Only an american would consider "better customer service" being constantly interrupted by the waiter/waitress during a meal. When we - and here I'm going to risk speaking for a lot of people in a lot of countries around the world - go to a restaurant or a bar it's to enjoy a meal or some drinks and not because the staff is friendly. We talk to them when we order, when need something or we might even chat with them for a bit if they're not very busy and no one thinks it's a disrespecful attitude on the customer's part. It's not the person that makes the customer service better, it's the service itself. The "paying to use the toilet or to get ketchup in Europe" misconception that's been spread around in these videos by americans it's dangerously starting to turn into a "fact". Some public toilets in some countries, yes, but a McDonald's toilet? Sorry but that's BS! The same thing with the bread and the condiments: I can only judge by a few countries that I've visited besides the one I live in (Portugal, Spain and France) but I believe those things are also completely free in the majority of european countries. We need to end this false facts' trend before it gets completely out of hand. Apparently, living 4 years in "Europe" (we know he lives in Amsterdam but he talks like he's been living all over Europe) hasn't changed him in some ways because he's still spouting these misconceptions. Having many options in the supermarkets isn't necessarily a better thing, especially if you analyse them and find that there's little to no differences. It's just redundancy, waste of space and waste of your time.
I know right. I know of ONE paid bathroom, and that's S. Bento station in Porto. And the toilet in Aliados's McDonald's needs a password you get in the receipt once you buy something. Nowhere else have I seen any payment needed. Also, I don't want to be interrupted by the waiter every 5 minutes, I wanna eat, drink, chat with my friends, not people I've never met before for no reason. If I need the waiter, I'll call them.
Well said..here in UK we do have some paid loos but not in fast food restaurants and all condiments are provided at no extra cost but as a part of the meal...our choices in supermarkets are plenty...variety and options are huge...American goods seem just to be duplications of each other and all full of so many more crap ingredients than allowed in our food. We also prefer to be left alone when socialising and not constantly interrupted by waiting staff....I much prefer Europe's way of doing things.😊
Most toilets are free for customers. That means you have to buy something. The euro at the gas station on the freeways you get back when you buy something. Small effort for a DECENT loo.
@@Be-Es---___ - Not here in Portugal. As far as I know, roadside service stations don't have paid toilets. They're usually on the outside and locked, you just go to the cashier and ask for the key and they'll give it to you even if you're not buying fuel or anything from the store. The same goes for the motorway services but here there's usually also a café or restaurant where you can use the toilet for free.
is it better to be disturbed every 5min, while u are out eating with friends/family, or to be left alone until u need service?? also, in USA, they try to seat u, get your food, hover over u every 5min, make u eat fast and get u out the door, as fast as they can, so they can get new ppl in, to make even more tips... there's an American couple, living in Denmark, that thought the service was bad, until they found out they could just call a waiter over, to get what they want, when they want, and now they hate to be disturbed while out eating... they dont even go out eating, when they are back in the states, coz they hate the rushing and having waiters, hovering over them, all the time... they also spend 3-4h, in what ever place they are at, eating, with no1 telling them to hurry...
Yes. Many americans talk about how much worse customer service is outside the US... and that's why servers shouldn't be paid a living wage.. But is it good customer service, you get, though? I am getting the service I want in France or Norway.. by servers who like their job and let me taste the food and take in the atmosphere... in the US.. I don't think insincere begging and smiling, compared with constantly harassing or badgering me really is a measure of good service...
As a Brit (I'm not speaking for every country in Europe, just my perspective!!), with customer service in the US, I feel I'm being harassed, like I'm too slow, and it's constant interruptions in a store or restaurants. But, that's not what I'm used to, so not better or worse, just different! I've travelled to many US cities, the homelessness in San Francisco is outstanding, especially downtown, and way more than other US cities. Free refills and ketchup, in the UK, we have a sugar tax, so paying is another way of keeping check on sugar consumption for our health!
@@autohmae If you break the word down, it means stand out, so different to normal, and that can go both ways to be positive and negative. Good way to learn English though, through comments you see how people express themselves everyday! (And a lot of slang!!)
