5 Everyday Dutch Things that are Confusing to Americans | US vs the Netherlands

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  • čas přidán 28. 05. 2024
  • While most of my experiences living in the Netherlands have been positive, some everyday Dutch things can be confusing to Americans. In this video, I talk about 5 everyday things that are different in the US and the Netherlands. Moving abroad means embracing those cultural differences!
    --
    I like to share my experiences of an American expat in the Netherlands. I describe both the unique and everyday aspects of Dutch culture, and life in Holland while enjoying every bit of it!
    Blog website: www.dutchamericano.com
    Instagram: DutchAmericano
    Get in touch: dutchamericanonl@gmail.com
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Komentáře • 1,1K

  • @jopjop9400
    @jopjop9400 Před 3 lety +425

    its not the tipping we find weird its that the waiter doesnt make enough to live of

    • @Niloc_
      @Niloc_ Před 3 lety

      @northern_lights What country?

    • @hendrikdependrik1891
      @hendrikdependrik1891 Před 3 lety +2

      @@Niloc_ 🇺🇸

    • @Helleuw123
      @Helleuw123 Před 3 lety +11

      @@Niloc_ In the USa they life of the tips, like no tips means litterly almsot no money

    • @moladiver6817
      @moladiver6817 Před 3 lety +69

      Exactly. Waiting staff in The Netherlands earns a living wage. That's not to say they earn a lot by Dutch standards but it's a decent salary. They don't live off the mercy of their customers hence the tipping really is just a bonus for them which they usually don't expect or take for granted.
      The US is rather odd here. You could flip this around and say that the American tipping culture keeps the low wages in place. It's meant well by customers but it actually maintains this unhealthy situation where a base salary just isn't enough to get through the month.
      Tipping as a standard and expected gesture allows employers to underpay their staff. I find this somewhat similar to young kids in poor countries selling flowers on the street late at night. Tourists often have pity and just buy a flower but this effectively keeps this nasty industry going.

    • @rutgerb
      @rutgerb Před 3 lety +34

      @@moladiver6817 I loved it when American tourist came by, they tipped(!) and on average 10 euros. But as stated as a waiter in the Netherlands I made a decent salary. Full time wage payed me around:2000 euros per month (exc tax).
      And about the tipping, it is again as Mola writes 'a bonus and always a suprise' as it does not happen to often. We mostly had Dutch customers, which can be divided in two groups: people from the surrounding region, 1 person out 15 would tip ; and Dutchies from further away would tip about 1 in 5 times. (rounding the number up, so sometimes 0,25 cents sometimes 2,30).
      (only onces I demanded a tip. Some drunk guy was bragging for two hours (which felt like an eternity) about how much money he won in the casino that night, but then he left without a tip. So when he stood by the door I called him out infront of all the customers "Hey rich guy where I is my tip?!" And I got 100 euros, never saw him again ;)

  • @InfiniteCyclus
    @InfiniteCyclus Před 3 lety +235

    Only tip as a compliment. Workers at the cafe aren't dependent on tips for their salary.
    A couple of euros is fine.

    • @gilles111
      @gilles111 Před 3 lety +8

      Depending on the group your with. With a few people and a bil of €50,- - €100,-, a few euro is fine as a tip. When with a group of 20 people, having diner, drinks etc. and a bill of €1000,- and then giving a €5,- tip (seen it happen), you are really an a*hole.

    • @engeltjebaleno
      @engeltjebaleno Před 3 lety

      or to avoid change

    • @mrbentoik
      @mrbentoik Před 3 lety +36

      @@gilles111 No you're not. You don't owe them anything for doing their damn job. If you're tipping it's a bonus because the waiter did an especially good job.

    • @gilles111
      @gilles111 Před 3 lety +1

      @@mrbentoik I never meant you have to tip (never said that too). We aren't the USA. Only if you feel you want to give something extra (and the service/food/drinks were above expectation).
      She did ask what is appropriated for tipping in The Netherlands, so I gave an indication as what I think are good tips. But if you do.. Tipping €2,- to make a round €10,- is very generous, tipping €2,- because the bill was €998,- and that makes the nice €1000,- ... Then you are an a*hole (in my opinion).

