Ask a Yank (non political questions) thread.

[lanejudy]

As we become a cashless society I wonder how things will change?

In the U.K. I don’t carry cash and haven’t done so for a long time, it’s only time before the US goes the same way.

Many people don’t carry cash - especially the younger generations. If tipping at a restaurant you can add the tip to the credit card charge. Cash might be good to have on hand for Bell Services or a pre-paid driver.

 

[CVG]

I'm a Brit. As others have said, I grab a load of $5 bills and spray them around for all the services received. The folks at the bottom have to live on a pittance - even at Disney - and it's a cheek to be a cheapskate.

 

[McCrae]

Many people don’t carry cash - especially the younger generations. If tipping at a restaurant you can add the tip to the credit card charge. Cash might be good to have on hand for Bell Services or a pre-paid driver.

Yep, I am taking some cash with me just to cover this. Longer term this wont be an option as we will all stop using cash.

 

[disneyseniors]

Another reason for paying or tipping with cash is that the restaurant is charged a service fee as well as the customer. I know this for a fact because we ran into this when we accepted credit cards at our business. We paid the company and the customer ends up paying the CC company. We encouraged paying with cash when possible.

 

[tony67]

As we become a cashless society I wonder how things will change?

In the U.K. I don’t carry cash and haven’t done so for a long time, it’s only time before the US goes the same way.

I don't think we are that much different - many folks don't carry cash at all - but cash is always more appreciated for tips IMO.
Still - the majority of tips in most sit down places these days is on cards - and it really has not changed the tipping - obviously it depends on the server and location - but 22-23% of sales seems to be the daily tip out on cards.

I always carry a little bit of cash - and there are still some places that are cash only - very few but they exist.
I think I've run into more places that don't take cash than only take cash in the last couple of years.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Tipping is never required. In places like counter services (Starbucks, Panera Bread, fast food, bakeries) people don't normally tip at all.

While on the same tips topic, I found it a little frustrating on my recent trip constantly being asked for tips even when just buying a coffee etc which isn't something we're used to doing in the UK. I take it from your response that most people wouldn't tips for things like this on a daily basis? I felt a bit bad not doing tbh.

You are not the only one. This is especially true in California where minimum wage is a whopping $25/hr. But, if you go practically anywhere else it is far lower, and in some places "tipped" employees are paid a sub-minimum wage because it is expected that they get tipped. Honestly, is it really the customer's job to keep track? It's annoying.

IN CALIFORNIA;
I do not tip for take-out. That could be a Starbucks, or a Chinese restaurant or pizza place where I have chosen to go pick it up myself. I have been in the restaurant for a minute - hardly taking your time. If I sit down and work at a Starbucks for hours at a time I tip, if food is served to me at a table and you took my order at the table I tip. That's it - simple.

Hotels - I tip for the day I arrive as the room was made up for me. I also tip for my departure day, and I'll tip every day the room is made up. That does not mean they just delivered fresh towels, that means they came in, emptied trash, cleaned the bathroom, changed the towels and made the bed. $5 /day is plenty - just for those days. It's a hard habit to break not tipping for every day as that was the norm pre-COVID.

 

[sam_gordon]

This is especially true in California where minimum wage is a whopping $25/hr.

Where did you get that?

On January 1, 2025, the statewide minimum wage increased to $16.50 per hour. With the change in the statewide minimum wage, the minimum exempt salary for California employees rose from $66,560 to $68,640 per year.

https://www.laboremploymentlawblog....uary 1, 2025, the,$66,560 to $68,640 per year.

Some cities (listed in the article) pay more than $16.50/hour, but no one is paying over $20 (unless the article is wrong).

This says fast food employees must get $20/hour. https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/minimum_wage.htm

 

[Lumpy1106]

Back to the OP - surely there are things besides tipping that people outside the US find strange. I personally loved the rant on Ted Lasso about parity in sports. Relegation is such a strange concept to those of us in the US but I absolutely love it. I wish they'd adopt that in college sports and stop it with all the playoffs. It's also strange to me that people in the UK have no problem with just a couple of teams being the only ones who win championships. That goes for Premier League and Formula 1 racing - probably other things too.

 

[CVG]

It's also strange to me that people in the UK have no problem with just a couple of teams being the only ones who win championships

You mean like how only American teams play in the World Series?

 

[Lumpy1106]

You mean like how only American teams play in the World Series?

More like how you can count the number of clubs that have won the Premier league in the last 10 years on one hand.

 

[McCrae]

Back to the OP - surely there are things besides tipping that people outside the US find strange. I personally loved the rant on Ted Lasso about parity in sports. Relegation is such a strange concept to those of us in the US but I absolutely love it. I wish they'd adopt that in college sports and stop it with all the playoffs. It's also strange to me that people in the UK have no problem with just a couple of teams being the only ones who win championships. That goes for Premier League and Formula 1 racing - probably other things too.