@@christinepreston8642 Yeah, you'd think so, right ? If I check dictionaries I only find two meanings: better than usual and something still needs to be done. Like a debt that still needs to be paid. They don't list the negative 'different from usual'
@@autohmae I checked my dictionary, and it says the same! So I checked the thesaurus, it says prominent, eminent, renowned, famous, famed, unforgettable, memorable, noteworthy, notable, conspicuous (just picked a few!). For general English, I think these can be negative too!
@@christinepreston8642 even if it doesn't mean what you are saying: it's close enough that it could mean that. So if you spread the word it can be changed how it's used by people. Language is alive.
Did you know that the tipping system as the US does it today was instituted to avoid paying black people fair wages? It just became used against all low-income service workers with time, but originally it was so Southern food establishments wouldn't have to pay their black workers properly. *Edit:* Also, most restaurants, fast food or not, in Europe does have free ketchup and the likes, not sure what he means about having to pay for it.
Great video, man, if you want to learn more about the obesity problem, public transport and what it has to to with city and infrastructure design, I can’t recommend you enough the Video The Gym of Life from Not just Bikes. And ofc there are some other really interesting videos, comparing Netherlands/Europe and the US, in many different ways when it comes to that.
Not only the sales tax, don't forget the health care premiums you have to pay that are cheap or free in Europe. And free things are never really free, it's just priced in the price of the products you buy.
I can definitely say he's speaking of the Netherlands specifically. Each European country is different, different laws, different social edicate and norms. Even going from town to town can be completely different experience
I think Americans who talk about "bad" customer service in Europe lack some understanding. He says customer service is taught, but if you visit a "better" restaurant in Europe it is very likely the staff went through years of training and certification. They are not acting differently because they are worse, don't have to beg for tips or are not taught better, but because that's what we as European customers expects them to do. If I am out for a 3-5 hour dinner with some friends to catch up and have to interact with the staff during a conversation or more than 3-5 to five times (meal order, another drink, drink, dessert/coffee, drink) I am annoyed. I am not there for the staff or likely the food, I am there to have a good time with the people I am with.
Perception of what is "good customer service" can be subjective. There may be a baseline as to what that is: e.g. for example, politeness, occasional check-in. However, cultures will differ as to what a customer may expect and what is normally offered by the company.
I've never heard about paying for ketchup outside a grocery store. .. and the only restaurant that demanded pay for the toilet I have encountered... was an american one.
The free - stuff thing (free toilet, free bread, free ketchup) in European restaurants is a rather specific thing that he witnessed. Maybe even somewhat exclusive to his experience in Amsterdam. Most European restaurants that I know, do still come with free toilets, free bread and free ketchup. It has to be a really touristy place to charge you extra for toilet use, extra bread or even ketchup or they have to be very specific places in Europe, where you'll find something like that, due to cultural differences or to exploid/counter tourist masses. But to be fair: this topic is a growing thing right now in many places. Many spots that tourists seem to love, have "upgraded" their business with these extra pay-walls or are planning to do that in the future. It's not a good trend.
I am guessing where he is at does it but still am not that convinced. Of course sides/garnishes will differ depending on the cusine. And the type of restaurant... For a table to not have at the very leas salt, black pepper, chili pepper, olive oil and lemon juice, and if hamburger/sandwich are included on the menu ketchup and maionesse(?) is inconceivable for me. Usually there will be bottled water, sugar, pomegranate molasses, and depending on the food served chili pickles on the empty (!) table too... When you sit, there will be bread brought without asking. Usually you won't ask for a salad, because generally at least a very basic bland one will be brought with bread. To dress or not as you wish and nibble on it with bread while waiting if you're famished, and that's a place with minimal service. Those are things you will ask to exclude, not order to get. (if you want a bigger or different salad let's say, or sparkling water etc or whole grain bread or flat bread etc.... then you do order) So, listening this, I am afraid of the blank table style gaining track around the world... I hope not....
In Denmark and I guess most European countries you also pay sales taxes everytime you buy something - it's just included in the price. In Denmark it is 25% added to the original price. It has been so for so many years we don't think about it anymore.
Its the same with sale taxes atleast in norway, the difference is the price on the menu or on an item in a store the tax is alredy in the price. But its still 12-25% tax on regular items..
In the US even your bread has excessive sugar in it. The supermarket you looked at is really not a normal thing in Sweden, it was a Maxi and it's one of the biggest we have, usually the supermarkets are quite small.