    • @B-Meister
      @B-Meister Před 3 lety +10

      @@gilles111 I never said you don't have to tip, but if you don't tip (enough) you're an asshole. Seems legit.

  • @boldvankaalen3896
    @boldvankaalen3896 Před 3 lety +50

    How to determine if a waiter will come to your table:
    1) If you see waiters serving other people, they will also come to your table
    2I if it is a small caffee/bar you will probably need to order at the counter.
    3) If the place looks more formal: somebody will probably come to you.
    4) If the place has a terrace, they will probably have waiters
    5) Just ask other guests "bedienen ze hier aan tafel?". Dutch people do this also when they are in doubt.

    • @Bianca_Toeps
      @Bianca_Toeps Před 3 lety +3

      Most of the times, the menu will help you out. If there's no menu on your table yet, they will bring it and take your order at the table. If you have to do something special to order, they'll tell you when giving you the menu. If the menu is already there, if it says "order at the counter" on it somewhere, that's that. Otherwise, they'll probably come. Oh and, never when you're still looking at the menu. Fold it closed and put it on the center/edge of the table, that's a hint for them to come.

  • @jay0kew
    @jay0kew Před 3 lety +229

    Tipping ? Here, we pay 21% tax on everything and waiters are getting a normal salary. No need to tip. In the US some people need tips to make their salary.

    • @lcve84
      @lcve84 Před 3 lety +12

      I just tip to make a round number, if its 53,30 ill make it a round 60. cba with calculating

    • @johanmeijer85
      @johanmeijer85 Před 3 lety +8

      @@lcve84 I'm just not sure if that tip goes to the waiter, or the restaurant owner 🤔

    • @SoopaFlyism
      @SoopaFlyism Před 3 lety +21

      Yeah! No tipping is the norm here. I never tip.

    • @erikb1986
      @erikb1986 Před 3 lety +10

      @@johanmeijer85 I used to work as a "freelance" server over a period of 4 years and got to work at over 50 different venues in that time. At each and everyone of those the tips went to the employees. In general tips were divided in 1 of 3 ways;
      1. all the tips were collected and divided over all serving personel afer a while (a week/month/half a year...sometimes team activities were agreed upon to use part of the tips)
      2. The tips were collected and divided at the end of a shift and divided over the group running that shift.
      3. personal tips; keep what you get.
      Each of these methods has arguments for and against and which methods is applied seems rather arbitrary although I felt (subjective) in the higher class restaurants/bars the sharing of tips was much more common. For me, often only serving a few shifts at any given venue, it was obviously preferable to have scenario 3. I mean, it makes sense, you are not really part of the team so it feels weird to the "regulars" to share in scenario 1 and 2 xD
      I did hear from other colleagues that tips are sometimes taken, but in my, quite extensive, experience most tips are actually NOT kept by the owner.

    • @jankoevoet4042
      @jankoevoet4042 Před 3 lety +5

      @@erikb1986 1 and 2 are called the "trunk" system, and i know of one guy tho refused to work in those places.

  • @A_Casual_NPC
    @A_Casual_NPC Před 3 lety +57

    I'm a chef, I'd say around 40-50% of the tables actually tip, ranging from a few euro to round up the amount to 10-15 if they're a larger group and really enjoyed their meal.
    Although this differs from restaurant to restaurant, our tips are collected and fairly distributed between all staff. Whatever we get, is a nice bonus. I use it to support one of my hobbies, but even if Id get no tips at all, it honestly wouldn't do much for me.
    That's why tipping is nice, but you should never feel like you're tipping too little. An honest living in included in my salary, I don't need tips for that

    • @A_Casual_NPC
      @A_Casual_NPC Před 3 lety +6

      Also, the perk of having a countdown towards green light helps with traffic flow. You can "prepare" to start cycling again when it turns green and get moving faster

    • @annap7046
      @annap7046 Před 3 lety +2

      Exactly, and you can slow down before the light if it’s like 5 secs not to make a full stop and continue from it

  • @peternouwen
    @peternouwen Před 3 lety +29

    Have you seen the Not Just Bikes-channel? (I find it very informative on how foreigners look at Dutch street-design)

  • @sretePtraB
    @sretePtraB Před 3 lety +128

    We Dutch learn to wait in line at the Efteling

  • @aeiouaeiou100
    @aeiouaeiou100 Před 3 lety +32

    There is absolutely no need to feel awkward if you forget to tip. It's fine to not do it. Many people don't. If I just get 1 or 2 drinks I often don't tip.

