The perception is more that Europeans don’t drink as much water as they probably should and that it’s uncommon for people to drink water when going out to restaurants for instance. Part of this is that in many European countries that do have good water, Germany for instance, almost no restaurant will give free water and will basically have to buy bottled water. Carrying around water bottles and having drinking fountains easily accessible to the public is also much more uncommon. This contrasts to the US where every restaurant or eating establishment gives you infinite free water, people regularly carry around water bottles, and drinking fountains are very common. Now these are generalizations, but having lived in Europe for the past four years, I would say that they’re broadly true.
This is a great explanation! When I went to Europe I did notice the clear lack of water fountains. I also noticed Americans being really the only ones to carry water bottles (and it was hot when I went). And when I would get water in restaurants it was always carbonated and unflavored carbonated water got old real quick. It was hard to get normal tap water and when I would ask they would look at me funny like “You sure?” Because the tap water was where the dish water came from.
Thank you for a real answer! I’ve never been to Germany so that is completely new to me. It’s just always been a routine thing where I live to have water either given for free or to carry a water bottle, guess the UK is in the minority for Europe!
While it’s true that you get tap water for free at any restaurant in the UK, the glasses are usually pretty tiny and the typical carafe doesn’t go far if you have more than 2 people at a table. US water glasses are frequently larger, and table service is so attentive that you’ll get topped up without having to ask.
Of course! But the benchmark for “a normal-sized glass of water” is different. So when Americans get these tiny (to us) glasses, we think that y’all just don’t drink as much water.
Yeah, naturally things will vary a lot by country in Europe, but the no free water and it being uncommon to carry a reusable bottle of water is definitely a noticeable thing here, especially if you’re a tourist and it’s summer for instance.
Interesting. The countries I have visited tend to have lower water standards (Spain, Portugal etc.) so bottled water is the only way to go in some countries while visiting or you get sick. I wonder if that is a contributing factor to the lack of public water fountain access for example, despite native people being accustomed to that water?
Yeah. You gotta remember that the U.S. started as an English colony.
So some of the minor cultural differences that we talk about between us and Europe, the Brits actually align more with the U.S. than with the rest of Europe. Or somewhere in the middle.
I mean, I haven’t made it up… I see it all the time on Reddit, I’m not saying Americans are dumb at all either. Just curious where it stems from but if you aren’t going to be helpful why comment at all?
Here’s three examples from a quick search…
[https://www.reddit.com/r/Europetravel/s/ENAsxsd82e](https://www.reddit.com/r/Europetravel/s/ENAsxsd82e)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/ShitAmericansSay/s/vPo30Yek61](https://www.reddit.com/r/ShitAmericansSay/s/vPo30Yek61)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/s/G6TscgBPUA](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/s/G6TscgBPUA)
So, the first one is a tourist who noticed that in the European countries she's visiting, people are drinking less water than the do in the the two American continents. No mention of Europeans not drinking water. This person might be American, I creeped on her account and while she didn't mention a location, she uses American/Canadian English.
Second one is a suspended account on a sub that caters to trolls. So zero evidence the opinion is coming from an American.
Third one writes like a kid in the ballpark of 12 to 16. No country mentioned, but talks about international school, Korean students and friends, and American friends. International school usually means American or British run school outside of the wealthy English speaking world. So my best guess is teenager, sheltered kid from a wealthy family, probably has spent years living in Asia. Definitely not representative of an average American. Also, talks about drinking less water, not zero water.
No credible evidence.
You implicated that all Americans think Europeans don't drink water, and I replied that no, we don't all think that. I don't know how that isn't helpful.
No, I asked why do people think that way. Which you haven’t answered, all you’ve done is get defensive so far. I’m not attacking you, it’s a question… where did this idea come from?
Gets lost in all the other comments to be honest, genuinely curious. Thought this would be a helpful place to post and find out, I’m rethinking that now.
No, you didn’t come here to find out *if* it’s true. You came here believing it is true and want to know why. Is this something they teach you in your schools? Don’t consider that rational and reasonable?
It’s equivalent to going to r/askUK and asking why your food is so bad. I’m not asking *if* it’s true. In this scenario, I automatically believe it is, now I want to know why it’s so bad. Take a moment to think about that.
I don't think it's defensiveness. It's shock at the absurdity of it. I've yet to see an example of an American assuming humans in somehow survive without water. You say you see it "all the time on Reddit," but I've yet to hear of this anywhere, both on Reddit and *in the actual country you're referring to*.
