What are some strange American customs?

[Kravanica]

Patriotism and support for the confederacy go worse together than any food with Vegemite.

Now just add the undeserved cherry on the top.

Problem #3:

Blatant sarcasm often goes unnoticed on NSG.

Problem #4:
My sarcastometer is broken

Problem #5: no repairman to fix sarcasometer

[Atlanticatia]

Patriotism and support for the confederacy go worse together than any food with Vegemite.

The Confederacy supports all the ideas that the Founding Fathers had when they created America. Support for the Confederacy is actually very patriotic.

"All men are created equal."

*breaks away from the North bc slavery*

[Furry Alairia and Algeria]

Amen!

I swear, this entire site misses the most obvious sarcasm.

Liberty, I hate to break it to you, but the amount of times we've exploded a whole store of sarcastometers is astounding that we're barred from any store that sells sarcastometers anymore in fear we'll kill/explode everyone/thing.

Though if you have one, let us share its knowledge

[Geilinor]

I swear, this entire site misses the most obvious sarcasm.

Liberty, I hate to break it to you, but the amount of times we've exploded a whole store of sarcastometers is astounding that we're barred from any store that sells sarcastometers anymore in fear we'll kill/explode everyone/thing.

Though if you have one, let us share its knowledge

Let's invade someone to get sarcasmometers!

[Farnhamia]

The Confederacy supports all the ideas that the Founding Fathers had when they created America. Support for the Confederacy is actually very patriotic.

"All men are created equal."

*breaks away from the North bc slavery*

Unfortunately, this isn't a thread on the Confederacy, is it?

[Furry Alairia and Algeria]

Liberty, I hate to break it to you, but the amount of times we've exploded a whole store of sarcastometers is astounding that we're barred from any store that sells sarcastometers anymore in fear we'll kill/explode everyone/thing.

Though if you have one, let us share its knowledge

Let's invade someone to get sarcasmometers!

Seems logical.
If we want another chain explosion of sarcasmometers and for none to be left for us to use.

[Burleson 2]

The Confederacy supports all the ideas that the Founding Fathers had when they created America. Support for the Confederacy is actually very patriotic.

"All men are created equal."

*breaks away from the North bc slavery*

It wasn't about slavery.

[Republic of Mezoamerican States]

This question is for ones who are not from the U.S. and think some of the ways of American life is strange. To me it's our passion for American football (although i live in the south ).

Fair enough.
But what do you mean by "American?"
The United States of America?
Or the continent of America?
You may think "American" refers to the United States of America, but I once knew some Argentines who would disagree.

[Kravanica]

"All men are created equal."

*breaks away from the North bc slavery*

It wasn't about slavery.

For the South it certainly was.

[Farnhamia]

"All men are created equal."

*breaks away from the North bc slavery*

It wasn't about slavery.

"All men are created equal."

*breaks away from the North bc slavery*

Unfortunately, this isn't a thread on the Confederacy, is it?

Locked for a few so we can all get on the same page.

[Pimps Inc]

It's called patriotism.

In which I still find weird. Same as how I find Mexicans in Texas waving a overabundance of flags.
Really, in Mexico, I never see such things, unless their government sanctioned places, or in places that has a flagpole.

But that's because of Mexican belief that Texas was stolen, I assume?

[Sam Westing]

Would catching and boiling crayfish in a creek near my house be a strange American custom?

I'm from Louisiana too! (assuming you are)

[The Liberated Territories]

Assuming an 8% sales tax (going by the NYS tax rate) and a 15% tip, it's 23% extra.

I usually tip 18% or 20%. I feel like that has slowly become the norm.

Has anyone else noticed that? I've seen people tip 25% recently, and many restaurant bills now recommend 20%, and less and less people tip 15%. Awhile ago 10% was the norm, then 15%, now 20%.

tipflation

[Alcase]

I usually tip 18% or 20%. I feel like that has slowly become the norm.

Has anyone else noticed that? I've seen people tip 25% recently, and many restaurant bills now recommend 20%, and less and less people tip 15%. Awhile ago 10% was the norm, then 15%, now 20%.

tipflation

I tip 0% if my service is anything below extraordinary.

If I feel like a million bucks I'll be more willing to leave some change on the table to pay the waiter's wage, despite the fact that it is the employer's job to pay the employee.

[Furry Alairia and Algeria]

In which I still find weird. Same as how I find Mexicans in Texas waving a overabundance of flags.
Really, in Mexico, I never see such things, unless their government sanctioned places, or in places that has a flagpole.

But that's because of Mexican belief that Texas was stolen, I assume?

Or because their culture is there. Being stolen has nothing to do with the culture remaining there unless there was forced deportation of people showing signs of Mexicanism, and were forced over the border to keep the tofu-like chameleon culture there is there.

But, I digress. This is about America, not Mexico

[Farnhamia]

tipflation

I tip 0% if my service is anything below extraordinary.

If I feel like a million bucks I'll be more willing to leave some change on the table to pay the waiter's wage, despite the fact that it is the employer's job to pay the employee.

Employees who receive tips are paid half the minimum wage. Leaving some change on the table doesn't help the waiter and is, in fact, insulting, especially if they've given you decent service. Excusing yourself by saying the service has to be extraordinary is just that, an excuse.

[Atlanticatia]

I usually tip 18% or 20%. I feel like that has slowly become the norm.

Has anyone else noticed that? I've seen people tip 25% recently, and many restaurant bills now recommend 20%, and less and less people tip 15%. Awhile ago 10% was the norm, then 15%, now 20%.

tipflation

It's going to be 25% eventually, I feel.

[Farnhamia]

tipflation

It's going to be 25% eventually, I feel.