  • @timboy103
    @timboy103 Před 3 lety +186

    If your amount is 53 round it of to 55 and they are happy not tipping is also fine, the poeple get payed normal montly incomes so they dont need the tips its just an extra for them. So tipping 2 euros is more then enough. They are happy with wat ever tip they get. Also they dont keep the money for them selfs it goes into a big pot and evry worker gets a percentige at the end of the month.

    • @thedutchman01
      @thedutchman01 Před 3 lety +18

      That putting it into a big pot can differ from place to place. I think most do it now, so cooks are rewarded as well, but it not the case everywhere.

    • @lofenoialof5320
      @lofenoialof5320 Před 3 lety +4

      That’s sooo cool !

    • @Be-Es---___
      @Be-Es---___ Před 3 lety +2

      But they might expect more when they know you are American (and get dissapointed) 😉
      Specially in Amsterdam or other tourist areas.

    • @marismellla6589
      @marismellla6589 Před 3 lety

      thats not always true.sometimes the tips you get are yours.and its a sign of appreciation

    • @timboy103
      @timboy103 Před 3 lety +2

      @@Be-Es---___ Yes but most workers in Amsterdam are not dutch.

  • @WendyLopezGazquez
    @WendyLopezGazquez Před 3 lety +45

    If their is no one of the staf at the entrance, you just find your seat yourself where ever you want to be seated. If their is some one at the entrance, you ask for a seat.
    If their are waiters walking around, and you want to pay, you call the waiter to your table and ask for the check. If their ain't no waiters walking around, you walk up to the register to pay.

    • @Bianca_Toeps
      @Bianca_Toeps Před 3 lety +3

      Oh I'm native Dutch and I really hate that "trying to make eye contact with a waiter" awkward game. In Japan they have a service bell (button) on the table in some places, that's amazing. It just makes a screen or light light up behind their counter and they see where they have to go.

    • @baronvonlimbourgh1716
      @baronvonlimbourgh1716 Před 3 lety +2

      @@Bianca_Toeps just put up your hand and signal you need something.

    • @JohnBlutarski
      @JohnBlutarski Před 2 lety

      @@Bianca_Toeps That would be great over here, too

  • @GrouchierThanThou
    @GrouchierThanThou Před 3 lety +22

    Dutch Americano
    Re: not standing in line.
    Firstly, it's almost never that important that the order in which people are served exactly matches the order in which they arrive. So you can just stop worrying about it.
    Secondly, even without a neat line we still use everyone's distance to the counter, entrance or whatever as a rough indicator of the order. You can also just note who comes directly before you and/or the one or two people after you. In almost all cases that's enough to know exactly when it is your turn. And when in doubt you just look at the other person. If they aren't moving they apparently think you are before them so you are good to go. Or maybe they are looking at you for the same reason and you just use your body language to resolve the situation. In most cases at least one of you will not really care that much who goes first.
    Thirdly, on those rare occasion that despite all of the above you still feel that someone is cutting in front of you (and care enough to correct the situation) you can fall back on that famous Dutch directness and just say "Excuse me, I think it's my turn now," at which point the other person will generally apologize politely and let you go before them. Alternatively, if you're not in a hurry, you might just let them cut before you and be all the more sure that it is really your turn after them.
    And obviously that third point also works in reverse: if you accidentally cut before someone they can just speak up and let you know. If they don't then it apparently didn't bother them. If they do you apologize politely and let them go before you. Either way, no harm done.