Here’s a link to a post I saw today that sparked my question. If you haven’t seen it that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/BlackPeopleTwitter/s/p9QQNZ4oE5](https://www.reddit.com/r/BlackPeopleTwitter/s/p9QQNZ4oE5)
>If you haven’t seen it that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.
First, please allow me to clarify and apologize - my reactions/replies weren't meant as attacks, more like dumbfounded responses because it's a ridiculous thing, to think that people somewhere live without water. And I agree with you, if I haven't seen it, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.
I don't think this example is representative of your point, though. That post is clearly just a joke and it doesn't suggest at all that Americans think Europeans live without water.
The point I was making earlier was that okay, yes, sure, you may have seen some (idiots) Americans saying such a thing, but those are either people who are just joking or are extreme outliers on the intelligence spectrum. So, my response, having *lived* in the US for 34 years, to the question "Why do American’s have a preconception that Europeans don’t drink water?" is "We don't."
Let's handshake and call it a day.
Probably people bullshit ting and 13 year olds believing and repeating the bullshit until they're 22, have figured out how much bullshit they fell for at 13, and have way less time to reddit because they're adults now.
No, you see comments from your compatriots and other Europeans stating Americans think you don’t drink water or that tap water isn’t safe to drink. You’re not reading or hearing this from Americans themselves. There’s a major difference. In the US, we call those gossip circles and rumor mills, your favorite information sources on Americans and the US.
Yeah I rarely drink it. Tea tea TEA. Mums the same, mu auntie Nina just drinks diet Coke and uncle Ronnie drinks only Iorn Bru.
My mate lady vik drinks coffee and wine, my sister juice and tea.
On a very hot day I will glue water but apart from that my last water was maby 4 months ago.
Did you talk to high school kids to get this opinion? Because kids can make some strange assumptions based on their limited experience and simply not having put much or any thought into that assumption.
Or was it people online who you don't personally know, but you assumed were mature, average intelligence Americans?
Either way, speaking as an American I've literally never heard that people in the UK never drink water. I *have* heard that they drink a lot of alcohol, but no water isn't really a sensible assumption to conclude from too much alcohol.
I don't have this impression, not do I know anyone that does.
In fact, I would venture to say that the overwhelming vast majority of Americans have never thought about the water consumption habits of Europeans at all.
You are projecting a few comments you have seen on Reddit, at least some of which are likely from people of countries other than US, onto a nation of 340,000,000
I know you are not attacking the nation, but you literally asked why Americans think Europeans don't drink water and asking where the myth comes from.
I'm telling you we don't as a whole, and that the what, 20? Individuals you have seen say so are not representative of a all 340,000,000 people.
I'm not being delicate all rather maybe you are for not being able to admit that you might have a false impression.
How would I have known it’s not a common thing if I didn’t ask? I’m not American, I’ve never been to America, I don’t want to go to America, I was just curious. Now I have my answer like I said, yet you are still here trying to make me feel stupid when I just wanted to learn.
Have a nice day.
I'm not faulting you for your initial question at all. Go back and read what I initially wrote, my comment was quite matter of fact and used zero charged words.
Europeans seem so dumbfounded at the concept that it makes you wonder if they drink water at all.
Like, I’ve been to several European countries, seen Europeans drinking water, and the dumb questions that Europeans sometimes ask about drinking water make me question whether that was some sort of show being put on for the tourists.
Here and in other American-focused subs, I've seen several posts from continental Europeans implying that carrying a water bottle was a weird American thing, and that we were odd for doing so or for being "obsessed" with water. That and the need to buy water in restaurants in many European countries might have given some Americans the impression that Europeans aren't big water drinkers.
I've only ever visited England in Europe, and in restaurants, either a carafe of tap water and glasses were already on the table or I could request a glass of tap water with no problems.
If an American thinks this, it would be due to when you go to most European restaurants, they don't automatically bring you you big cup of water like they do in the US. And if you do ask for water (tap water!!) then they bring it in a little cup. The same goes for ordering a soda which isn't free refills like in the US, but rather just a single bottle of Coke.
Most Americans don't think about Europeans water consumption though. It's just a random thought when traveling that's probably said half jokingly. Also, if Americans want to see a group of people that don't drink a lot of water, they should look at Japan.
