Biggest food mix up...

Starbucks should give you two bags for the large cups, and you can always ask them to leave room.  They do the same thing with filter coffee a lot of the time if you don't say you need plenty of room for milk. I never order black tea from Starbucks because I am really picky about my black tea, but from plenty of experience ordering herb tea, if they aren't giving you two with a venti, they've made a mistake.

People in certain areas of the country think of tea as iced first.  Usually it's the South, but probably some places in the Midwest is the same.  You do need to specify that you want black tea because herb tea is very popular in the States.  Plus, you're likely going to have to specify that you don't want flavoured black tea as well, which is also common in restaurants.  But if the wait staff is a bit unused to tea, they might say "Oh, we don't have that.  English Breakfast, Earl Grey, green, chamomile, mint."  Why do I know all this?  Because despite coming from a fairly tea (as in British cuppas, not sweet tea) friendly area of the country, every time my husband wanted tea with his meal, I'd have to order it for him. If he ordered, chances were that they'd not understand him, and they'd end up asking him if he was from Russia.

Coffee's just more popular.  Once in a while you will find a place that does it right.  Funny thing is that the best time to find out if a place does tea correctly without actually ordering it to try it is to check it out when it's raining.  Americans tend to order tea more when it's raining.  You can see if they do the little pots, and if people seem to be getting proper brews.

I know - the ordering thing is my problem for not being more specific.  But I think I've learned my lesson now about ordering tea in unfamiliar restaurants - I think I'll leave tea drinking for home in the future.

But I think I've learned my lesson now about ordering tea in unfamiliar restaurants - I think I'll leave tea drinking for home in the future.

Or in the hotel room. You'll pry my tiny travel kettle from my cold, dead hands!

DH has adapted to ice tea pretty well, but was flummoxed at first when they ask if he wants sweet or unsweetened. He's even on to bubble tea now

Ach. First time I bit into a big fat dill pickle in Britain and realized they're pickled in vinegar, not brine.

I'll bet my face was priceless.

Another one from China:

When I was in Yangshuo I happened to be walking by a school when it let out.  A bunch of the kids immediate went and bought things drink thing that looked like it had chocolate floating in it.  I decided to get one.    It wasn’t chocolate.  I don’t know what it was, but it wasn’t good.   

oh, I love potato waffles with baked beans (but not for breakfast)!

First time I was taken to a fish and chips restaurant, I was a bit taken aback that there was no veg. or salad on the menu. So I ordered "cucumber". Turned out to be a big fat pickle.

What's wrong with mushy peas...what other veg would you want?

DW did the same when we went to an Indian restaurant, she'd not been before so didn't know what to order. I suggested a mild curry so she got a chicken korma and then asked about some green veg! At first she didn't really like curry, I thought that could be a problem as I love it, but after being here 3 years now she loves it!

I still don't get how a white sauce is called gravy!

I know! But try going to Rhode Island where they call marinara sauce 'gravy'!

One of DW's over here was asking for chicken salad, she expected diced up chicken in mayo. What she got was slices of chicken with some lettuce, tomato etc.

I remember having the opposite problem when we first moved to the US. My mother and I ordered chicken salad expecting a proper salad. Instead, we got a nasty gloopy mayonnaise-y mess with not a piece of lettuce to be seen!

Red sauce is called "gravy" by some Italian-Americans, particularly in the Northeast.  I think I read somewhere that it was a mistranslation.  Italian-American food is really different than Italian food, of course, and really should be considered distinct from it.

I never heard it called gravy until I got involved with a Long Islander.  I heard it called it sometimes in NYC, and almost always that in Western NY.

Red sauce is called "gravy" by some Italian-Americans, particularly in the Northeast.  I think I read somewhere that it was a mistranslation.  Italian-American food is really different than Italian food, of course, and really should be considered distinct from it.

Yes, we have friends in NJ that are Italian origin and they refer to the tomato based sauce as gravy!
A while back we were out with friends and DW said "We'll have to take a trip to the States so I can get some authentic Italian food", my and my friends just looked at each other and then I said "or we could go to Italy!"

I think the Italian food in America has more cheese and pasta in it because as immigrants they couldn't afford a lot of meat, fish, and some of the ingredients seen as exotic in the US. 

Although real Italian food is great, I prefer some of the Italian-American versions, like lasagne.  But I know a lot of British people who move to the States miss the British type which is closer to what you'd get in Italy.  My husband prefers the American type, and every few months he bugs me to make some.  I am not of Italian descent, though, so I doubt that mine would be seen as "authentic" by many Americans who consider themselves Italian American. 

You get good and bad everywhere.

My dad went to Italy and ordered some pasta in a small place.  He got a bowl of stuck together glop with Chef Boyardee type sauce and kethcup on the side.  Yum. 

What's wrong with mushy peas...what other veg would you want?

I do not consider mushy peas (or baked beans) to be a vegetable. 

When I first came to visit I went to a pub with some friends. I don't drink beer and I'm really picky about wine, but I didn't want to spend half an hour trying to read the wine menu written on the wall behind the bar (my vision isn't brilliant and it was dim). One of my friends asked if I'd like a lemonade; I said yes and he brought me a huge glass of Sprite and I wound up not drinking it 'cause I'm not huge on soda. My friend was offended that I'd asked for it (and he'd bought it for me) when I didn't want it and I mumbled something about it not being what I expected.

Another story, another pub, same friend: we - my now DH, my friend, and his wife - had gone to a pub for dinner and my friend made a big deal about placing our orders at the bar for us. At the end of the meal at the end of the meal his wife asked how we wanted to divy the tab and I blurted out, "But I thought Friend said he was covering it..." They now think I'm a cheapskate, but I really was confused 'cause I thought, when he insisted on taking everyone's orders up to the bar, that he was paying.   My experience with pubs in the US was that, when you have to go up to the bar to order, you also have to pay or open a tab at that time.

You get good and bad everywhere.

My dad went to Italy and ordered some pasta in a small place.  He got a bowl of stuck together glop with Chef Boyardee type sauce and kethcup on the side.  Yum. 

That's true. I've had really terrible food all over the world.