American fast food looks similar on the surface to most Canadians. However, the habits associated with it look completely different, including how people order and what they order, as well as what they expect to be normal.
Some of these habits came about because of American chains that never crossed the border, while others are from menus Canadians rarely see.
But the funny part is the fact that most locals don’t think twice about them in the United States. Here are ten American fast-food habits that Canadians judge, for one reason or another. Which one do you dislike the most?
Treating limited-time menu drops as an event
There are so many Americans who talk about limited-time items in American fast-food places as though they’re releases worth waiting for. According to QSR Magazine, these short runs pull crowds into restaurants.
But Canadians judge such a habit because it seems weird to line up or drive across town for a limited-time fast-food item. It doesn’t seem like a simple meal. Instead, it feels as though Americans are trying to chase a trend, as opposed to getting lunch.
Drive-thru is the norm
When you go to the majority of American fast-food lots, chances are that you’ll see two lanes of cars before you ever manage to find the front door.
It’s all because drive-thru ordering makes up a huge share of American fast-food sales. In fact, data from the Washington Post found that two-thirds of all fast-food revenue came from drive-thru services.
That’s not to say drive-thru doesn’t exist in Canada. However, it’s not the main focus over here, with data from the federal government predicting that the compound annual growth rate for drive-thrus in Canada will fall by 1.7%.
That essentially means they think drive-thrus are going to start declining in revenue in Canada, suggesting we don’t see them the same as Americans.
Large drinks can mean 32 oz and up
A large drink in parts of the United States looks a lot more like a small bucket than an actual cup. This is mostly because 7-Eleven started the idea with their Big Gulp drink, which is around 32 ounces. Practically every American fast-food chain followed suit with their huge drinks afterward.
But in Canada, it’s a different story. The majority of domestic chains keep their portion sizes smaller or limit them to refill-style fountain options. In fact, the largest size is usually only 21 ounces.
Ordering from the app while sitting in the parking lot
Don’t be surprised to see Americans parked outside a restaurant, scrolling through the restaurant’s app before they walk in. They might even do so before joining the line for the drive-thru. The truth is, mobile ordering has become an important part of American sales, accounting for around 14% of total revenue.
Of course, we do have mobile food apps in Canada, but the difference is that we’re unlikely to sit in the parking lot and order via the app. It seems a little lazy, in all honesty. Why not order directly at the counter instead?
Ranch as a regular dip
Ranch is almost everywhere in American fast-food restaurants, and it’s not something reserved only for salads. Americans will dip their fries, pizza, and nuggets in it. Even sandwiches go in it. In fact, YouGov data found that Americans rank ranch as one of their favorite condiments, although it doesn’t have the same popularity in Canada.
We tend to choose ketchup or something similar. Seeing ranch being such a common dish is a little strange for us because it’s not really something that we eat as often as our southern neighbors do.
Secret menu ordering
Bizarrely, some American customers will walk up to the fast-food counter to ask for off-menu builds that they only ever saw online. Taco Bell actually turned a few fan-created items into a digital menu. It’s that popular in the United States.
However, in Canada, most of us feel rather confused by such a habit because it makes ordering feel like you need insider knowledge. You can’t simply read what’s printed overhead.
The expectation of ice water
Ice water is the default option in quite a few American fast-food chains, without you actually needing to ask for it. Hospitality research has traced the custom to be a standard part of American dining norms.
For Canadians, it’s easy to judge this sort of habit because the sheer amount of ice makes the habit seem a little pushy or wasteful. You didn’t even ask for it.
Monthly drink subscriptions
You might be surprised to know that brands like Panera allow for monthly drink subscriptions. Yes, really. The Unlimited Sip Club allows people to pay a monthly fee to receive a drink every few hours, and that seems rather excessive to many Canadians.
It makes the simple act of getting a fountain drink into a membership routine. That’s rather unusual for fast food, and really only in America could you get a subscription at a fast-food restaurant.
Ordering soda as the standard
That’s not all for sodas. In the United States, breakfast doesn’t have to start with coffee, as data from the beverage industries shows that soda accounts for 25% of all drinks that Americans order for breakfast.
It’s something that Canadians tend to judge because, most of the time, we’ll get a hot drink first in the morning. Starting your data with so much sugar first thing is a little strange for us.
Tip prompts at a fast-food counter
Tipping culture in America is pretty weird. There are tipping prompts on screens in so many American fast-food restaurants, and you might be encouraged to tip before you even grab your tray of food. They’re even in self-serve fast-food restaurants.
To nobody’s surprise, Canadians tend to be a little hesitant when we see these prompts since we usually tie tipping to table service. The idea of having to tip for a quick pickup is rather wild.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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