US Survival Tips for Aussies

Customs and Traditions

• Tipping: Like it or not waiters, taxi-drivers, tour-bus drivers and even pizza deliverers expect gratuities. The usual tip for waiters is about 15% of the bill [check]. [In Australia tipping is much more optional than in the US. ie we rarely even think of it!]
  

  <...>I might add that the reason you have to tip is not just to annoy you but that waiters, bartenders, etc. make about US $2.25 and hour -- without tips they starve and die. Isn't US capitalism wonderful?<...> -- dgold01 (Feb 1996)

  This varies from state to state. In certain metropolitan areas such as New York you will be expected to tip for just about any service performed, and in some cases bribes may even be expected (that is, the "tip" must be paid before work commences). However, in the more rural areas of the country tipping is much more infrequent.<...> All-you-can-eat ("buffet") type restaurants can be tricky, most of them don't expect you to leave a tip (especially the larger chains) but a few do, however you will be notified of this via signs at the entrance to the restaurant, or a notice on your receipt. Tipping is never expected in fast food restaurants (those that do not have waitresses or waiters that bring your food to the table). Other than those exceptions, restaurants are about the only place where tipping is expected just about everywhere in the U.S. Commercial delivery drivers (United Parcel service or Federal Express) are generally not tipped, but those who deliver food or specialty items (flowers, etc.) may appreciate a tip even if they do not always receive one. And bear in mind that in the vast majority of places in the U.S., tipping really is optional, and a certain minority percentage of Americans (especially seniorcitizens) never tip for anything!<...> -- Jack Decker (Mar 1996)

  <...>Gratuities (tips) are not included in menu prices. It is customary to leave a tip equal to 15-20% of the total check if the service in a sit-down restaurant is satisfactory. (The amount can be raised or lowered depending on the quality of the service). Tips are not left at fast-food restaurants. If you order food to be delivered, it is customary to tip the deliverer 10-15% of the total check. Porters and bellmen usually receive about $1.00 per bag. Taxi drivers usually receive about 15% of the cab fare <...> -- Lynn Messing (Jul 1996).

  <...>I disagree very strongly with the person who said "tipping is always optional." Well, I suppose he can think so. It is considered very bad form not to leave a tip. Specifically, I'm thinking of restaurants. I would not recommend "stiffing" (not leaving any tip at all) anyone, unless you plan never to go into that establishment again... My feeling is: if you can't afford the tip, stay home. Tips not mentioned: at the hairdresser. You are expected to tip for each separate service if it is provided by a different person, for example: shampoo; color; cut and style. From what I can gather it would be $2; and 10-15% of their portion of the bill, respectively.<...> -- Kovacs, Andrea (Sep 2000).

  
  
• Taxes: Along with death they say this is the only thing for certain in this world. Any time you buy anything you are reminded of how true this is (in the form of sales tax). Each State charges different rates so depending on which State you're in will depend on how much you pay. [In July 2000 Australia too was introduced to the joys of a Goods and services Tax (GST). As the name suggests this applies to most goods and services in Australia. Unlike the US it is a flat 10% regardless of which state you're in. Also different is the fact that many retailers include the tax in the listed price.]
  

  <...>(Sales Tax) Oregon state does not have any but Washington State and California, it's 2 nearest neighbors do. Gets a little confusing for new visitors. <...> -- Len Rediske (Feb 1996)

  <...>actually both the u.s. and australia seem to have roughly comparable tax rates, i think about 25% across the board. don't mistake the fact that (sales) taxes are added on at the cash register in the u.s. for higher taxes. in australia the sales taxes are on the order of 18% plus but as they are included in the price of goods usually one does not realise the rate of tax being paid.<...> -- al klovdahl ( Feb 1996)

  <...>Sales tax varies slightly between counties and cities in the same state. For example, I believe the California state sales tax is 4.5%. Cities and counties are permitted to add on up to 3.25%, depending on their size.<...> -- Bryan Henderson ( Feb 1996)