I think the dude in the video lived under a rock. I am from Scandinavia and it is quite like the Netherlands. First of all you can give tips at a restaurant. If you are satisfied and have a good service you give a tip. Not at a burger joint or at a star restaurant, but at your every day restaurant. No you usually don't dont pay to use the restroom/toilets. Some public toilets may demand a dollar but that is because they have employes making sure the toilets are clean. Life expectancy is really hard to react to. Because the US has more poor people it will drag down the average life expectancy and the missing social system will do the same. On the other hand the middle-class and upper-class in the US may have higher life expectancy compared to Europe. About the shopping options. I envy the US for that. Yummy Yummy. In my country we see the same groceries in every Supermarked. It is a pain in the ***. If you want variety here you go to small shops. Cheese-shop, Tea-shop, Coffe-shop, Bakeries, Butchers and so forth. And you pay double ;) - It is true that US people like to standout - to be one in a million. And it is true that this is not so much the case in Europe. Especially not in Scandinavia. This US self-fetish is hmmm bad and great. Never the less it is very much needed because the US system depends of 1 out of 100.000 having success while the 99.000 just have to live a rather harsh life. 20.000 of them living a poor life. But hey the american dream. It is very true that Europeans work to live. It has a lot to do with unions here demanding better work/life balance but it is also because employees here knows that you get quality from worker who are not totally wasted most of the time. Sorry this long response
Here in DK, shops are by law obligated to have customer toilets, some small shops offer you employees toilets. I have never paid for use of toilets in any European restaurant. Some restaurants offer free bread here too, not all. Grades are not given in primary school. Pupils in the 8th and 9th grade must be given standing grades at least twice a year, which reflect the pupil's fulfillment of the academic goals for the individual subject at the time the grades are given.
Interesting thing, taliking about sales tax. As far as I know (and I looked it up) the sales tax in the US ranges between 0 and 12% depending on which state you're in? In direct comparison that's not even that bad. To put this into perspective: In germany you'll pay 7% "Mehrwertsteuer" (pretty much the equivalent to US sales tax) on necessities and 19% on everything else (consumer goods or "luxury articles", a.s.o.); this also includes all kinds of services. The only difference is that our prices are posted taxes included; no idea why they're not doing it the same way in the US.
French here. Sorry but only public toilets are not free, if you go to Mac Donald's or any restaurant it is free unless you are a customer that pays a bill. It's the same in the Netherlands so I don't know what the hell he's talking about. For customer service I don't think it's better in the US, it's just very different. European people hate to be bothered every minute or staff asking if you are well or not, that's kind of rude to us !
In Sweden we don't really do small talk, of course the service industry is polite and helpful but not sickly sweet the way American staff is. I've been to the US once, and I feel sorry for waiting staff because they have to put up with so much crap from idiots and smile just to earn a tip, whereas in Europe the staff are paid a livable wage and will quickly shut down an arsehole.
i can say as a guy from Europe that the over friendly thing here isnt seen as a posetiv thing bc we have a diffrent mindset its not bc we dont like being nice its bc it can come across as fake all the fake smiling all the fake comments dosnt mean anything to us bc we know that the staff is suppose to say this kind of thing bc that is part of their work if someone comes up to u randomly being nice they often want somthing yet again being a fake and its kind of weird but im talking for myself i guess
As an Australian having consumed my fair share American content on differences in culture.. i have noticed a paradox that confuses me.. common courtesy is part of our culture when it comes to eating out/cafe culture.. but we dont generally talk strangers out of the blue just because or smiling at people walking down the street. In my observations having been to america.. and having watched culture difference videos way to much.. seems in america common courtesy to stop at the front door of a restaurant or cafe or shopping centre.. and use customer service (customer always right) bullshit as a reason/excuse to act like a spoilt child.. yet you smile at people strangers walking down the street.. pls explain
All the fast food options and large portion sizes and generally sedentary lifestyle that comes from driving everywhere and working long hours in an office are gonna make you overweight or obese, it's that simple.
free refills don't exist in other countries, and we don't want to be nterrupted every 5 minutes. Also I dislike having the bill put in front of me within a minute of finishing a meal. It feels like you are on a conveyer belt.
