UK vs USA – 5 Things the British Do Better
What do the British do better? I’ve lost count of how many times people have asked me this on both sides of the pond. As an American living in London since 2013, I’ve had a long time to construct an opinion.
As someone who has dual US and UK citizenship, I’ve been able to observe differences that are large and subtle during this time.
I’ve written specifically about the differences between British vs American schools based on my educational leadership positions in both New York and London. And, generally give travel tips for people visiting London on this travel blog. However, another popular topic is culture and lifestyle.
So, these are some of the answers I give when the conversation happens with mates at a local pub or when I’m back in my home state of Florida having a catch up with childhood friends.
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1. UK vs USA: Eating
Let’s just start with the opinion that might shock you the most if you’re an American reading this and that’s food.
british food
Without a doubt I love the food in London more than American food. This surprises many Americans who firmly believe in the stereotype that British food is bland.
British cuisine is amazing and finding a great restaurant in London is super easy for me. There’s actually far too many to choose from in all price ranges. We’ve chosen the very best ones that we recommend and visit in our Insider’s Guide to London Restaurants for you.
I’ve made videos and written about the 10 Best British Foods to Eat in London and what British People Eat for Christmas, if you’d like to explore more.
But overall, the food here is fresher and has more taste, especially when considering vegetables.
No matter how you pronounce ‘tomato’, they have a real flavour punch in the UK.
A large part of that is the guidelines or standards in the UK are stricter. Specifically, the UK bans hormones in beef, has more detailed food labeling and requires certain food origins to be more transparent in the US.
Now don’t get me wrong, when I’m back in the USA I cover my Thanksgiving pumpkin pie with lashings of Cool Whip. And, I have my mom make me macaroni and cheese with good ‘ol Velveeta too.
But these are treats and the times I choose not to think about needing a chemistry degree to decipher the ingredients on the food label.
british table manners
Admittedly, I have yet to adopt the ‘fork in the left hand’ and other table etiquette guidelines of the British. That’s not because I don’t think they’re better. Quite the opposite actually. It’s because it is harder for me since I wasn’t raised or trained to eat that way, while growing up in America.
But, every time I go to a new restaurant launch or eat out with mates, I am reminded of how different the British people eat their meal. Their formal eating manners simply look far more elegant than what we do in the USA.
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2. UK vs USA: DRIVING
Let’s skip the debate about which side is the wrong other side of the road. What I am referring to is how British people maneuver a car and approach other drivers. Living in an environment where nearly everything is smaller in comparison to the USA, British people seem to learn how to move a car into a shoebox if the situation calls for it.
Aside from this, the proper demeanor they have in conversations and social interactions extends right on to the road. If you listen to the streets of New York City, you’ll be flooded with sounds of horns slamming, people yelling profanity and sirens screaming. Yeah, the sounds of the London emergency teams can really wind you up, but they aren’t against a background of angry people honking and swearing at each other.
British drivers nearly all seem to follow an understood system of giving way to someone who needs it on the road. Making a right turn (which would be against traffic here) isn’t too difficult, because people are fairly quick to stop and let you through. Instead, in the U.S. it’s always gut wrenching to attempt pulling out of somewhere and going the opposite direction.
And, the roundabouts replacing many traffic light intersections is genius.
3. UK VS USA: SENDING AN EMAIL
I find British people send emails that just sound better to the ear. The standard closing of ‘Kind regards,’ in the UK is one of the major differences when comparing writing from the two cultures. Americans generally close professional emails with ‘Sincerely,’ followed by their name. Whether or not that sincere sentiment actually exists could be debatable.
However, I appreciate the ‘kind regards’ closing because it seems like a softer expression. Perhaps translating to, ‘whatever the outcome, I wish you no ill will.’
Their spoken and written professional communication just has a friendlier approach than what you find in America.
Also, after living here for so long I’ve become accustomed to the ‘soft opening’. British people tend to start with a greeting rather than abruptly jumping into the email’s content.
4. UK VS USA: TIPPING
While living in America, I never really understood why we take on the aggravation and extra hindrance of tipping service employees. It makes so much sense to increase their actual wages to a standard equal to other professions and the work they do. When comparing the two cultures in terms of how the British handle gratuity, I have to say there’s no arguing. The British win this one hands down.