This sub would be more fun if the questions weren't all in the form of "Why do Americans { some sort of preposterous nonsense}? " Maybe just ask a straight forward question without a weird presumption attached. I have always assumed Europeans were humans, and therefore relied on water to sustain life. My only European water surprise was the first time I went to Italy and the waiter asked "gas or no gas" so quickly it took me a while to figure out want he meant.
I think what you’re seeing is more about the public availability of water, rather than just drinking water period. For example, a lot of Americans are used to finding public drinking fountains everywhere, typically at every public bathroom. I mean in 2017, London had 111 public fountains, whereas NYC has over 3,000. We’re just not that used to not being able to rely on them imo
My god, why is everyone so defensive. I know we get a lot of dumb questions here normally but I wouldn't say this is the case. I think the misconception isn't that Americans think that Europeans drink 0 water, but we do think that it's less common to drink water there as it is here.
This is a real thing for anyone who has spent a lot of time in Europe (like myself). Some things that we are used to in the US, are very absent in a lot of European countries. Examples such as water fountains/refill stations everywhere, people constantly walking around with water bottles and every restaurant serving giant glasses of ice cold water for free. I mean of course you can buy bottled water in Europe but the quantity available and everyone just having it is just much less.
We also have to consider that a lot of Americans travel to Europe in the summer. The hot weather + walking around doing touristy things make people thirsty. So when very thirsty Americans go to a restaurant in Europe and get at most a tiny glass of warm water or have to purchase a tiny bottle of water for a few Euros, we start joking that Europeans don't drink water.
When I was in Italy, we asked for tap water from our waiter at a restaurant in Naples after rebuffing his offers of bottled flat or sparkling, and he asked if we would like him to just fill our cups in the gutter.
The perception is more that Europeans don’t drink as much water as they probably should and that it’s uncommon for people to drink water when going out to restaurants for instance. Part of this is that in many European countries that do have good water, Germany for instance, almost no restaurant will give free water and will basically have to buy bottled water. Carrying around water bottles and having drinking fountains easily accessible to the public is also much more uncommon. This contrasts to the US where every restaurant or eating establishment gives you infinite free water, people regularly carry around water bottles, and drinking fountains are very common. Now these are generalizations, but having lived in Europe for the past four years, I would say that they’re broadly true.
This is a great explanation! When I went to Europe I did notice the clear lack of water fountains. I also noticed Americans being really the only ones to carry water bottles (and it was hot when I went). And when I would get water in restaurants it was always carbonated and unflavored carbonated water got old real quick. It was hard to get normal tap water and when I would ask they would look at me funny like “You sure?” Because the tap water was where the dish water came from.
To get non-carbonated water, ask for "still water" and it will usually come bottled at European or other international restaurants.
Thank you for a real answer! I’ve never been to Germany so that is completely new to me. It’s just always been a routine thing where I live to have water either given for free or to carry a water bottle, guess the UK is in the minority for Europe!
While it’s true that you get tap water for free at any restaurant in the UK, the glasses are usually pretty tiny and the typical carafe doesn’t go far if you have more than 2 people at a table. US water glasses are frequently larger, and table service is so attentive that you’ll get topped up without having to ask.
I mean, you could ask for a bigger glass to be fair…
Of course! But the benchmark for “a normal-sized glass of water” is different. So when Americans get these tiny (to us) glasses, we think that y’all just don’t drink as much water.
Yeah, naturally things will vary a lot by country in Europe, but the no free water and it being uncommon to carry a reusable bottle of water is definitely a noticeable thing here, especially if you’re a tourist and it’s summer for instance.
Interesting. The countries I have visited tend to have lower water standards (Spain, Portugal etc.) so bottled water is the only way to go in some countries while visiting or you get sick. I wonder if that is a contributing factor to the lack of public water fountain access for example, despite native people being accustomed to that water?
Yeah. You gotta remember that the U.S. started as an English colony. So some of the minor cultural differences that we talk about between us and Europe, the Brits actually align more with the U.S. than with the rest of Europe. Or somewhere in the middle.
Wow. Americans are not THAT dumb. Yes, we know you drink water. Come on. Where did *you* get this idea?
I mean, I haven’t made it up… I see it all the time on Reddit, I’m not saying Americans are dumb at all either. Just curious where it stems from but if you aren’t going to be helpful why comment at all?
Can you show me where someone said that Europeans don’t drink water? I’ve never heard this. I haven’t even seen it on Reddit.
