Gamecock

I was buying a quick bite at McDonalds at the SAT airport. A couple from Germany was in line in front of me an just like back home they put the money on the counter. As I stepped up to place my order the gal working the counter commented to a co-worker how rude it is to put money on the counter.

I pleasantly pointed out that they were fron Germany and there it is proper to do just like the couple did. She was surprised, I winked and told her that the Germans just had not fiqured out the American way of doing things.

PTravel

I've lived in the US all my life and I've never heard that it was rude to put money on the counter. Then again, it's the US I've lived in, and not Texas.

BadgerBoi

i've done the reverse and attempted to hand the money to people in shops in France. Mostly they are ok about it, occasionally they'll make it clear that I should place the money in the little tray on the counter for them - I guess I just haven't figured out the French way of doing things

Ancien Maestro

I avoid handling money by paying with credit card. Beats fumbling around for change, and I get points for my FF habits.

durberville

Americans have never learned the phrase "you're welcome" and always reply to "thank you" with a long "mhmmmmm." It's very off-putting to this well-mannered Canadian :P

PTravel

Perhaps a well-mannered Canadian wouldn't generalize to the 350,000,000 citizens of another country. I always say, "you're welcome," as does everyone I know, and that is true of most everywhere I go. Your inaccurate stereotype is very off-putting to this well-mannered American.

BadgerBoi

If I go to a patisserie I have time to make my selection, practice asking for it in my best French while I'm in line (and you'll nearly always line up at a good patisserie) I'll be able to have the exact change ready by the time it's my turn to be served. A tiny bit of preparation on my part avoids the fumbling. The habit of handing the assistant the money is where I fall down after a lifetime of paying for things that way when I'm at home. It's so automatic to me.

I'm really not going to pay by credit card for something that typically costs less than three euros, and coming from a land where chip/PIN is the standard I don't experience the issues that some FTers might.

Huh? Americans appear to me to automatically respond with "you're welcome" when thanked. I haven't noticed it amongst other Anglophones - if you made that comment about my fellow Australians I would agree with you, as we just don't say it here.

durberville

Don't take yourself so seriously.

Of course my statement isn't true for all Americans. I was being facetious. However, I've (in my experience, my opinion, blah blah blah) rarely heard Americans say 'you're welcome' in response to a 'thank you.'

PTravel

Your experience is as limited as your civility.

Badenoch

It depends which part of the U.S. you frequent. "You're welcome" is more common in the northeast and northern Midwest but almost never in the South or West where the standard response to being thanked is a laconic "uh huh" or some similar sounding guttural grunt. I agree that to Canadian ears it does sound discourteous at first but you get used to it.

Ancien Maestro

Chip and PIN in Europe was surprisingly seamless. Always have trouble with PIN in North America, end up having to swipe. I've learned techniques, like even at movie theatres, I have to insert the Amex three times before the screen allows me to swipe. This is the same at the front counter and at the food kiosk.

I don't like carrying currency, and I've made it a habit to swipe the credit card no matter what I'm buying or what the amount is. It works well for the 99% of the amount of purchases we make.

BadgerBoi

I've been delayed more than enough by foreigners in front of me who don't know how to use their cards, try to use Amex and don't understand the concept of "we don't accept Amex, monsieur" that I'll stick to my quaint habit of paying in coins for a three euro pain au chocolat (or whatever small change it costs).

If you are going to depend on Amex in the part of the world we are discussing you are going to be very limited in your choices. Very many restaurants, for example, will accept Visa and Mastercard but just don't want to know Amex. It won't matter how many times you insert the card into the machine and then swipe, the merchant just isn't going to accept your card.

girliegirl23

I will interject to say this-- 9 times out of 10 times if I am boarding F, at least one male passenger will jump in front of me in line. I'm a young woman in my early 30s.

This rarely happens when boarding other zones, where in fact I often have men letting me in ahead of them.

redvelvetmartinis

I've had the same experience, even with J. I also get nasty looks, as if a woman cannot travel alone in a premium class. (If I'm traveling with a male companion, the looks or queue jumping never happen. Go figure!)

Ancien Maestro

Visa is a definite must in travel. I'm surprised though, how many establishments in Europe do accept Amex. Amex is a travel industry accepted card, and as we rarely travelled off the beaten path, we were able to pay for hotels, restaurants, and tours with Amex. I think I ran up $45,000 in one month travelling in Europe last year, and had to call in and ask the supervisor to increase the limit. No problem, as I've had a perfect payment history with all cc's.

But I wouldn't leave home without a Visa, that's for sure. I haven't had a Master Card in over 12 years. Master Card is a card I can leave at home.

Amex PIN works better in Europe.. never an error.

What's the rush getting to the Premium class seat? All seats are assigned.