After living in London this long, I am fully ingrained in the non-tipping (or standard 12.5%) culture and love it! It’s so refreshing to order drinks at a London pub for Mr. Sunny and me and not have to try to calculate extra money outside of what the round costs.
I’ve written a guide to Tipping in the UK, which would be really useful to read before you visit London as an American.
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5. UK VS USA: HOLIDAY TIME
I can’t fathom only having a two week vacation per year, which is generally the standard in the USA.
In the UK it’s typically 20 days a year as a starting point. And that ‘away message’ on Outlook is like a trophy badge to those who are on holiday.
For example, when I worked as a Video Content Manager for London’s largest hotel group I received the message from a colleague below during my first week on the job:
I won’t be responding to emails this week because I am sipping Sangria on the coast of Spain.
When I tell my American friends about this they are shocked! In the USA when you go away there’s usually an expectation that you’ll probably check in with work or at least respond to the big emails.
And, to add even another layer to the mix, British people frequently work 4 day weeks. When I was in London schools, many teachers worked part-time. So, if you emailed them on a day when they weren’t at work it was considered ill mannered.
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FINAL THOUGHTS
Those are a few of the things I find the British do better. If you’ve lived in either country as a non-native, what are the differences you have found that you liked more in your new country? Do you agree the British do these things better?
What should we add to the list?
interesting post!
Thank you 🙂 I appreciate you taking the time to read it.
I have to disagree with the tipping. I was in a place in Covent Garden & as I was leaving, the staff actually chased after me & were yelling at me because I didn’t tip. I have never come across that here. If you tip, you do, if you don’t, you don’t.
Interesting comparison! I had no idea cops didn’t carry guns in London. Everything just seems more elegant in the UK!
Thank you for reading. Yes, most of them don’t carry a gun. It’s a tough job on both sides of the pond for sure!
When we were there this past April, we were talking to one of the mounted policemen outside the gate of St. James’ Palace. My dad mentioned to him that two years before they were able to get closer to the building and didn’t have to stand behind the gate. The officer said that it was due to increased security. He then followed up by saying “don’t worry, we have these nice plastic sticks to protect you with”! It was funny to hear him say that and really realize that they don’t have any other protection.
Thank for for reading, Kristy. Yes, they also are pretty funny here too ;-). However, it’s true, most of them don’t have much more than that when they work.
I think the UK ordinary supermarkets are better too! In the USA, Whole Foods and Trader Joes are great but expensive. The ordinary supermarkets, I am not a fan of the cheese, fish and meat sections. The meat looks grey, the fish colourless etc. The deli counters are the best way to go for cold cuts in the USA. Here even in Tesco, Sainsbury’s etc you can get good quality fish, meat, cold cuts. You don’t need to plump up for Waitrose quality but still get good food on a budget.
Great point, Shobha! I shopped mostly at Wegmans in Buffalo and really miss it. We had lobster tanks in the store! But, you are right. In the whole, there’s much better quality food here.
I find, in the States, Walmart has killed a lot of stores. As you drive around, there are few choices other than Walmart, as in Canada, we still have all those other stores to go to. Full service stores, like Canadian Tire, Loblaws, Sobeys, etc. Lots of big choices other that Walmart. I find Walmart is trying to lower prices, that they also have a lot of junk. I don’t do Walmart.
I’m a complete Roundabout convert. I love ’em. When I go back now, I get all righteous and find our countrymen don’t know how to operate in them, or how to back into a parking space!
The British also say ‘cheers!’ better. I still cringe as I’m just in the habit of saying it as part of buying something in a shop and when I’m over in the states and I say it, people makes such a big deal of it. It’s an underplayed nicety, which is also something the British do well, underplaying something. Subtlety in general, dry wit…
We all live in different countries but on the same planet. Things shouldn’t be different and maybe god knows why they are. I’m going to say that I am quite fortunate to see things differently because I have traveled the world and managed to make a huge amount but that shouldn’t change anything.
While our drivers in the UK might have more patience than New York motorists, please be a bit careful. You don’t want to get on the wrong end of a road rage incident. There are some right psychos on our roads.
I visit London yearly from my home in Canada. I always rave to my friends and family how wonderful the transit is in the city. Yes, the underground does get crowded, but you can get almost anywhere in very little time, and without spending a lot for it. I also adore the ease of catching a train for day trips outside the city. Another awesome thing about Britain as a whole is Pub Culture! It isn’t so much about the drinking as it is about meeting people. Love London!