  <...>In some states the sales tax applies only to certain items (for example, food purchased in a supermarket or grocery store may be exempt from the tax). The rules about what is taxed and what is not can be confusing in some states, and it sometimes pays to know what is taxable and what is not, because merchants will occasionally collect the tax even when they are not supposed to. In a few places cities charge a sales tax (usually not more than one percent) in addition to the state sales tax, but on a large purchase (such as an automobile) you might be able to get the additional tax waived if you can prove you live outside the city. The federal government has a tax on individual income and most states do as well, but a few states do not have an income tax on residents. It is pretty much up to each state as to how they choose to tax residents. The three most popular methods of raising revenue are income taxes (taxes on wages and interest income, as well as other forms of individual income), property taxes (taxes on real estate you may own, based on the value of the property), and sales taxes (a tax on products purchased at the retail level). There are other taxes that apply to businesses. Note that sales taxes, and things like accommodation taxes tend to be popular in places that get a lot of visitors from out of the area (the theory is that you can soak the tourists and relieve the tax burden on the local residents, since the tourists cannot vote in local elections). Sometimes you can save a few dollars by staying at a place outside of the city or county limits of a popular tourist area, where accommodation taxes are lower or non-existant. When asking for room rates at a hotel or motel, always be sure to ask if that rate includes all taxes. <...> -- Jack Decker (Mar 1996)

  
  
• Paying for goods via cheques [checks] is quite acceptable and a very popular method. Of course the cheques need to be drawn on an American bank. Also proper identification is needed. This usually takes the form of a driver's licence. Sorry Australian drivers licences or even passport will not get you far. In fact most places (in California at least) require a licence from the State of the store. [Don't even think about walking into a shop in Australia with a check book!]
  

  <...> Americans don't carry cash. This kind of tied in to what you mentioned about it being popular to pay for stuff by cheque. When I was back in Oz, most people I knew would withdraw sufficient cash from the bank to last them, say, a week. Here, I have found that people are more likely to visit the ATM every few days and withdraw $20 at a time. <...>-- Justin Ridge (Feb 1996)

  <...>In fact, this is rapidly changing. Many stores that would have taken checks a couple of years ago may now frown upon them. Credit cards are a far more popular way to pay in most every store, notable exceptions being fast food restaurants. (Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted, followed by Amex and Discover.) Checks drawn on a bank local to the store will still be accepted, with proper ID, at department stores and supermarkets, but will earn the check-writer great scorn from cashier and fellow patrons alike. -- Rick (Apr 2002)

  
  
• No EFTPOS? [In Australia you can pay for groceries (etc) and take cash out of your account at the same time.]
  

  <...>was amazed that something like EFTPOS was unheard of, like there was no way you could use your debit card @ Wallmart<...>-- Patrick Twining (Nov 2003)

  
  
• Privatisation: almost everything is run by commercial organisations. This includes hospitals, where the cost of a visit to an emergency room can start from $1000 - that's just for a viral infection! [Yes, Australia too is becoming ever more dependent on commercial organisations - but we still have a long way to catch up with the US!]
  

  <...> when is the last time you were in australia? :-) it is pretty much a world wide trend, for better or worse. (started with milton friedman - or actually adam smith - and was taken up by margaret thatcher with a vengance.) <...> -- al klovdahl ( Feb 1996)

  
  
• Compared to Oz there is a large difference between the classes. In any major city it would be quite normal to see people pushing shopping trolleys full of plastic bags around as their home. On the very same street you will see numerous stretch limos. [The great Aussie myth of a classless society is precisely that - a myth. However our extremes are far short of those in the US.]
  