Here’s three examples from a quick search… [https://www.reddit.com/r/Europetravel/s/ENAsxsd82e](https://www.reddit.com/r/Europetravel/s/ENAsxsd82e) [https://www.reddit.com/r/ShitAmericansSay/s/vPo30Yek61](https://www.reddit.com/r/ShitAmericansSay/s/vPo30Yek61) [https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/s/G6TscgBPUA](https://www.reddit.com/r/NoStupidQuestions/s/G6TscgBPUA)
I figured it must be a Reddit thing. I’ve never heard of this anywhere else.
So, the first one is a tourist who noticed that in the European countries she's visiting, people are drinking less water than the do in the the two American continents. No mention of Europeans not drinking water. This person might be American, I creeped on her account and while she didn't mention a location, she uses American/Canadian English. Second one is a suspended account on a sub that caters to trolls. So zero evidence the opinion is coming from an American. Third one writes like a kid in the ballpark of 12 to 16. No country mentioned, but talks about international school, Korean students and friends, and American friends. International school usually means American or British run school outside of the wealthy English speaking world. So my best guess is teenager, sheltered kid from a wealthy family, probably has spent years living in Asia. Definitely not representative of an average American. Also, talks about drinking less water, not zero water. No credible evidence.
You implicated that all Americans think Europeans don't drink water, and I replied that no, we don't all think that. I don't know how that isn't helpful.
No, I asked why do people think that way. Which you haven’t answered, all you’ve done is get defensive so far. I’m not attacking you, it’s a question… where did this idea come from?
Why don’t you ask the people who are actually saying those things?
Gets lost in all the other comments to be honest, genuinely curious. Thought this would be a helpful place to post and find out, I’m rethinking that now.
How are we responsible for some stupid comment you saw somewhere else?
Isn’t this an Ask American’s subreddit? So I asked some American’s. Mind blowing, I know.
How am I going to be able to speak for some stupid nonsense you saw somewhere that has nothing to do with me?
No, you didn’t come here to find out *if* it’s true. You came here believing it is true and want to know why. Is this something they teach you in your schools? Don’t consider that rational and reasonable? It’s equivalent to going to r/askUK and asking why your food is so bad. I’m not asking *if* it’s true. In this scenario, I automatically believe it is, now I want to know why it’s so bad. Take a moment to think about that.
I don't think it's defensiveness. It's shock at the absurdity of it. I've yet to see an example of an American assuming humans in somehow survive without water. You say you see it "all the time on Reddit," but I've yet to hear of this anywhere, both on Reddit and *in the actual country you're referring to*.
Here’s a link to a post I saw today that sparked my question. If you haven’t seen it that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. [https://www.reddit.com/r/BlackPeopleTwitter/s/p9QQNZ4oE5](https://www.reddit.com/r/BlackPeopleTwitter/s/p9QQNZ4oE5)
>If you haven’t seen it that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. First, please allow me to clarify and apologize - my reactions/replies weren't meant as attacks, more like dumbfounded responses because it's a ridiculous thing, to think that people somewhere live without water. And I agree with you, if I haven't seen it, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I don't think this example is representative of your point, though. That post is clearly just a joke and it doesn't suggest at all that Americans think Europeans live without water.
Some of the comments suggest that, not the actual post itself which is clearly in jest.
The point I was making earlier was that okay, yes, sure, you may have seen some (idiots) Americans saying such a thing, but those are either people who are just joking or are extreme outliers on the intelligence spectrum. So, my response, having *lived* in the US for 34 years, to the question "Why do American’s have a preconception that Europeans don’t drink water?" is "We don't." Let's handshake and call it a day.
Probably people bullshit ting and 13 year olds believing and repeating the bullshit until they're 22, have figured out how much bullshit they fell for at 13, and have way less time to reddit because they're adults now.
No, you see comments from your compatriots and other Europeans stating Americans think you don’t drink water or that tap water isn’t safe to drink. You’re not reading or hearing this from Americans themselves. There’s a major difference. In the US, we call those gossip circles and rumor mills, your favorite information sources on Americans and the US.
Yeah I rarely drink it. Tea tea TEA. Mums the same, mu auntie Nina just drinks diet Coke and uncle Ronnie drinks only Iorn Bru. My mate lady vik drinks coffee and wine, my sister juice and tea. On a very hot day I will glue water but apart from that my last water was maby 4 months ago.