I must admit I always found the US taking a socialist approach to sports was a bit strange, where weak teams are rewarded with first draft picks and stronger teams get punished for success. It leads to weaker competition and poor long term performance .

 

[Lumpy1106]

I must admit I always found the US taking a socialist approach to sports was a bit strange, where weak teams are rewarded with first draft picks and stronger teams get punished for success. It leads to weaker competition and poor long term performance .

I am a fan of "Welcome to Wrexham". It's such a beautiful thing how the team and the community are inter-woven. Still, getting relegated - I can't imagine how much of a bummer that would be. What are you gonna do, move?

 

[A Squared]

Growing up in the 70s and 80s I saw alot of tv and films that showed US High schools where the kids drove to school in their own car! And wore cheerleader/ sports uniforms all day! Does that actually happen? Seemed totally out of this world to me at that time

 

[imbelle]

Growing up in the 70s and 80s I saw alot of tv and films that showed US High schools where the kids drove to school in their own car! And wore cheerleader/ sports uniforms all day! Does that actually happen? Seemed totally out of this world to me at that time

I was in a midwestern high school in the 70's and most of the students did drive themselves to school in their own cars or rode with buddies who had their own cars. On game days the cheerleaders would wear their uniforms and the players would wear their jerseys all day.

 

[lanejudy]

Growing up in the 70s and 80s I saw alot of tv and films that showed US High schools where the kids drove to school in their own car! And wore cheerleader/ sports uniforms all day! Does that actually happen? Seemed totally out of this world to me at that time

It's a mix. I was in high school in the 80s most kids walked or got a ride from parents (my high school did not have buses). The school had very limited parking for students so it wasn't as common. That same school today has turned fields into student parking because so many more kids drive to school today.

We wore uniforms (either full uniform or maybe just the jersey) on some home game days, particularly during homecoming week. DD's school now they also wear jerseys or *something* as a team (nowadays every sports team has a variety of t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. and usually the team decides one specific item that everyone buys).

 

[SnowBeast]

I always thought it strange how in the US a 16 year old kid is deemed responsible enough to drive themselves (and others) around on public roads where one wrong move could cause serious injury or death, but on the other hand they can’t have a beer in a pub until 21. Were coming back to Florida later this year and my son will be a few weeks off being 21 and my daughter over 18 so it tickles me that they will both have to sit and watch me sup a nice cold beer whilst they drink a milk shake.

 

[clappyclaps]

I've always wondered that too, why the drinking age is so high compared with everything else?

Another thing I've found interesting, completely unrelated to the above, is the sheer number of commercial breaks when watching TV and the abundance of ads for pharmaceuticals - all of which seem to have a concerning amount of side effects listed. Obviously the world of healthcare is completely different in the US to what we have in the UK but I've always wondered how these commercials go down for locals.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I've always wondered that too, why the drinking age is so high compared with everything else?

Another thing I've found interesting, completely unrelated to the above, is the sheer number of commercial breaks when watching TV and the abundance of ads for pharmaceuticals - all of which seem to have a concerning amount of side effects listed. Obviously the world of healthcare is completely different in the US to what we have in the UK but I've always wondered how these commercials go down for locals.

https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/underage-drinking/minimum-legal-drinking-age

 

[Lumpy1106]

Growing up in the 70s and 80s I saw alot of tv and films that showed US High schools where the kids drove to school in their own car! And wore cheerleader/ sports uniforms all day! Does that actually happen? Seemed totally out of this world to me at that time

I grew up in a rural area. We would not have been able to participate in before and after school activities (band and soccer) if we did not drive ourselves to and from school. We live in an urban area in So Cal now - DS was allowed to get his driver license once he finished his Boy Scout, Eagle award (and he did - it was a great incentive). DD was offered the same if she got her girl scout Gold Award - and she did not. Driving in So Cal scared her so she did not even want to drive. She now goes to a college out of state in a rural area and STILL has no desire to get her license.
Growing up, any varsity sport and the cheerleaders could wear uniforms on game days. Football players and cheerleaders usually did. I played soccer and we usually did not. My kids had to wear school uniforms and I don't think anyone in their school was allowed to. Both my older kids played varsity lacrosse and they never did for sure.

 

[SnowBeast]

I've always wondered that too, why the drinking age is so high compared with everything else?

Another thing I've found interesting, completely unrelated to the above, is the sheer number of commercial breaks when watching TV and the abundance of ads for pharmaceuticals - all of which seem to have a concerning amount of side effects listed. Obviously the world of healthcare is completely different in the US to what we have in the UK but I've always wondered how these commercials go down for locals.

I love those medical adds they are hilarious, usually they are aimed at treating some minor problem, but at the end you get the list of possible side effects, all of which are far worse than the original problem you were trying to treat. The next advert is then often a law firm offering to get you compensation for some medical treatment or drug that has caused these side effects..it’s bonkers.