  <...>America is a country of Dichotomies (sp?) The rich and the poor the fantastic health system (that some can't get into) the Waste, and the environmental movement's strength. Some Americans are very well rounded and have a good education, but many have poor education and MANY MANY don't know about ANYTHING outside of the USA.<...> -- Julian Elischer (Feb 1996)

  <...>it is rare to see the extremes you mentioned in smaller towns<...>. One reason you see many people on the street is that U.S. laws make it difficult or impossible to commit some mentally ill people to a hospital or care center, therefore these people wind up out on the street. <...> -- Jack Decker (Mar 1996)

  
  
• Almost anything can be done over the phone especially with a credit card! Everything from buying groceries to checking your bank (or credit card) balance. As a consequence high pressure telephone marketers are rife. They usually dial numbers at random, have some "great" offer, but never have anything you actually want. [This is probably an example of Technology Lag, as Australia has come a long way in the last few years with respect to telephone use. The US still has the edge on telephone marketers though!]
  
  
• Mail gets delivered on Saturdays. Letters can also be left in your own mailbox for collection. [In Australia its strictly Monday to Friday and no home-pickup. To send a letter you'll have to find a red post box not a blue mail box.]
  
  
• The Lucky Winner: Junk mail arrives every week declaring you to be a winner. Some of these sophisticated scams only guarantee a $1 prize and in exchange you pay many dollars a minute to claim your prize via a 1900 number (average call $27!). [The "best" of these schemes eventually hit our shores too.]
  
  
• Like Clive James correctly noted in the Telecom commercial, living in the USA requires making many choices. Everything from choosing your long-distance telephone carrier to ordering a sandwich requires decisions. To simply order a sandwich you'll have to explain in detail every single ingredient. [While you can now choose your long-distance carrier in Australia, other things you'll have to make do with what you get!]
  

  <...>My husband has just come to Oz from the States and big differences I've noticed of his expectations are:<...>He's not used to the idea that when Aussie's order something like a hot dog they just take it as it comes - I'm constantly telling him off for harassing shop assistants because their hot dogs don't come with a massive array of choices of pickles, cheese, sour cream, saurkraut, five different types of mustard, relish, taco sauce, whatever.<...> -- Alina Holgate (Feb 1996).

  
  
• Every State in the US has the power to make its own laws. As a consequence there are vast differences between the States. Taxes, road rules and criminal law are some of the things that differ. Even between counties there can be large differences. Every county has its own police force for example. [Australia too is a federation of States (federated a little over 100 years ago) and consequently each State has its own rules. Historically this has led to great differences between States such as each State having different gauge railway networks. However, there has been an increasing trend to standardise. Examples of this are the standardisation of road rules and common gun control laws.]
  

  <...>It's actually more than you probably realize. The U.S. government is the one that has limited power. The Constitution enumerates some particular things the federal government can regulate and specifically says the rest is under the exclusive control of the states. Remember the states (colonies) existed before the union did. <...> -- Bryan Henderson ( Feb 1996)

  
  
• Most supermarkets and even shops like Kmart are open 7 days a week. Some are even open 24 hours a day. [Longer trading hours are becoming ever more common in Australia. This is one area where the State governments have control. Consequently, there is no uniformity across Australia on trading hours. Even within each State the hours differ. For example, in Queensland Sunday trading has been around for a while in tourist areas, like the Gold Coast, but is still not available elsewhere.] Also worthy of note is the fact that you will not be asked to open your bag when leaving a shop. Instead you will find casino-style surveillance cameras protruding from ceilings.  [This is probably another example of Technology Lag, as surveillance cameras are quite common now. However many shops still reserve the right to check your bag as you're leaving their shop.]
  

  <...>My husband has just come to Oz from the States and big differences I've noticed of his expectations are: 1. He is constantly frustrated that you cannot buy anything you want 24 hours a day in Oz like you can in the States. He thinks the fact that most shops in Melbourne close by 5.30 weeknights and don't open on Sunday is a major violation of his civil rights. He is only now getting used to the idea that you actually have to check what time it is and consider what day it is before you boldly go out to buy something. <...> -- Alina Holgate (Jan 1996)

  <...> again, things are changing. the local coles where i live (in canberra, though i am in houston at the moment) is now open 24 hours a day and woolies is not that much different. coles basically drove the local corner shop out of business. <...> -- al klovdahl ( Feb 1996)

  
  
• There is a large range of over the counter drugs to be found in any Supermarket. You can find many brands of drugs for everything from cold and flu to diarrhoea. Pain killers alone fill half an aisle, each with specific purposes (eg headache, backache, muscle pains etc). Some drugs that require prescriptions in Australia do not in the US. For example some asthma medication can be bought over the counter. [In Australia supermarkets stock a limited range of drugs. Even in pharmacies you'll often need to give the pharmacist your details to buy certain over the counter drugs (including certain pain killers). Some drugs available on supermarket shelve in the US you'll need prescriptions for. Also, check with Australian Customs and Quarantine before bringing medication into the country.]
  

