British TikToker Reveals The Real Differences Between US And UK Restaurants

While restaurants in the U.S. and U.K. have many similarities, there are a few key differences in the restaurant experience that the average person may not know about. One Brit living in America took to TikTok to share a few of the ways that dining experiences in the two areas of the world differ and his insights seemed to have struck a chord, as the viral video racked up millions of views and likes. It seems that people really want to ensure they're not committing any dining faux pas while abroad.

The first key difference that TikToker, Brenden Guy, highlighted has to do with beverages and no, it has nothing to do with pints of beer. Rather, it's that Americans are accustomed to getting free refills on beverages like fountain sodas, whereas Brits typically pay by the glass if they want that second glass of Coca-Cola. The second major difference is one that may pop up at brunch, if you're the type who prefers to order eggs rather than French toast. In the U.K., the default style for eggs is fried and runny, and it's simply assumed that's how they'll be prepared. However, diners in the U.S. are typically asked about their preferred style of egg preparation when they order.

Those that know a bit about dining in Europe just might have a hunch as to what the third difference Guy pointed out in his viral video was — and it has nothing to do with what's on your plate. One of the major stumbling points as a Brit in America, according to the TikToker, was wrapping his head around exactly how tipping works and how to make those puzzling calculations on a pre-tip bill total. Most Americans are very familiar with the general rule of thumb that a diner should leave about 18 to 20% as a tip on their meal. 

For servers in the U.S., the tip is often one of the primary ways they make their money, so shorting a waiter on the tip is considered quite rude. The rules are entirely different in the U.K., with the standard tip being about 10% when dining out, although Brits aren't typically tasked with tipping in pubs, while getting take-out food, or in other situations. Guy cheekily communicated this particular area of confusion by holding up a single quarter — which, unless you ordered a single almond, wouldn't really be an adequate tip in any American dining scenario.