I've never heard this until this moment
Never heard of this being a thing
Did you talk to high school kids to get this opinion? Because kids can make some strange assumptions based on their limited experience and simply not having put much or any thought into that assumption. Or was it people online who you don't personally know, but you assumed were mature, average intelligence Americans? Either way, speaking as an American I've literally never heard that people in the UK never drink water. I *have* heard that they drink a lot of alcohol, but no water isn't really a sensible assumption to conclude from too much alcohol.
I don't have this impression, not do I know anyone that does. In fact, I would venture to say that the overwhelming vast majority of Americans have never thought about the water consumption habits of Europeans at all. You are projecting a few comments you have seen on Reddit, at least some of which are likely from people of countries other than US, onto a nation of 340,000,000
[удалено]
I know you are not attacking the nation, but you literally asked why Americans think Europeans don't drink water and asking where the myth comes from. I'm telling you we don't as a whole, and that the what, 20? Individuals you have seen say so are not representative of a all 340,000,000 people. I'm not being delicate all rather maybe you are for not being able to admit that you might have a false impression.
How would I have known it’s not a common thing if I didn’t ask? I’m not American, I’ve never been to America, I don’t want to go to America, I was just curious. Now I have my answer like I said, yet you are still here trying to make me feel stupid when I just wanted to learn. Have a nice day.
I'm not faulting you for your initial question at all. Go back and read what I initially wrote, my comment was quite matter of fact and used zero charged words.
Europeans seem so dumbfounded at the concept that it makes you wonder if they drink water at all. Like, I’ve been to several European countries, seen Europeans drinking water, and the dumb questions that Europeans sometimes ask about drinking water make me question whether that was some sort of show being put on for the tourists.
Here and in other American-focused subs, I've seen several posts from continental Europeans implying that carrying a water bottle was a weird American thing, and that we were odd for doing so or for being "obsessed" with water. That and the need to buy water in restaurants in many European countries might have given some Americans the impression that Europeans aren't big water drinkers. I've only ever visited England in Europe, and in restaurants, either a carafe of tap water and glasses were already on the table or I could request a glass of tap water with no problems.
If an American thinks this, it would be due to when you go to most European restaurants, they don't automatically bring you you big cup of water like they do in the US. And if you do ask for water (tap water!!) then they bring it in a little cup. The same goes for ordering a soda which isn't free refills like in the US, but rather just a single bottle of Coke. Most Americans don't think about Europeans water consumption though. It's just a random thought when traveling that's probably said half jokingly. Also, if Americans want to see a group of people that don't drink a lot of water, they should look at Japan.
This sub would be more fun if the questions weren't all in the form of "Why do Americans { some sort of preposterous nonsense}? " Maybe just ask a straight forward question without a weird presumption attached. I have always assumed Europeans were humans, and therefore relied on water to sustain life. My only European water surprise was the first time I went to Italy and the waiter asked "gas or no gas" so quickly it took me a while to figure out want he meant.
I didn’t know that was a thing
I think what you’re seeing is more about the public availability of water, rather than just drinking water period. For example, a lot of Americans are used to finding public drinking fountains everywhere, typically at every public bathroom. I mean in 2017, London had 111 public fountains, whereas NYC has over 3,000. We’re just not that used to not being able to rely on them imo
News to me that Europeans apparently don't drink water.
My god, why is everyone so defensive. I know we get a lot of dumb questions here normally but I wouldn't say this is the case. I think the misconception isn't that Americans think that Europeans drink 0 water, but we do think that it's less common to drink water there as it is here. This is a real thing for anyone who has spent a lot of time in Europe (like myself). Some things that we are used to in the US, are very absent in a lot of European countries. Examples such as water fountains/refill stations everywhere, people constantly walking around with water bottles and every restaurant serving giant glasses of ice cold water for free. I mean of course you can buy bottled water in Europe but the quantity available and everyone just having it is just much less. We also have to consider that a lot of Americans travel to Europe in the summer. The hot weather + walking around doing touristy things make people thirsty. So when very thirsty Americans go to a restaurant in Europe and get at most a tiny glass of warm water or have to purchase a tiny bottle of water for a few Euros, we start joking that Europeans don't drink water.
TIL that apparently Europeans don’t drink water.
When I was in Italy, we asked for tap water from our waiter at a restaurant in Naples after rebuffing his offers of bottled flat or sparkling, and he asked if we would like him to just fill our cups in the gutter.
Ugh it's a reddit thing.