  <...>I've noticed I can't find any Panadol or even anything with paracetamol in it. <...> -- Becki (Sept 1996)

  <...>The ingredient found in Tylenol *is* paracetamol--it is also available as a generic. It is called acetaminophen in the U.S. -- Jennifer Harris-Frowen (Mar 2000)

  
  
• Codeine warning:

  <...>Aussies shouldn't take anything containing codeine within close proximity to travelling to the US and shouldn't take any with them. If given a drug test, they will have a 'positive' test for opiates and can be arrested. no opiate derivative drugs are legal in the US so they don't do a more selective test, they'll just assume you're on heroine, whereas all you did was beat back a cold with some panadeine. <...> -- Patrick Twining (Nov 2003)

  
  

• Americans are manic coffee-drinkers. Very large mugs are common place in offices. Stands that sell coffee (similar to hot-dog stands) can be found anywhere where people gather. The addiction with coffee has lead the way to the invention of electric mug-warmers for cars so there's no need to go an hour without coffee! [Over the last few years Australia has seen coffee shops sprout up like mushrooms. So don't worry about missing out on a caffeine-hit when heading down under!]
  
  
• Anywhere you find coffee in disposable cups (eg offices, McDonalds etc) you'll find straws to be used as teaspoons. Fine for coffee but a bit tough for squeezing tea bags. [McDonald's in Australia serves tea with solid plastic stirrers - a slight improvement on the hollow "straws" of its US mother country.]
  

  <...>"Straws" for coffee are really not straws but stirrers; maybe it's a difference in our terminology.<...> -- Carol Liu (Feb 1996)

  
  
• Tea is not very popular unless its iced. As a consequence not only is it difficult to get a good cuppa but also many (if not all) hotel rooms do not have electric kettles. Although some do have coffee makers. [The vast majority of hotels/motels in Australia have electric kettles. Very few have any other form of coffee makers.]
  

  <...> Tea is also gaining alot of popularity here in America. We have 3 tea shops in Colorado Springs, that offer a HUGE variety of teas from across the world - even Australia. <...> -- Rubyo (Jan 1996)

  <...>Tea (hot) is pretty popular here in NYC, tho herbal teas may have an edge. No argument that coffee reigns supreme, however. There's been a regular explosion (a migration from Seattle, the US coffee capital) in coffee bars/'emporia' in the last year. You have to learn a whole new vocabulary to order in some of these places like Starbucks (where those who serve you are called 'baristas') -- e.g. I'd like a tall double skim latte , or a double decaf macchiato with a twist!! (I can see it now, a coffee dictionary on the Human Languages Page!)<...> -- Carol Liu (Feb 1996)

  <...> if you ask an American about a "kettle" they will generally assume it is something you heat up on the stove, meaning you will get a very odd response if you want one in your hotel room. Electric kettles (at least in a lot of the US) are unknown. <...>-- Justin Ridge (Feb 1996)

  Tea is seldom served in the US outside of speciality stores and when served in restaurants you have to ask for "hot tea" or you will get the iced version. Even so the water has not often been allowed to boil properly and is not often hot enough (e.g. the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York gives you a jar of 70C water - no good). Indian stores usually offer a decent selection of loose leaf tea but you'll still have to find a teapot which are not common either. <...>-- David Collins (Feb 1996)

  <...> (hot) tea is popular in Reston but less so in Dallas (ask for "tea" there and you will get iced tea)<...> -- Grant Cartledge (Feb 1996)

