During my son’s first trip to Paris, he ordered a Coke. Sodas are a rare treat for him, and he was looking forward to gulping down an icy-cold drink after a long, hot day of traversing the city. However, his excitement dimmed when his glass arrived, chilled, but without ice.
When I flagged down the server to ask for a few cubes, she nodded knowingly. I knew what was coming. “Ah, you are Americans,” she said. I felt my cheeks flush, but simply said, “Merci beaucoup” when she brought a small dish of ice to our table.
My son and I aren’t the only tourists whose orders inadvertently outed us as Americans. From asking for ketchup to requesting the check in a hurry, certain restaurant behaviors immediately reveal a customer’s American roots.
Asking for ice
Asking for ice is an immediate and very common giveaway that someone is American, said Daniel Herszberg, the co-founder of Travel Insighter, who has visited every country in the world. “If they’re trying to be very American, there will usually be a specific amount of ice, such as ‘just half a cup of ice’ or ‘just a few cubes,’” he added. Most other cultures enjoy cold drinks from the fridge, but don’t see the need to add ice to make them even cooler, said Anthony Neal Macri, the creative director at the Italian Calabria Food Fest. In Italy, “Ice is for a Negroni or to put on an injury,” he explained.
