Bidet toilets. I didn’t encounter them in Europe though. I was convinced to buy an attachment from a local company that manufactured them and install it on my existing american toilet by an immigrant co-worker of mine. Out of the 7 of us on our crew I was the last to cave in to his and subsequently every one else’s pressure. That was over 20 years ago and I’ll never go back to smearing poop up and down my butt crack with a piece of paper, no matter how soft the paper might be.
I’m now on my second bidet attachment from the same company. I’ll buy a third one if I need to.
*Sales tax built into the price
*Tipping is optional or nonexistent
*Metric system
But there are a couple more I’d like to add:
*Less puritan attitude towards alcohol (beer in vending machines)
*Waitstaff doesn’t bug you as much while you are dinning. American waitstaff are the most obnoxious on the planet. Every 5 fucking minutes in your face with “hows everything tasting?” Or “what else can I get you?”
Jesus gob, you were just here. Let me eat in peace or enjoy the company of my guest. Leave us the mother fuck alone for a while, will ya? Anyway, I notice that waitstaff in other countries are not that assholish.
You can leave tip, but it’s not mandatory. We call it “pourboire” literally “for drinking” and usually it is for rounding the bill. The waitress are paid enough by the restaurant.
I used to say that, on trips to Central/South American countries, if you wanted the check to come right after dinner, you should ask for the check the moment you’re seated.
Type A folks may not like it, but – like you – I enjoyed the leisurely approach that many (most ?) other countries take toward dining out.
So many places, “turning tables” would never be a thing, and – IME – they would never flip chairs, set them inverted on every table around you, and begin vacuuming while you were still dining (and closing time hadn’t even come).
I noticed in Brazil waitstaff stood in the back at a waitstation and (get this) waited for you to wave them over. I loved that. Absolutely loved it. I don’t care if it’s a Dennys or the Ritz, I don’t want to be excessively bugged while eating!
Much as I like the idea of sales tax being computed into the price, I don’t see that as feasible in the US. The sales tax at this Walmart over here would be, say, 6.85% for this county, while at that one over there, it would be 7.25% for that county. The retailer would have to account for tens of thousands of jurisdictions with tens of thousands of price points when printing their pricing.
I don’t get this in Chicago too much, but most other parts of the USA, the server wanting to be your temporary best friend is annoying. If I’m traveling, I’m often with people I haven’t seen in a while and sometimes a dinner is all the time I’m going to get to see them
And when you are trying to listen to something they are saying, or after you’ve just put a helping of food in your mouth, magically appears a waitress who says (in the most irritating voice ever, think Patty and Selma from the Simpsons) “how’s everything tasting?” You can’t answer because your mouth is full of food or you’re pissed because she just interrupted yours or your guests conversation.
One of my sons owns 3 restaurants. At the higher end bistro he’s taken this to heart. Each server has a small pager. There is a small button at the side of the table. They tell patrons something in effect of “if you need anything at all press the button. Otherwise I will leave you to dine and visit in peace”. And they don’t bother them during their meal unless they’re paged. I think this is brilliant! I don’t know why he doesn’t do this at his other 2 places.
I should have been clearer - in re France I was referring specifically to restaurants - but it looks like that what you assumed. In any case, apologies.
Here’s a cite regarding the practice
Unlike in America, cafes and restaurants in Paris and the rest of France include a 15 percent service charge in the check, which is required by French law. The words service compris indicate that the tip has already been included, so take a good look at the bill when it arrives.
If you’d like to tip on top of the service charge, a small amount is a nice gesture. Anything between 5 and 10 percent is considered generous.
As to when this became law/standard/whatever - I think we must have been told about it in the summer of 2018 (possibly '17), and if I remember correctly it was a relatively new development then. We were kind of instructed not to tip (this was in Normandy) - we had to covertly observe diners on surrounding tables for a few nights before we were comfortable that this was the new normal. It may be that locals don’t like to see tourists tipping, because having sorted out the proper payment of waitstaff, they don’t want the situation to become confused again if tourists do tip (because they don’t understand how the system works, and they are being polite).
One thing I wanted to mention was the postal banking system in Switzerland. I lived there for close to 3 years at various times. Whenever someone billed me for anything, they gave me a green card with their PO bank number on it. I filled in the amount, took it to the nearest post office, gave the clerk the cash and they would stamp it, tear off the stub and give it back to me as a receipt. Meanwhile the payee would have the amount deposited in his account. There was no charge for this to either party. If I had had an account, I could instead have filled in the green card and dropped it into a mail box. Very simple and universal.
Or, what if … hear me out here … the sales tax was THE SAME across the entire state?
A federal sales tax, universal across all 50 states, is a pipe dream. That would require folks in Alabama and in New Jersey to agree, and I don’t see that happening.
But what if folks within Alabama all agreed? And all the folks in Joysey? One statewide sales tax to bind them all …
I’ve wondered that myself on our visits to the US. We’ve had that type of pay system in restaurants and even pizza delivery in Canada for years. Your credit card never leaves your site. No idea why it’s been so slow to catch on in the US. Same with credit card PIN payments in stores rather than the old signature routine. That’s another one that has taken a long time to catch on in the US.
Not going to happen. On top of the sales tax most states have there are always pet projects that politicians want that results in an additional county or municipal sales tax. Do you think people in Gulf Shores would want to pay an extra state sales tax so people in Birmingham can ride buses? Remember the stadium sales taxes that got rammed up our collective asses back in the 90’s? Folks in Superior objected to the statewide sales tax paying for a stadium in Milwaukee.
Like I said, ain’t going to happen.
I don’t see what the big deal is. The same store already has different prices for the same items depending on where the store is located. even at Walmart. Why would incorporating sales tax into the price be that difficult?
When the USA finally started getting chip cards around 2016, the default is chip and sign. So, chip and pin probably won’t ever happen here. It’s beyond stupid.
I think tipping still exists in Ireland? I was there a few years ago and my recollection is that it was still the standard…
Speaking of Ireland, that’s the first place I came across this, and nobody had warned me. I’d flown the red-eye and wanted a quick shower before a meeting, but finally gave up trying to get the lights on and had to call the front desk.
I haven’t signed my name in at least a year. I insert my chipped card and punch in my PIN. (Sometimes, I don’t need my PIN, sometimes I can tap my card…)
But you said “So, chip and pin probably won’t ever happen here. It’s beyond stupid.” Where do you live that you don’t use your PIN for transactions? Or is it that you had to sign your name in 2016… did you think nothing’s changed since then? I’m trying to imagine a grocery store self-serve lane asking you to sign a receipt…
Legalization of recreational cannabis, alongside nicotine cigarettes and alcohol.
If there’s a place which forbids alcohol, I can understand forbidding cannabis. But if alcohol is permitted, I see no reason why cannabis should be illegal.
And on the other side, more restrictions for smoking. I really don’t like smelling like smoke, be it cannabis or nicotine. And I absolutely believe people should be able to smoke in their homes, cars, etc. But as soon as there are children around, I think it should be a no smoking area.
and usually it is for rounding the bill. The waitress are paid enough by the restaurant.