us. Like eating something called spotted d**k, at least in America most of us know not to put a d**k with spots on it in our mouths. These are always just so rude
Rainclouds Radio 5 years ago
America doesn't have roll on deodorant. That spun me out when I visited...
guy greej 5 years ago
Do american really have no pin codes or biometrics linked to their money. Like anyone can just take your card and go buy a house.
Noez 🇸🇪 5 years ago
At least half of these are not even close to being typical American things, and that's my opinion as a non-American.
SaraFromHell 5 years ago
Well..as an american..they are all yes for the majority of us!😂
Load More Replies...
elia 84631 5 years ago
Also, I know that American school year begins in mid August like the Northern European countries because of the climate and tο us in the early September
Rebecca Page 5 years ago
Ahhh good. Its been a few days since we made fun of Americans. I was starting to think the world started to care about other s**t. I'm so glad we have post #12,789,566 being snarky about us.
Jack Nimble 5 years ago
Do Americans really comment to answer year-old questions that are reposted from another website?
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
Truth Monster & Kat Hoth~ Thank you! Nice to see the Panda Spirit revitalized!
Lynda Momalo 5 years ago
There are rude people everywhere -- it's not polite to talk with food in your mouth, of course, but some people do.
Load More Replies... Kenny Kulbiski 5 years ago
The weird part is that someone would give a rat's a*s about Americans microwaving water or how they eat bacon. Apparently no one has the same questions about Russians, Chinese, or even Lithuanians. Give it a rest Panda.
Lynda Momalo 5 years ago
I think it's becase more people around the globe see American movies or TV shows than they see movies made by Russians, Chinese, or Lithuanians.
Load More Replies... Daria Z 5 years ago
Do Americans actually have that violent bullying culture at schools, with football players and cheer leaders on the social top and geeks on the bottom? Or senior students bullying first-graders? Please, tell me it's all a movie thing!
Luna Lovegood 5 years ago
It's not as openly expressed as in movies, but unfortunately yes. Bullying is a huge problem. Most schools "anti-bullying programs" are some posters and maybe a talk about how bullying is bad every month or so. I remember in seventh grade I was just the kid everyone hated for no reason. It got pretty bad and I was already dealing with some stuff that comes with growing up, but I know the bullying was a huge part of it. I know of lots of other kids who have had to deal with bullying too. It's really sad, but the whole social cliques and bullying thing is very real.
Load More Replies... Cassie 5 years ago
I think some of these have to do with a word meaning different things in different countries. Jelly in Europe, for example, I'm pretty sure is what we in the US would call Jello (which is a brand name of gelatin that caught on as the general term for that item). So, yea, we don't eat peanut butter and gelatin. Our jelly is a spread closer to jam but made from fruit juice instead of the fruit.
Leo Domitrix 5 years ago
My jam (I am American) is made with the fruit. Jelly is made without seeds. Gelatin is Jell-O, or an additive to fancy desserts... So I figure we should call it "Fruit Goop" as my sister did!
Load More Replies... CWF 4 years ago
Some people yeah but hopefully they just die off. Natural selection
Load More Replies... CatWoman312 5 years ago
I couldn’t finish I think they chose the stupidest people they could find to ask questions about American culture. Some of these questions are flat out idiotic
Deborah Chapman 5 years ago
Yup, we really do all of that stuff. At least some of us do all of that stuff. The mom shut up thing varies from person to person. I didn't do it but my son unfortunately did. Question: what's the problem?
Miss Cris 5 years ago (edited)
They're not problems. It's just curiosity when in other places people do different things. Not worse or better, just different. Also it's interesting to learn that something you do in a way can be done diferent. For example, I also keep my medecins in the bathroom and never wondered why (Oh!). Wanting to know about another person or culture is wanting to love it. ;)
Load More Replies... Nevits Yibble 5 years ago
I really don't get the endless fascination here with American behavior. You can play this both ways. Do Australians really call ketchup "tomato sauce?" Apparently so. Do Americans give a f**k? No. Aussies are cool and can call s**t whatever they want
CWF 4 years ago
I mean America deserves to be ridiculed ngl (for the record I am in fact an American)
Load More Replies... Drive Bee 5 years ago
I really don't get most of these questions, they are just normal everyday things, not anything hard to imagine or out of the ordinary.
Peko 5 years ago
Maybe they're asked by people to whom these things are neither normal, everyday, or ordinary.
Load More Replies... Matthew Smith 5 years ago
My only question is why did American's vote for a bell end like Trump?