    • @annap7046
      @annap7046 Před 3 lety +1

      Exactly, i see no problem with order of people, usually intentionally they won’t cut you in line and if a new register opens in russia all the people from the back would jump right in, whereas here a person would say “eerst volgende” and here you go.

  • @Simonvbaal
    @Simonvbaal Před 3 lety +46

    If you’re young, you’re not expected to tip at all in the Netherlands.

    • @gilles111
      @gilles111 Před 3 lety +6

      Not completely true. Tipping in The Netherlands is showing you liked the experience the staff gave you. Young or old, if you liked their performance it is good use to leave a tip. Only for young people (25-) it is more expected they don't have much money (as students) so not tipping is more accepted.

  • @johnweidner3428
    @johnweidner3428 Před 3 lety +28

    I had trouble understanding how hot or cold the weather would be until my neighbor's child taught me:
    10 is cold
    20's not
    30's warm
    40's hot

    • @AnymMusic
      @AnymMusic Před 2 lety +8

      nah for me 20's warm, 30's hot, 40's death haha

    • @WynneL
      @WynneL Před rokem +1

      I like the rhyme, but 30 is so hot you don't want to move, and at 40 people would be dying from the unprecedented heat wave.

  • @boulderk1n254
    @boulderk1n254 Před 3 lety +62

    I've never seen a blinking red pedestrian/bicycle light in Amsterdam (or anywhere in the Netherlands). Pedestrian lights usually only blink green when it's about to turn red.

    • @DavidNagy9
      @DavidNagy9 Před 3 lety +6

      Yeah... That red light is NOT blinking. But it's just sitting on red and the timer below is sort of like blinking while it's changing. Guess this is where she gets confused. Maybe?

    • @Bandit-Darville
      @Bandit-Darville Před 3 lety +4

      Maybe the bulb was going bad ^^

    • @blazn0
      @blazn0 Před 3 lety +7

      She explained it wrong. Its not blinking its just red with a countdown..in america it means walk in the Netherlands it means time till it turns green.

    • @jelleroggen
      @jelleroggen Před 3 lety

      Why you want to know how much time there is left to cross the road.

    • @boulderk1n254
      @boulderk1n254 Před 3 lety +3

      @@jelleroggen I guess to keep impatient people from jaywalking, because then they can anticipate.

  • @jonnecleef5548
    @jonnecleef5548 Před 3 lety +122

    If you want to think the “Dutch” way. Just think what is most practical 😂

    • @amosamwig8394
      @amosamwig8394 Před 3 lety +1

      Ober!! ober, Mag ik wat kofie met een koekje a.u.b??!!

    • @baronvonlimbourgh1716
      @baronvonlimbourgh1716 Před 3 lety +1

      Yeah, don't make things so complicated haha.

    • @FordiusNLD
      @FordiusNLD Před 2 lety

      This explanation is perfect, dutch are so practical. They prefer the most simple/easy option there is rather than complicated.

  • @johanvissers1615
    @johanvissers1615 Před 3 lety +11

    2 euro tip is a fine tip. I would never give more than 5. I'm from Belgium, we don't really have a tipping culture.

  • @harmzegt8066
    @harmzegt8066 Před 3 lety +11

    Tip: don’t cut of your video at once at the end. People need to find and restart the video again to comment to your video. If you leave let’s say 5 second empty or with a picture, people have time to push pause and react in the comment section.

  • @VeryFastRodi
    @VeryFastRodi Před 3 lety +19

    Found tipping in the US super weird to do when I was on vacation. Why not just pay the people a normal wage.
    Tipping in the Netherlands (Europe) is far from the norm. Because the staff are paid normal wages.
    If your bill is 53, u pay 53 when paying by card. If u do it in cash again, 53 equals 53. Or u can say make it 55 or 56 or whatever u want to tip if u feel like it.

    • @erikmulder2574
      @erikmulder2574 Před 3 lety +1

      I agree, in the Netherlands there is no need to tip.
      I do tip, for a cup of coffee my tip can be 50%, for a meal it can be 5% or less. Just a few Euro’s is more than sufficient, your spent is not the measure. What can influence your tip is the service you get and the time you spent in the restaurant.
      So, tipping is not required as in the Netherlands service is included already in your bill, however it is appreciated if you leave something extra.