I know I do t have much subscribers and interesting content dar but I do have an opinion and if you ever want to do a zoom chat I'd happily offer you some opinion of a man who has lived in Spain France (as a kid) and as an adult now 15 years in real Netherlands 🇳🇱
I can't imagine having to pay to use a toilet! No paid bathrooms here in Australia. That's just wrong. He should try driving here, our cities are hours driving apart, heck even taking a plane between them can be 1-51/2 hours.
As George Carlin said ''If you sold sautéed raccoons assholes on a stick, Americans would buy them and eat them'' I'm laughing as i write this haha. One other reason Americans are so overweight is because you take your car almost everywhere, that combined with bad food... I've also seen a lot of videos of people explaining that when they travel/live in Europe they lost a lot of weight but when they come home they instantly gain that weight back and when they start eating american foods again some of them get really sick. So wonder what you guys have in your food..
@@joandsarah77 Ofc they have but it comes down to what they put into their foods. The EU have regulated and banned things that the F.D.A haven't, You can check out some videos of people in the US looking at the food ingredients and it's like 50 additives/chemicals for something as easy as a cake/biscuit. You just sit there reading the ingredients and thinking ''Wtf is that?'' and ''Why?''
@@ExclusivelyReclusive1 It makes it harder, but not impossible to buy basic ingredients and cook for yourself. If everyone stopped accepting and buying the packaged crap, manufactures would have to follow. Of course this won't happen, but individuals can.
no, he has not been to the Netherlands. I am Dutch. pay to pee hahaha really not.sometimes at public toilets. and everything else is often local or even personal, such as the mood of the waiter.
OK you just said you live in a small town do the zoning laws compare against Europe as much? or do u still, as NJB questions . Always requires your car
If I go to the US and see a nice waiter I may start crying becouse they need to pursuade me so that they can live a normal life It's like "I may not feel great, but I'm forced to be very very nice to this stranger... Hope they tip me... Nothing? No tip, again? Have I done something wrong? Am I the problem? Seems like I need to be very carefull spending this week again, becouse I'm not liked enough." OK, I may exaggerating, but you get the deal
Nah, not at all! I can’t stand random people interrupting me. When I go out to eat it’s to have good time with family and friends, if we need something we call the waitress. Same with shops and all, if I need help imma let u know. If not, do not bother me! That’s how the culture in Norway is. I’d walk out if I was bothered every 5 min, it’s a hassle.
Wealthy countries could eradicate homelessness If they wanted to. But it isn’t much of a vote winner. They did it in the UK when Covid was a massive problem now it isn’t they are all back on the street
only born American would call American customer service better. Its different but in my opinion as an European hardly better. Too intrusive, too uncomfortably fake, polite smile when one doesn't feel like it is one thing but this constant cheerfulness and exuberance without any reason and instant familiarity and questions that would be deemed personal in rest of the world used almost as form of casual greeting, not to mention constant hovering behind ones shoulder which would lead, if done to person with darker complexion, to racism chargers if its was shop assistant and not waiter doing it, is just borderline harassment and not enticing to make return visit( not without baseball bat to keep them at bay). I prefer to eat my food in peace and talk with my company without feeling of being spy on and made feel as im overstaying my invite the minute I stop chewing. IMO the stereotypically American mantra "customer is always right" lead only to abuse ones employees by management and to customers increasingly over the top demands just like further spoiling and never correcting already spoiled kid leads only to more frequent and more explosive temper tantrums but never to better parenting.
Only an american would consider "better customer service" being constantly interrupted by the waiter/waitress during a meal. When we - and here I'm going to risk speaking for a lot of people in a lot of countries around the world - go to a restaurant or a bar it's to enjoy a meal or some drinks and not because the staff is friendly. We talk to them when we order, when need something or we might even chat with them for a bit if they're not very busy and no one thinks it's a disrespecful attitude on the customer's part. It's not the person that makes the customer service better, it's the service itself.
The "paying to use the toilet or to get ketchup in Europe" misconception that's been spread around in these videos by americans it's dangerously starting to turn into a "fact". Some public toilets in some countries, yes, but a McDonald's toilet? Sorry but that's BS! The same thing with the bread and the condiments: I can only judge by a few countries that I've visited besides the one I live in (Portugal, Spain and France) but I believe those things are also completely free in the majority of european countries. We need to end this false facts' trend before it gets completely out of hand. Apparently, living 4 years in "Europe" (we know he lives in Amsterdam but he talks like he's been living all over Europe) hasn't changed him in some ways because he's still spouting these misconceptions.