  As a college student I REALLY I need my 'electric kettle', but in the states they go by a different name: hot-pots! (pretty cute, huh?!). Just wanted to make things easier for the Aussie travellers. -- Christine H (May 2000)

  
  
• It is very difficult to find any news about the rest of the world (including Australia) in the mass media. Unless of course there are Americans involved (eg peacekeeping). TV news is generally not really news. Its a mixture of current affairs, breakfast TV and cooking shows. The channel 10 news in Australia is a fountain of information compared to US news! [Australia has 3 free-to-air commercial TV stations (channels 7, 9 & 10) and 2 government ones (ABC & SBS). The government ones provide much more in depth news coverage. The best international news is undoubtedly from the multicultural station SBS.]
  

  <...>You're right about the news on radio and TV - appalling! However, there are a few places with *wonderful* community radio, esp. the stations in the Pacifica network, e.g. KPFA in Berkeley, CA; KPFK in Southern Calif.; WBAI in New York. They're an absolute goldmine of information and - dare I say it? - truth! Progressive/left-leaning in orientation, with great and substantive coverage of national, local, and international news. To a considerably lesser extent, there's National Public Radio, but it's become increasingly spineless and dominated by the interests of its corporate supporters. -- Carol Liu (Feb 1996)

  <...>National Public Radio is really good. The news is good. Here in Boston we have WGBH which plays classical in the morning and jazz at night as well as news during the day. The discussion of current issues is really good. Public television is good as well becuase you get to see the less popular shows you would never see on commercial television. <...> -- asmith (Aug 1996)

  <...>Sheesh, try reading The Telegraph or even the Sydney Morning Herald...cripes it's filled with Aussie sports dominance stories and stories designed to make everyone feel good about the "lucky country". Our papers might be parochial but they are not nearly as chest thumping or patronizing. -- ERIK STROMVALL (May 2000)

  <...>The best (and probably only?) world news on TV that is not all American centric is the BBC World News on BBC America. It is shown about 5 times daily - check http://www.bbcamerica.com for scheduled times. If only there was all Australian channel on American cable TV? <...> -- Daron Cooke (Jun 2002)

  
  
• Due to the legal system going mad with legal suits Americans have become paranoid about doing anything. This includes shops not allowing non-customers to use their toilets [restrooms] in case of expensive accidents. [Sadly, this legal fashion has well and truly hit Australia. This has lead to skyrocketing liability insurance and mass paranoia. As a consequence we've seen unthinkable things happen, such as festivals/events being cancelled and playgrounds being closed.]
  

  <...> i would imagine that one of the funniest things about america for foreigners is our fixation on liability and insurance. however, the reason why establishments don't allow non-customers to use their bathrooms is to prevent homeless people from using them. it's not because of liability. -- Eric Hollander (Feb 1996)

  <...>i think you're being too kind when you say that shopkeepers don't let non-customers use their toilets for lawsuit reasons. it's more likely profit motive - if you're not a paying customer they aren't very interested in helping you. (i'm surprised you didn't chastise us more on lack of public toilets - it's a bit of a disgrace in my opinion.) <...> -- Glenn F. Roberts (Feb 1996)

  
  
• As anyone who's seen any US TV show could tell you (that pretty much covers all Australians): kids don't wear uniforms to School.
  
  
• The Dating game:
  

  <...>Americans are not "going out with someone". They do not pass go, or collect $200, but rather go direct to "DATING" someone.. DATING is much more 'defined' than in OZ, or at least I find it so.. it's less of "meet a nice gal and get to know her", and more of the "would you like to go on a date next Saturday to see the new xyz film". If she'll see you a second time (you slob) you are pretty much dating. There is more a dating protocol that needs to be followed. Luckily the women seem to be a bit more forward, which makes up a bit for the rather strange rules.<...> -- Julian Elischer (Feb 1996)

  
  
• Religious conviction:
  

  <...>profound depth of religious conviciton held by many Americans. An Australian I know was amazed by the extent of church-going and religious evotion in general. In parts of the South, your neighbors would politely find ways to tell you that they disapprove of you cutting your lawn on the Lord's day.<...> -- JOHN SAWITZKI ( Feb 1996)

  
  
• Alcohol and the Sale of:
  

  <...>My husband has just come to Oz from the States and big differences I've noticed of his expectations are:<...>He's also found it difficult to understand that you can only buy alcohol at certain places. He can't get used to the idea that you can't buy beer at convenience stores. <...> -- Alina Holgate (Feb 1996).

