Across the Atlantic: American and European Norms Collide

Eric Yu, staff writer

During the World Cup, several European visitors came expecting soccer and left talking just as much about massive American restaurant portions, limitless drink refills and irresistible ranch dressing flavors they wanted to take home. Those reactions might seem like small, amusing culture shocks, but everyday habits can indicate larger differences in how societies view food, work, convenience and social exchanges. Although neither the U.S. nor Europe can be reduced to a single culture, examining the diverging expectations between the two can help shed light on how differently people define “normal” and how much they still have in common. 

When it comes to culture, food and dining are among the key aspects that define it. American restaurants are often associated with larger portions, free refills and a vast selection of sauces and flavors, which may baffle European visitors. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has even noted in its “Eating Out” guidance that restaurant portions have grown considerably. In addition to larger portions, American food culture also comes with a hefty side of convenience, with food eaten away from home, such as full-service restaurants, limited-service outlets, caterers, etc., accounting for 56.3 percent of U.S. food expenditures in 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Together, these trends demonstrate how strongly restaurant dining and convenience have become embedded in American food culture. Despite these differences, food remains a crucial aspect of culture and social connection in both the U.S. and Europe. In fact, according to the Eurobarometer, 87 percent of European Union (EU) respondents agree that culture and cultural exchange should have a very important place in the EU. Thus, the spread and diversification of food and cuisine remain commonplace among both Americans and Europeans. 

Both Americans and Europeans agree and disagree on a wide variety of values. For instance, Americans tend to place greater emphasis on individual control over success, with only 31 percent agreeing that life is largely determined by forces outside their control, according to Laura Silver, an Associate Director at the Pew Research Center. On the other hand, about half of European respondents in both Western and Eastern Europe believe that success in life is beyond their control and determined by external forces. The gap between Americans and Europeans suggests that Americans may view success and failure as matters of individual choice, while a large percentage of Europeans are more likely to consider circumstances outside a person’s control. Rather than showing that one group values success more, the difference reveals contrasting ideas regarding how much influence an individual has over their own results. But the emphasis on individual achievement does not stop when teenagers become adults; it is also evident in how students approach academics, extracurriculars and college preparation. Students are often encouraged to distinguish themselves through grades, advanced classes, extracurriculars and college applications. Thus, success can feel extremely personal. Strong results may be seen as evidence of hard work and weaker results may feel like personal failure. But again, it is important to note that not all of Europe is on the same page across all matters and education systems. 

From giant restaurant portions to attitudes toward individualism, social norms reveal how deeply culture can influence “ordinary” behavior. Yet the similarities are just as significant as the differences. What seems bizarre from one side of the Atlantic may be a simple routine from the other, showing that “normal” often varies, depending on where someone learned it.