Jim Ellington 5 years ago
Because the other end of the bell was Hillary Clinton.
Load More Replies... Beeps 5 years ago
I have one: do Americans really live in dilapidated or unfinished houses? In the movies or on TV you so often see them living in houses that either have the stud walls exposed, or, if they move into another house, the wallpaper will be peeling off the walls, and they just leave it like that through the entire movie or season.
Jessica A 5 years ago
Ok, 2 questions: 1. Is this going to be posted every week? and 2. Are any Americans answering these questions?
Marilyn Bojanowski 5 years ago
This is my first time seeing and yes, I am answering some
Load More Replies... giraffescupcakesandlove 5 years ago
One thing I've seen many non-Americans ask is if we really have 2-3 months of summer break. The answer is yes.
K.Kobayashi 5 years ago
Well, the schoolchildren do, adults get maybe a week off.
Load More Replies... Shelley McKinney 3 years ago
Canadian here. Most of these are true for us as well. Not all, but many.
CWF 4 years ago
Ok as an American: 1: Some of my friends have no-shoes houses, but generally people can wear shoes in the house. 2: Yeah some people eat peanut butter and jelly but it's not as common as it is in media (also it's not allowed in some schools because of nut allergy rules) 3: Yeah, mostly high schools and colleges but school mascots are common. 4: Yes. One time I accidentally put my retainer in the garbage disposal. 5: Yeah cereal is a good quick breakfast 6: Yep, not in all schools but it's very common 7: I don't think people do this but I'm not sure, my house has a tap that dispenses hot water so we don't need to 8: Not in my school (I go to a private school) but in lots of schools. 9: Again, not in my school but it's pretty common 10: Not at my school but yeah that happens, Girl Scouts also has the pledge of allegiance 11: Of course how else can I be ✨ fabulous ✨ 12: Yep, sometimes but not always. I'm running out of space so ill make a second comment
CWF 4 years ago
22: Some people dip the crust in ranch but I don't know anyone who puts ranch on pizza that would be disgusting 23: I don't think so, I sure don't but I'm not an adult yet so. 24: Only the rude ones. 25: Yes they're doctors that do doctor things with your eyes. Doctors for your eyes. Eye doctors. 26: Yes 27: A lot of American homes don't have fireplaces, and if they do, it's a fake gas one, so real fireplaces are kind of exciting. 28: Yeah some people do, it kind of sounds stupid 29: Most schools do that, I'm not sure why 30: Yes? what do you guys say?
Load More Replies... Kaya Morris 5 years ago
I think I’m just weird because I don’t do most of these things... or they’re just in movies- no idea mates.
Jason Doakes 5 years ago
Articles in the past, with the same topic, as stupid as they are, at least had interesting questions, but this is just c**p
FABULOUS1 5 years ago
Sorry I find most of these if not all really stupid. Yes we Americans do different things that other countries dont do, and its made to sound like what people do in England, China or any other country is not strange to us. Like eating something called spotted d**k, at least in America most of us know not to put a d**k with spots on it in our mouths. These are always just so rude
Rainclouds Radio 5 years ago
America doesn't have roll on deodorant. That spun me out when I visited...
guy greej 5 years ago
Do american really have no pin codes or biometrics linked to their money. Like anyone can just take your card and go buy a house.
Noez 🇸🇪 5 years ago
At least half of these are not even close to being typical American things, and that's my opinion as a non-American.
SaraFromHell 5 years ago
Well..as an american..they are all yes for the majority of us!😂
Load More Replies... elia 84631 5 years ago
Also, I know that American school year begins in mid August like the Northern European countries because of the climate and tο us in the early September
Rebecca Page 5 years ago
Ahhh good. Its been a few days since we made fun of Americans. I was starting to think the world started to care about other s**t. I'm so glad we have post #12,789,566 being snarky about us.
Jack Nimble 5 years ago
Do Americans really comment to answer year-old questions that are reposted from another website?
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
Truth Monster & Kat Hoth~ Thank you! Nice to see the Panda Spirit revitalized!
Lynda Momalo 5 years ago
There are rude people everywhere -- it's not polite to talk with food in your mouth, of course, but some people do.
Load More Replies... You May Like 70 Times People Saw Americans Embarrassing Themselves Online And Just Had To Take A Screenshot (New Pics) Non-Americans Were Not Prepared To Hear That These Unimaginable Things Are True About The US
Greta Jaruševičiūtė
Justinas Keturka
Related on Bored Panda