  • @CK-bx1im
    @CK-bx1im Před 3 lety +5

    Standing in line: I always ask "who came in last before me?" and then I know who to keep an eye on. Works all the time

  • @phantomaniperv
    @phantomaniperv Před 3 lety +33

    You don't have to tip at all, servers get a decent wage. Most people will leave a few coins of change rather than calculating a percentage of the bill.

  • @DutchLabrat
    @DutchLabrat Před 3 lety +36

    I'll never get the confusion about bike lanes. It is quite simple: Stay on your place on the road (Sidewalk for pedestrians, no really.) If you depart from your lane yield to any traffic you cross. Basically if you step into a bike lane you are lane changing to a lane where you are not supposed to be, YIELD! Same in the US...
    The only main difference is that cyclist in the Netherlands are not considered the pariah outlaws of traffic they are in most other countries like the US. It is not the rules that are different, it is the attitude. Cyclists are the majority on the road here (Everybody has a bike, not everybody drives a car...) and other road users have learned to adapt.
    We are not impressed by people who suddenly walk into our path and wil defend ourselves because in a collision between a cyclist and a pedestrian it is the cyclist who runs the risk of serious injury.

    • @Helleuw123
      @Helleuw123 Před 3 lety +2

      in an accident the bike i always right except when they hit the pedestrian,

    • @Bandit-Darville
      @Bandit-Darville Před 3 lety +2

      Using the eyes to their maximum potential is key really.

    • @Goku17111993
      @Goku17111993 Před 3 lety +4

      A wanted to say this as wel. You cross o bike lane the same way you cross a road. In others words look first or its goning to hurt.

  • @BolleZijde
    @BolleZijde Před 3 lety +4

    Eva, you have missed learning 'oversteken' as a child. You stand on the edge of the sidewalk, look left, then look right, look left again and when the road is still free you can cross. I grew up at a very busy road and am glad I didn't have to learn the hard way that traffic doesn't stop for you.

    • @Bianca_Toeps
      @Bianca_Toeps Před 3 lety +1

      "Kijk links, kijk rechts en nog een keer, als je oversteken moet. Kijk links, kijk rechts en nog een keer, want dan doe je 't pas goed." czcams.com/video/s64wJ284_bM/video.html

  • @dutchpantyman
    @dutchpantyman Před 3 lety +24

    My rule to survive a dutch line: The only thing you know for sure is the person who enters a shop (line) after you. So, make sure that it is your turn before that person.

    • @rogerwilco2
      @rogerwilco2 Před 3 lety +1

      Yes, that is the way to do it.

    • @YouHaventSeenMeRight
      @YouHaventSeenMeRight Před 3 lety +6

      @@rogerwilco2 Or ask who was the last one to enter when you come in and keep an eye on that person

    • @crystalwolcott4744
      @crystalwolcott4744 Před 3 lety

      @@YouHaventSeenMeRight What would be the appropriate way to phrase that? In America, the only way I can even think to ask that would be "who is/where is the end of the line." Like even knowing they aren't technically in a line I can't come up with a way that sounds natural to ask, "who came in last?" That just sounds weird and like everyone would just stare at me.

    • @YouHaventSeenMeRight
      @YouHaventSeenMeRight Před 3 lety +2

      @@crystalwolcott4744 The Dutch way would be "Wie is er als laatste binnengekomen?" which probably translate to "Who was the last person to enter before me?"

    • @AlexanderBurgers
      @AlexanderBurgers Před 3 lety +2

      The person manning the counter could ask "wie is er dan?" (who's next?) and then the mexican standoff of pointing to the person who was there before you and waving them off if your order has already been taken begins. It's amusing.

  • @bruceadler9709
    @bruceadler9709 Před 3 lety +5

    When I was moving to The Netherlands back in 1991, I was on the plane (Martinair) and sat next to a Dutch girl. We struck up a conversation and I asked her if she had any tips for me. She told me about the "Met......" thing when answering the phone which came in handy at the time. Of course there were no mobiletjes then so it kinda made sense.