I don't think so. I usually tip 20%. I've been vacationing in Miami Beach this week and the restaurants all add 15 to 18% automatically.

[Pimps Inc]

But that's because of Mexican belief that Texas was stolen, I assume?

Or because their culture is there. Being stolen has nothing to do with the culture remaining there unless there was forced deportation of people showing signs of Mexicanism, and were forced over the border to keep the tofu-like chameleon culture there is there.

But, I digress. This is about America, not Mexico

The continent?

[Furry Alairia and Algeria]

Or because their culture is there. Being stolen has nothing to do with the culture remaining there unless there was forced deportation of people showing signs of Mexicanism, and were forced over the border to keep the tofu-like chameleon culture there is there.

But, I digress. This is about America, not Mexico

The continent?

Depends on how you look at it.

[Forsher]

Oh, this. You go to a restaurant, and then you go to pay the bill and realize you have to add on 25-30% for tax and tip.

It's annoying as hell.

No, it's exploitative and dishonest.

Or they could charge more so it's included in the bill.

From what I understand, the Waiter's don't get payed by their workplace (Or only some places do) so tips is how they earn money.

Your literally just paying the Waiter and it can be whatever you want if you liked their service.

I haven't actually offered anything that's strange. The custom of spelling paid incorrectly is strange. It's P-A-I-D. Payed has an entirely different meaning and why bother with all the extra letters.

Say to said, lay to laid, pay to paid. The -ayed ones I can think of all have two letters in front of the -ay in the base form.

I usually tip 18% or 20%. I feel like that has slowly become the norm.

Has anyone else noticed that? I've seen people tip 25% recently, and many restaurant bills now recommend 20%, and less and less people tip 15%. Awhile ago 10% was the norm, then 15%, now 20%.

tipflation

If you're justifying the existence of tips with "That's how workers get paid" then you would expect this as said workers need to experience periodic wage rises to sustain purchasing power.

I tip 0% if my service is anything below extraordinary.

If I feel like a million bucks I'll be more willing to leave some change on the table to pay the waiter's wage, despite the fact that it is the employer's job to pay the employee.

Employees who receive tips are paid half the minimum wage. Leaving some change on the table doesn't help the waiter and is, in fact, insulting, especially if they've given you decent service. Excusing yourself by saying the service has to be extraordinary is just that, an excuse.

By participating in tipping you merely serve to help the system survive. It may be rough on the employees for a bit but if half of all customers stopped tipping something would have to change. Therefore, there is no ethical justification for tipping. You either hurt a lot of people for a long time or you hurt some people for a short time. Do less harm.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

It's annoying as hell.

No, it's exploitative and dishonest.

From what I understand, the Waiter's don't get payed by their workplace (Or only some places do) so tips is how they earn money.

Your literally just paying the Waiter and it can be whatever you want if you liked their service.

I haven't actually offered anything that's strange. The custom of spelling paid incorrectly is strange. It's P-A-I-D. Payed has an entirely different meaning and why bother with all the extra letters.

Say to said, lay to laid, pay to paid. The -ayed ones I can think of all have two letters in front of the -ay in the base form.

tipflation

If you're justifying the existence of tips with "That's how workers get paid" then you would expect this as said workers need to experience periodic wage rises to sustain purchasing power.

Employees who receive tips are paid half the minimum wage. Leaving some change on the table doesn't help the waiter and is, in fact, insulting, especially if they've given you decent service. Excusing yourself by saying the service has to be extraordinary is just that, an excuse.

By participating in tipping you merely serve to help the system survive. It may be rough on the employees for a bit but if half of all customers stopped tipping something would have to change. Therefore, there is no ethical justification for tipping. You either hurt a lot of people for a long time or you hurt some people for a short time. Do less harm.

The first thing that would change is a lot of waiters and waitresses not being able to afford their rent, and ending up on the streets.

[Forsher]

The first thing that would change is a lot of waiters and waitresses not being able to afford their rent, and ending up on the streets.

Sadly true. Maybe the US is too different to what I am familiar with but things should improve in the long term and in the short term there should be a safety net in place (i.e. welfare). It is simply better for everyone but the businesses if the entirety of their employees wages are paid by the business instead of forcing the employees to have to rely on tips. It is easier to make fair evaluations of options when the stated price is the full price for customers as well.

Tips are stupid. A system where they are necessary is stupid. And, frankly, unless some people get hurt I don't think you're going to be able to get rid of that system.

[Sheltton]

Any where in the southern U.S., you will find lifted trucks with over-sized wheels, that travel at 5 miles per gallon. I'd say the most civilized part of the South is Florida. In Florida you'll find many retired elderly people and the rest are just....................ex-criminal, hippie, springbreaking drug addicted pedophiles that are bums.

[Yumyumsuppertime]

The first thing that would change is a lot of waiters and waitresses not being able to afford their rent, and ending up on the streets.

Sadly true. Maybe the US is too different to what I am familiar with but things should improve in the long term and in the short term there should be a safety net in place (i.e. welfare). It is simply better for everyone but the businesses if the entirety of their employees wages are paid by the business instead of forcing the employees to have to rely on tips. It is easier to make fair evaluations of options when the stated price is the full price for customers as well.

Tips are stupid. A system where they are necessary is stupid. And, frankly, unless some people get hurt I don't think you're going to be able to get rid of that system.

Welfare is practically nonexistent. Unemployment insurance can cover some people for a limited time, but that's only if the person qualifies for it. You're looking at enormous suffering if that happens. I'm not willing to see that just to make a point that the system needs to be changed. it's not my place to play games with the lives of others and cause them agony, even if it is in the name of eventually improving their lives.