Having many options in the supermarkets isn't necessarily a better thing, especially if you analyse them and find that there's little to no differences. It's just redundancy, waste of space and waste of your time.
I know right. I know of ONE paid bathroom, and that's S. Bento station in Porto. And the toilet in Aliados's McDonald's needs a password you get in the receipt once you buy something. Nowhere else have I seen any payment needed.
Also, I don't want to be interrupted by the waiter every 5 minutes, I wanna eat, drink, chat with my friends, not people I've never met before for no reason. If I need the waiter, I'll call them.
Well said..here in UK we do have some paid loos but not in fast food restaurants and all condiments are provided at no extra cost but as a part of the meal...our choices in supermarkets are plenty...variety and options are huge...American goods seem just to be duplications of each other and all full of so many more crap ingredients than allowed in our food. We also prefer to be left alone when socialising and not constantly interrupted by waiting staff....I much prefer Europe's way of doing things.😊
@@TheSupahBish - Well, you know one more paid toilet than me and I've been to all the major, middle and small cities in continental Portugal.
Most toilets are free for customers.
That means you have to buy something.
The euro at the gas station on the freeways you get back when you buy something.
Small effort for a DECENT loo.
@@Be-Es---___ - Not here in Portugal. As far as I know, roadside service stations don't have paid toilets. They're usually on the outside and locked, you just go to the cashier and ask for the key and they'll give it to you even if you're not buying fuel or anything from the store. The same goes for the motorway services but here there's usually also a café or restaurant where you can use the toilet for free.
is it better to be disturbed every 5min, while u are out eating with friends/family, or to be left alone until u need service?? also, in USA, they try to seat u, get your food, hover over u every 5min, make u eat fast and get u out the door, as fast as they can, so they can get new ppl in, to make even more tips... there's an American couple, living in Denmark, that thought the service was bad, until they found out they could just call a waiter over, to get what they want, when they want, and now they hate to be disturbed while out eating... they dont even go out eating, when they are back in the states, coz they hate the rushing and having waiters, hovering over them, all the time... they also spend 3-4h, in what ever place they are at, eating, with no1 telling them to hurry...
I would make a deal, leave me alone for the next hour or say goodbye to any form of tip.
Unless she's hot .
Yes. Many americans talk about how much worse customer service is outside the US... and that's why servers shouldn't be paid a living wage..
But is it good customer service, you get, though?
I am getting the service I want in France or Norway.. by servers who like their job and let me taste the food and take in the atmosphere... in the US.. I don't think insincere begging and smiling, compared with constantly harassing or badgering me really is a measure of good service...
Your friendliness is a nice thing,no question.don't change this.❤🇩🇪
As a Brit (I'm not speaking for every country in Europe, just my perspective!!), with customer service in the US, I feel I'm being harassed, like I'm too slow, and it's constant interruptions in a store or restaurants. But, that's not what I'm used to, so not better or worse, just different!
I've travelled to many US cities, the homelessness in San Francisco is outstanding, especially downtown, and way more than other US cities.
Free refills and ketchup, in the UK, we have a sugar tax, so paying is another way of keeping check on sugar consumption for our health!
As a non English speaker I've almost always seen outstanding used in a positive sense, it was kind of surprising to see it used in this context.
@@autohmae If you break the word down, it means stand out, so different to normal, and that can go both ways to be positive and negative.
Good way to learn English though, through comments you see how people express themselves everyday! (And a lot of slang!!)
@@christinepreston8642 Yeah, you'd think so, right ? If I check dictionaries I only find two meanings: better than usual and something still needs to be done. Like a debt that still needs to be paid. They don't list the negative 'different from usual'
@@autohmae I checked my dictionary, and it says the same! So I checked the thesaurus, it says
prominent, eminent, renowned, famous, famed, unforgettable, memorable, noteworthy, notable, conspicuous (just picked a few!).
For general English, I think these can be negative too!
@@christinepreston8642 even if it doesn't mean what you are saying: it's close enough that it could mean that. So if you spread the word it can be changed how it's used by people. Language is alive.