  • @studentrsg3357
    @studentrsg3357 Před 3 lety +5

    If you are struggling with figuring out what you are supposed to do at a cafe, here is my advice.
    When you walk in, walk towards the staff (often behind the bar) and ask if they have a place for you. If they have place they will point you to your seat or let you pick out one yourself. They will now also know that you are here to buy something and probably come up to you when you are seated to ask what you would like to order.

  • @hansc8433
    @hansc8433 Před 3 lety +24

    Tipping: you do _not_ tip in bars, cafes, snackbars/fastfood joint, and you _can_ give a tip in a restaurant. Just round up the amount to the next 5 or 10 euro, depending on how generous you feel. All tips go into a jar and that money is split between all personnel at the end of the week/month.
    The (metric) pound: Almost all countries used to have their own version of a pound weight, all of these were between 450 and 500 grams. In the 19th century _most_ of these countries changed their pound (or equivalent unit, like the libre in Spain, or the livre in France) to measure exactly 500 grams (half a kilo). Nowadays the “pond” is still used colloquially. Dutch also has/had the “ons” (ounce), which is 100 grams. It is no longer an official unit, but you’ll hear it being used in cheese shops, or markets.
    Line: No, it’s a queue. And you don’t “stand in a queue”, you just queue. Jump the queue, queue up. It’s from French, and it means tail. Much prettier than “line”. In the end they’re all just words of course, but it does hit a nerve. I think it has to do with the idea that many (North) Americans have, that the American way is the norm and the rest of the world is the exception, when in fact it’s the other way around. 95% of the world is not American.

    • @bowillems4699
      @bowillems4699 Před 3 lety +1

      I don't think that people 'do not tip in bars/cafes'. Of course you never have to, but in the cafe where I work we do get tips (let's say from 5% of people). Usually people just round it up to the whole euro, or to 5/10 like you said if they stayed for a whole day

    • @annap7046
      @annap7046 Před 3 lety

      Does it even make sense to tip to a round number when you pay by card? Also by default they just put an amount from your bill and that’s it. I super rarely pay with cash and before had some cash for tips, but also in many cases waiters interchange, so the tip would go to the person cleaning the table and not the one who served. Anyway, that’s confusing and i’d rather prefer everything included in price/bill and everyone earning fair salary not depending on the mood of the customer for their survival

  • @hansderoo1
    @hansderoo1 Před 3 lety +5

    The use of the word 'pond' in the Netherlands is actually a relic from the past; from our pre metric days. In the Netherlands It used to be about 480 grams, and in the region it had a number of different values Actually the word 'pond' was officially abolished at the beginning of the 19th century, but in a day to day usage it became to mean half a kilo.

    • @eddiesimone3568
      @eddiesimone3568 Před rokem

      Op school leerde ik dat 2 pond, 1 kilogram is. Ik vraag me af wanneer en door wie dat is vastgelegd

    • @capt.haddock5750
      @capt.haddock5750 Před 10 měsíci

      @@eddiesimone3568Dat is vastgelegd door de Duitse bezetters in de 2e Wereld oorlog. Vrij recent dus.

  • @margreetanceaux3906
    @margreetanceaux3906 Před 3 lety +3

    The reference for Celsius is not ‘water boils at 100 degrees’ - it’s ‘water freezes at 0 degrees’. So you start counting from freezing/not-freezing, and that’s how it makes sense in a weather forecast.

    • @dannyvandeloo657
      @dannyvandeloo657 Před 3 lety +1

      It’s both offcourse. We measured the boiling and the freezing point and divided the difference by 100.

    • @metalvideos1961
      @metalvideos1961 Před 3 lety +3

      @@dannyvandeloo657 that's the beauty of metric. It goes by 10. Easy as hell. Imperial system sucks

  • @RealConstructor
    @RealConstructor Před 3 lety +3

    If you go into a store and it’s busy with customers, and if there isn’t a number dispenser, you just ask out loud, who is the last? That person will identify itself as being the last to come in the store before you. You only have to watch that person. When he is helped, you’re next. And when someone comes in the store behind you, he/she will ask the same and you say: I am. It’s an easy system, no line necessary.

