Why are Americans so charming?

[Neapolitan Ice Cream]

Every time I visit the USA I am bowled over by how charming, polite and giving Americans are. Us English folk tend to be a grumpy lot!

It's like, I get to my hotel in Orlando and everyone’s like, “Hi! How are you?! Isn’t it a great day? It’s fantastic to meet you! Can I take your bags?” Over here it's more, “Oh hi. Can I take your credit card?"

 

[Moliphino]

Haven't been to New England, have you?

We're kind, but we're not friendly or superficially nice.

 

[Pinnochio]

Haven't been to New England, have you?

We're kind, but we're not friendly or superficially nice.

Hey now.....

 

[Smugpugmug]

I'm from NJ but moved to MD and find people in MD to be friendlier, but I think it's a surface level niceness.

What I do miss from European countries is how employees in stores do not hound you as much as they do in the US. I hate how the moment I set foot in the store, I'm asked if I need help. Like, let me look around first

 

[Moliphino]

Hey now.....

I'm from MA, so picking on my own.

 

[TCRAIG]

Haven't been to New England, have you?

We're kind, but we're not friendly or superficially nice.

I disagree - having lived in both New England and the South East - I would say New Englanders are more genuinely friendly…at least to ‘outsiders’…

 

[Moliphino]

I disagree - having lived in both New England and the South East - I would say New Englanders are more genuinely friendly…at least to ‘outsiders’…

We're kind, not always nice.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes...ntiate-between-nice-and-kind/?sh=2b2edf78264e

 

[Pinnochio]

I'm from MA, so picking on my own.

just playing....

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Totally the luck of the draw who you cross paths with. Friendly, genuine people in US and Europe. Grumpy, miserable people in US and Europe!

 

[cabanafrau]

I've had lots of good experiences with the Brits visiting the U.S. being quite enjoyable fellow travelers, at Disney and other destinations on several occasions.

 

[C&Jx2]

Psychopaths.

 

[disneydreamer781]

I'm from MA too and I find it more generational and I can only go by my experiences. I'll be taking a walk and pass by people and say hello or good morning and just about every time it will be the younger person who will just look right through me and won't say a word. I'm sure many of them are kind but just not friendly. OTOH, older adults are more likely to wave and say hello. I just find that to be the case most of the time. Actually, many of the older adults will start to talk your ear off like they've known you for years. That happens to DH a lot at the local McDonald's. I've also learned that occasionally some of the friendlier people can become a PITA.

 

[fla4fun]

It's like, I get to my hotel in Orlando and everyone’s like, “Hi! How are you?! Isn’t it a great day? It’s fantastic to meet you! Can I take your bags?” Over here it's more, “Oh hi. Can I take your credit card?"

Well, under these circumstances, you do know they are trained and paid to behave this way towards visitors, right? When you work in the hospitality industry, you constantly attend classes and get quizzed on how to make the guests feel welcome. If you can’t make the guest feel special, you won’t have a job very long.

That’s not to say you won’t meet any genuinely nice Americans in your travels, but I feel like we probably have a similar ratio of happy to grumpy people as most other places.

When I visited the UK, I met many lovely people. I didn’t meet any grumpy ones at all.

 

[Minnie1222]

I'm from New England and I get suspicious of friendly strangers .

 

[Genie+]

I have to wonder if part of Millennials/GenZ interacting a bit differently in public from GenX/Boomer is due to the stranger danger being so heavily drilled into their foundation. Can that get imprinted on a subconscious level? Just making them less inclined.

 

[barkley]

Well, under these circumstances, you do know they are trained and paid to behave this way towards visitors, right? When you work in the hospitality industry, you constantly attend classes and get quizzed on how to make the guests feel welcome. If you can’t make the guest feel special, you won’t have a job very long.

i was thinking the same thing there was a reason myself and most of my theater buddies worked in the hospitality industry for a least some period of time-we could easily slip into character when we walked on property and become what our employer marketed to our guests. i used to SO identify with the opening scene every week on 'fantasy island'-'smiles everyone, smiles...'

in my limited travelings the hands down, genuinely nicest, politest, kindest people i've ever encountered were in canada.

 

[fla4fun]

i used to SO identify with the opening scene every week on 'fantasy island'-'smiles everyone, smiles...'

I never made that comparison before, but it’s so true! There was usually a mirror with a sign above it in the back of house, reminding you to smile and be friendly before going out where the guests were. . .

 

[BrianL]

Well, for one, if you're going to Orlando, presumably Disney, they are going to be extra nice there - they generally have excellent hospitality skills. That said, it does depend on where you go in the country. Some regions don't ahve a reputation for being overly nice and polite. Interestingly I think a common perception here is that Brits are exceptionally well-mannered, perhaps only surpassed by our Canadian friends. I'm glad that you have such a high opinion of the ol' US of A though.