Did you know that the tipping system as the US does it today was instituted to avoid paying black people fair wages? It just became used against all low-income service workers with time, but originally it was so Southern food establishments wouldn't have to pay their black workers properly. *Edit:* Also, most restaurants, fast food or not, in Europe does have free ketchup and the likes, not sure what he means about having to pay for it.
Great video, man, if you want to learn more about the obesity problem, public transport and what it has to to with city and infrastructure design, I can’t recommend you enough the Video The Gym of Life from Not just Bikes. And ofc there are some other really interesting videos, comparing Netherlands/Europe and the US, in many different ways when it comes to that.
What i hate the most is whene im eating and someone is bothering me .
Not only the sales tax, don't forget the health care premiums you have to pay that are cheap or free in Europe. And free things are never really free, it's just priced in the price of the products you buy.
I can definitely say he's speaking of the Netherlands specifically. Each European country is different, different laws, different social edicate and norms. Even going from town to town can be completely different experience
I think Americans who talk about "bad" customer service in Europe lack some understanding. He says customer service is taught, but if you visit a "better" restaurant in Europe it is very likely the staff went through years of training and certification. They are not acting differently because they are worse, don't have to beg for tips or are not taught better, but because that's what we as European customers expects them to do. If I am out for a 3-5 hour dinner with some friends to catch up and have to interact with the staff during a conversation or more than 3-5 to five times (meal order, another drink, drink, dessert/coffee, drink) I am annoyed. I am not there for the staff or likely the food, I am there to have a good time with the people I am with.
Perception of what is "good customer service" can be subjective. There may be a baseline as to what that is: e.g. for example, politeness, occasional check-in. However, cultures will differ as to what a customer may expect and what is normally offered by the company.
I've never heard about paying for ketchup outside a grocery store. .. and the only restaurant that demanded pay for the toilet I have encountered... was an american one.
8:58 "bread"
you know you pay tips only becouse employers dont pay enogh..if you not tip..employer must pay "fair".
so you pay waitress, and employer get richer...
The free - stuff thing (free toilet, free bread, free ketchup) in European restaurants is a rather specific thing that he witnessed. Maybe even somewhat exclusive to his experience in Amsterdam. Most European restaurants that I know, do still come with free toilets, free bread and free ketchup. It has to be a really touristy place to charge you extra for toilet use, extra bread or even ketchup or they have to be very specific places in Europe, where you'll find something like that, due to cultural differences or to exploid/counter tourist masses.
But to be fair: this topic is a growing thing right now in many places. Many spots that tourists seem to love, have "upgraded" their business with these extra pay-walls or are planning to do that in the future. It's not a good trend.
yea, I have never ever had to pay for kertchup at a Swedish restaurant, and the toilet is always free.
I am guessing where he is at does it but still am not that convinced. Of course sides/garnishes will differ depending on the cusine. And the type of restaurant...
For a table to not have at the very leas salt, black pepper, chili pepper, olive oil and lemon juice, and if hamburger/sandwich are included on the menu ketchup and maionesse(?) is inconceivable for me. Usually there will be bottled water, sugar, pomegranate molasses, and depending on the food served chili pickles on the empty (!) table too...
When you sit, there will be bread brought without asking. Usually you won't ask for a salad, because generally at least a very basic bland one will be brought with bread. To dress or not as you wish and nibble on it with bread while waiting if you're famished, and that's a place with minimal service. Those are things you will ask to exclude, not order to get. (if you want a bigger or different salad let's say, or sparkling water etc or whole grain bread or flat bread etc.... then you do order)
So, listening this, I am afraid of the blank table style gaining track around the world... I hope not....
And to pay for toilet at the restaurant??? What? Where? Why?
In Denmark and I guess most European countries you also pay sales taxes everytime you buy something - it's just included in the price. In Denmark it is 25% added to the original price. It has been so for so many years we don't think about it anymore.
Yep, the VAT (or IVA here in Portugal). We have a general tax (23%) and then some lower ones (13% and 6%) that apply to specific services or goods.
Its the same with sale taxes atleast in norway, the difference is the price on the menu or on an item in a store the tax is alredy in the price. But its still 12-25% tax on regular items..
In the US even your bread has excessive sugar in it. The supermarket you looked at is really not a normal thing in Sweden, it was a Maxi and it's one of the biggest we have, usually the supermarkets are quite small.