  <...>Sale of alcohol is another complex issue: here in New York hard alcohol (vodka, gin, whiskey, etc) is *not* sold in supermarkets or drugstores (they sell only beer and wine coolers) but only in licensed liquor stores (closed on Sundays). This is also the case in many other places. In some parts of the south, there are even more severe restrictions, a few places actually being 'dry.'<...> -- Carol Liu (Feb 1996)

  <...> there are many locales in the U.S. that are still "dry". Until recently, you could not buy the world's best whisky, Jack Daniels, in Lynchburg Tennesee.<...> -- JOHN SAWITZKI ( Feb 1996)

  <...> Australians will always be able to drink more than Americans.... in fact, when alcohol is involved Americans are definitely "light-weights" while the rest of the world, especially the Brits, the Aussies, the Irish, etc. drink until they vomit. <...> -- Paul J. Mc Innis ( Feb 1996)

  <...>Down here in north Texas, the "Buckle of the Bible Belt", there are many "dry countys". Most of these allow the sale of beer and wine in supermarkets and convenience stores, but no "hard liquor" anywhere. It is not uncommon to see a whole row of liquor stores (bottle shops to us Aussies), where "hard" liquor is sold, in a county with no restrictions just over the county line from a dry county. Also in these dry countys, restaurants that serve alcohol usually require at least one member of a party to present a "Unicard", which is best described as a kind of "drinking license" or club membership. More recently, with the recent addition of magnetic stripes to drivers licenses, restaurants and clubs have taken to asking for drivers licenses instead of Unicards and they then swipe them through a card reader. Unless you actually enjoy receiving unsolicited junkmail, I strongly advise against giving your US drivers license to these establishment! s when requested because your name and address as stored on the license WILL be added to a database and the information then sold even if the waiter says otherwise. Instead refuse to give them the license and either use a Unicard or request to fill in a manual form. There is no law that requires you to supply your home address to these establishments. Of course, if you have an Aussie license on you then it is safe to give them that information as it will not end up on their mailing lists.<...> -- Daron Cooke (Jun 2002)

  
  
• Awareness and Isolation:
  

  <...> I have been surprised by Australians complete lack of awareness of their own history ( whether it be Gallipoli or Sydney Harbour). Americans haven't developed a much more advanced historical sense, but Australians are particularly poor in this regard. Whether or not either would like to admit it, the two cultures are very similar. Both cultures suffer from idiosyncracies and isolation. <...> -- Paul J. Mc Innis ( Feb 1996)

  
  
• Regional differences:
  

  <...>One thing that you touch upon that deserves more attention are the profound differences of all types between regions in the U.S.A. While teaching at the University of Connecticut in the business school, I always tried to accentuate the fact that business strategies could be nullified by assuming a homogeneous U.S. culture. Even though the telly has done much to superimpose a homogenous culture, many differences exist. Most of what I am going to relate is trivial, but we do have some major differences. For example, most of ourstate legal systems are based on English Common Law, but the legal system in Louisianna is based on the Code Napolian, a different kettle of fish. I cannot do justice to the very many differences that exist in this Heterogeneous country. I am a native born New Yorker, who had profound culture shock, and difficulty in adjusting when I was stationed by the military in different parts of the country. <...> -- John SAWITZKI (Feb 1996)

Comments from Australian readers are in green whereas comments from American readers are in red [comments for Americans are in grey].. All other opinions expressed on this page are my own and accept no responsibility for any interpretations or uses made of these opinions.