10 Things That Are Considered “Fancy” ONLY in the USA, But Are Commonplace Elsewhere

Products and experiences from other countries are often seen as more luxurious or exclusive in the United States than they are in their country of origin.

Someone asked on a popular forum, what is a foreign thing that’s considered fancier in the USA than it is in its country of origin? and here are the top picks:

1. Global Street Food 

“American restaurants have a way of taking street food from other countries, making it slightly fancier, and selling it at a considerable markup. Ramen and tacos are probably the best examples of this.” said one.

“I was gobsmacked when a Ramen place opened up near my home, and people stood in line for an hour to eat it.” said another.

 

2. Imported Fruits

“Definitely. Imported fruits that don’t grow here are regarded as fancier.” said one.

“As someone who grew up in a country where mangoes are a common fruit, it’s interesting to see how they are perceived as luxurious in the US.” another added.

 

3. Bidets

Bidets are commonly viewed as a luxurious addition to a bathroom in the USA, while they are commonplace in other countries. 

“Not sure of their country of origin, but I would say seeing a bidet in someone’s house, I automatically think fancy vs. When I was in Japan, they were everywhere.” a user shared.

“Bidets. Americans will make fun of you for owning one. And then ask to use it and giggle about how fancy you are.” another added.

 

4. British Accent

British accents are often perceived as sophisticated and high-class in the USA, regardless of the speaker’s background. 

“British accents for a while. Even the ones from the poor and rural parts were fancy; as long as it wasn’t so far north, it became unintelligible.” said one.

“As someone from the U.S., I can attest that British accents are often viewed as fancy or sophisticated here, even when the speaker is not wealthy or from a particular social class.” another added.

 

5. French Cuisine

“I’d say French cuisine. In the US (and also in many other places around the world), French food is often considered to be synonymous with “fancy.” It is correspondingly priced that way. On the other hand, I doubt people in France view their cuisine – something they are exposed to daily – as entirely fancy.” a user shared.

 

6. Mercedes Benz

Mercedes Benz, a German car brand, is perceived as a luxury item in the USA, despite offering basic models in other countries. 

“Mercedes Benz. Luxury cars here in the US, while they’ve got everything down to basic econoboxes for Europe.” said one.

“In Europe, Mercedes sells econoboxes, vans, and other stuff. They do sell vans here now, but mainly they only sell their more expensive models.” another said.

 

7. Travel Destinations

Americans and Europeans often have different perceptions of travel destinations. While Americans may view the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean destinations less exotic, Europeans may see them as desirable. 

“The first time I went to Cancun, I talked with some well-off Europeans, seemingly well-off. They scoffed at the idea that they would come to Cancun when they’ve got unique destinations like the Balearic and the beaches of Greece & Croatia. Americans tend to treat Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean destinations the same way as they’re okay.” said one.

 

8. Stella Artois

Stella Artois, a beer brand, is marketed as a premium and fancy beer in the USA while being viewed as a cheap and basic option in Europe. 

“Stella Artois is considered a cheap beer over in Europe, and it’s marketed as a much fancier, premium beer here.” a user said.

“As an American, I find it interesting that Stella Artois is marketed as a premium beer here, as I had no idea it was considered cheap in Europe.” another added.

 

9. Sparkling Water

“In the U.S., sparkling water is viewed as fancy bordering pretentious. I am talking about plain water, like ordering at a restaurant, not La Croix. If you order water in Europe at a restaurant, you will get something like a Perrier; if you order a Perrier in the US, it’s seen differently.” a user said.

 

10. Bruschetta

Bruschetta is often considered a fancy dish in the USA, but it is common to use extra bread in Italy. 

“Bruschetta is pretty fancy here, but I hear in Italy it’s just something you do with extra bread.” said one.

“It’s also worth noting how the perception of a dish can change when it is introduced to a new culture. In this case, bruschetta has been elevated in the USA, perhaps due to its association with Italian cuisine and the popularity of Italian food in general.” another added.

We hope you enjoyed this article. Do you have any other things to add?

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