Oh there are so many questions I have to ask you .. I smell a podcast in the works
It's little annoying that all the time he is saying Europe, but actually is comparing just The Netherlands with Usa
I think the dude in the video lived under a rock. I am from Scandinavia and it is quite like the Netherlands. First of all you can give tips at a restaurant. If you are satisfied and have a good service you give a tip. Not at a burger joint or at a star restaurant, but at your every day restaurant. No you usually don't dont pay to use the restroom/toilets. Some public toilets may demand a dollar but that is because they have employes making sure the toilets are clean. Life expectancy is really hard to react to. Because the US has more poor people it will drag down the average life expectancy and the missing social system will do the same. On the other hand the middle-class and upper-class in the US may have higher life expectancy compared to Europe. About the shopping options. I envy the US for that. Yummy Yummy. In my country we see the same groceries in every Supermarked. It is a pain in the ***. If you want variety here you go to small shops. Cheese-shop, Tea-shop, Coffe-shop, Bakeries, Butchers and so forth. And you pay double ;) - It is true that US people like to standout - to be one in a million. And it is true that this is not so much the case in Europe. Especially not in Scandinavia. This US self-fetish is hmmm bad and great. Never the less it is very much needed because the US system depends of 1 out of 100.000 having success while the 99.000 just have to live a rather harsh life. 20.000 of them living a poor life. But hey the american dream. It is very true that Europeans work to live. It has a lot to do with unions here demanding better work/life balance but it is also because employees here knows that you get quality from worker who are not totally wasted most of the time. Sorry this long response
Do you mean the 99 999? ;-) And I agree to every thing you wrote.
Here in DK, shops are by law obligated to have customer toilets, some small shops offer you employees toilets. I have never paid for use of toilets in any European restaurant.
Some restaurants offer free bread here too, not all.
Grades are not given in primary school. Pupils in the 8th and 9th grade must be given standing grades at least twice a year, which reflect the pupil's fulfillment of the academic goals for the individual subject at the time the grades are given.
David is still very American despite his time in Europe...
Interesting thing, taliking about sales tax. As far as I know (and I looked it up) the sales tax in the US ranges between 0 and 12% depending on which state you're in? In direct comparison that's not even that bad. To put this into perspective: In germany you'll pay 7% "Mehrwertsteuer" (pretty much the equivalent to US sales tax) on necessities and 19% on everything else (consumer goods or "luxury articles", a.s.o.); this also includes all kinds of services. The only difference is that our prices are posted taxes included; no idea why they're not doing it the same way in the US.
French here. Sorry but only public toilets are not free, if you go to Mac Donald's or any restaurant it is free unless you are a customer that pays a bill. It's the same in the Netherlands so I don't know what the hell he's talking about.
For customer service I don't think it's better in the US, it's just very different. European people hate to be bothered every minute or staff asking if you are well or not, that's kind of rude to us !
In Sweden we don't really do small talk, of course the service industry is polite and helpful but not sickly sweet the way American staff is. I've been to the US once, and I feel sorry for waiting staff because they have to put up with so much crap from idiots and smile just to earn a tip, whereas in Europe the staff are paid a livable wage and will quickly shut down an arsehole.
i can say as a guy from Europe that the over friendly thing here isnt seen as a posetiv thing bc we have a diffrent mindset its not bc we dont like being nice its bc it can come across as fake all the fake smiling all the fake comments dosnt mean anything to us bc we know that the staff is suppose to say this kind of thing bc that is part of their work if someone comes up to u randomly being nice they often want somthing yet again being a fake and its kind of weird but im talking for myself i guess
As an Australian having consumed my fair share American content on differences in culture.. i have noticed a paradox that confuses me.. common courtesy is part of our culture when it comes to eating out/cafe culture.. but we dont generally talk strangers out of the blue just because or smiling at people walking down the street. In my observations having been to america.. and having watched culture difference videos way to much.. seems in america common courtesy to stop at the front door of a restaurant or cafe or shopping centre.. and use customer service (customer always right) bullshit as a reason/excuse to act like a spoilt child.. yet you smile at people strangers walking down the street.. pls explain
All the fast food options and large portion sizes and generally sedentary lifestyle that comes from driving everywhere and working long hours in an office are gonna make you overweight or obese, it's that simple.
free refills don't exist in other countries, and we don't want to be nterrupted every 5 minutes. Also I dislike having the bill put in front of me within a minute of finishing a meal. It feels like you are on a conveyer belt.
I am.en expat from.the UK 15 years + before brexit even happend .. but I have so many thoughts ..
I know I do t have much subscribers and interesting content dar but I do have an opinion and if you ever want to do a zoom chat I'd happily offer you some opinion of a man who has lived in Spain France (as a kid) and as an adult now 15 years in real Netherlands 🇳🇱
We can for sure! Fill out this form
forms.gle/TpxsJSg82UmHtpWC8
@@darthetraveler I filled out the form as best as the British guy could enjoy
One question I wasn't asked is how I spell my channel name .. . I wish you luck 😄 think < t r, Edge_media
I can't imagine having to pay to use a toilet! No paid bathrooms here in Australia. That's just wrong.
He should try driving here, our cities are hours driving apart, heck even taking a plane between them can be 1-51/2 hours.
As George Carlin said ''If you sold sautéed raccoons assholes on a stick, Americans would buy them and eat them'' I'm laughing as i write this haha.
One other reason Americans are so overweight is because you take your car almost everywhere, that combined with bad food... I've also seen a lot of videos of people explaining that when they travel/live in Europe they lost a lot of weight but when they come home they instantly gain that weight back and when they start eating american foods again some of them get really sick. So wonder what you guys have in your food..
I'm sure they have fruit and veg over in the US, no one is forcing them to eat all those corn syrup and carb laden things.
@@joandsarah77 Ofc they have but it comes down to what they put into their foods. The EU have regulated and banned things that the F.D.A haven't, You can check out some videos of people in the US looking at the food ingredients and it's like 50 additives/chemicals for something as easy as a cake/biscuit. You just sit there reading the ingredients and thinking ''Wtf is that?'' and ''Why?''
@@ExclusivelyReclusive1 It makes it harder, but not impossible to buy basic ingredients and cook for yourself. If everyone stopped accepting and buying the packaged crap, manufactures would have to follow.
Of course this won't happen, but individuals can.
no, he has not been to the Netherlands.
I am Dutch.
pay to pee hahaha really not.sometimes at public toilets.
and everything else is often local or even personal, such as the mood of the waiter.
Bring the smile . .. watch others learn from how its done then just Doe normaal
OK you just said you live in a small town do the zoning laws compare against Europe as much? or do u still, as NJB questions . Always requires your car
If I go to the US and see a nice waiter I may start crying
becouse they need to pursuade me so that they can live a normal life
It's like "I may not feel great, but I'm forced to be very very nice to this stranger... Hope they tip me... Nothing? No tip, again? Have I done something wrong? Am I the problem? Seems like I need to be very carefull spending this week again, becouse I'm not liked enough."
OK, I may exaggerating, but you get the deal
Nah, not at all!
I can’t stand random people interrupting me. When I go out to eat it’s to have good time with family and friends, if we need something we call the waitress.
Same with shops and all, if I need help imma let u know. If not, do not bother me!
That’s how the culture in Norway is. I’d walk out if I was bothered every 5 min, it’s a hassle.
Wealthy countries could eradicate homelessness If they wanted to. But it isn’t much of a vote winner. They did it in the UK when Covid was a massive problem now it isn’t they are all back on the street
only born American would call American customer service better. Its different but in my opinion as an European hardly better. Too intrusive, too uncomfortably fake, polite smile when one doesn't feel like it is one thing but this constant cheerfulness and exuberance without any reason and instant familiarity and questions that would be deemed personal in rest of the world used almost as form of casual greeting, not to mention constant hovering behind ones shoulder which would lead, if done to person with darker complexion, to racism chargers if its was shop assistant and not waiter doing it, is just borderline harassment and not enticing to make return visit( not without baseball bat to keep them at bay).
I prefer to eat my food in peace and talk with my company without feeling of being spy on and made feel as im overstaying my invite the minute I stop chewing. IMO the stereotypically American mantra "customer is always right" lead only to abuse ones employees by management and to customers increasingly over the top demands just like further spoiling and never correcting already spoiled kid leads only to more frequent and more explosive temper tantrums but never to better parenting.
I find it hard to believe in the Netherlands you are taught To be average at school. ?
free stuff.... mooooore, like much mooooore waste of everything.
I know you've seen a lot of videos about Dutch people, so average!