  • @jlandheer
    @jlandheer Před 3 lety +3

    Here in The Netherlands, a 'standard tip' is actually 10%. Receiving ANY tip is always considered a compliment, no matter how small. If the service was terrible, it is perfectly OK to tell them that. They will appreciate negative feedback, so they can learn and make improvements.

    • @captainchaos3667
      @captainchaos3667 Před rokem

      There is no "standard tip" in the Netherlands.

    • @eddiesimone3568
      @eddiesimone3568 Před rokem

      Hoe kom je bij die 10%? Volgens mij is 5% al heel prima. Maar verder bestaat er in Nederland toch geen vuistregel?

  • @JoostFace
    @JoostFace Před 3 lety +16

    Maybe instead of a few blocks away you can say: "om de hoek" or "een paar straten verderop"

    • @DutchAmericano
      @DutchAmericano  Před 3 lety

      I like this!

    • @thatoneguy4649
      @thatoneguy4649 Před 3 lety +3

      If you say "a few blocks away" in the Netherlands going by an American "block" standards, you've crossed about half the country.

    • @Lttlemoi
      @Lttlemoi Před 3 lety

      I usually just give an estimate in hundreds of meters, which also works in cases you don't know the street layout.

  • @renzeatzema5990
    @renzeatzema5990 Před 3 lety +5

    As for the tipping issue, you should just round it up to a nice amount in most cases.
    Or preferably, pay your bill by card, and tip them some bucks in cash, since the tips in general are divided among the employees

  • @aeiouaeiou100
    @aeiouaeiou100 Před 3 lety +33

    Can confirm. Running over and screaming at tourists in the cycle lane is a great way of channeling and letting out my aggression.

    • @annap7046
      @annap7046 Před 3 lety +2

      Haha, i’m always shushing away pedestrians from clearly paved bike lanes. It’s harder for bike to stop than pedestrian, in the end if it’s a crash everybody’s hurt, how is that matter who is right, it’s just obvious - not to walk on bike lane ‘cause you are more unpredictable and can do it easily than bikes riding around you via car or sidewalk

  • @nacholibre4516
    @nacholibre4516 Před 3 lety +5

    Ever heard about the "ons" as a measurement? Its 100 grams or 1/10 of a kilo. Another "unofficial" measure like the "pond".

  • @CharlesvanDijk-ir6bl
    @CharlesvanDijk-ir6bl Před 3 lety +2

    I was born in the Netherlands and still remember my uncle. "Good night, time for me to sleep." He did that with a house full of visitors. Things are funny in Australia too. One customer had a takeaway pizza delivered in a restaurant. He got fed up with waiting too long for his order.

  • @berryvanhalderen7574
    @berryvanhalderen7574 Před 3 lety

    On queuing... If there are a bunch of people and not in a formal queue: when you enter just ask "who's last". One person will respond and you only need to watch him, and when someone else enters after you, you respond... works great.

  • @tonguepiercing
    @tonguepiercing Před 3 lety +3

    Just pay electronically, contactless, and just the right amount, without any tips. Easy and straightforward !

  • @francinegeelen2344
    @francinegeelen2344 Před 3 lety +4

    Dutch people LOVE to stand in line too!
    At my job (HEMA) we have the ‘zelfscan kassa’s’ where you can pay by yourself. We have 3 of them. When someone is using one, and another person want to pay, they will go wait in line behind that other person WHILE THERE ARE TWO OTHER ‘ZELFSCAN KASSA’S’ AVAILABLE!!
    And when someone actually pays attention, and sees that there are other ‘zelfscan kassa’s’ available, they will go and cut the line, but people cant be mad about it, because they just need to pay a bit more attention to what they’re doing.

    • @piderman871
      @piderman871 Před 3 lety

      That's because us Dutch people find zelfscan a bit awkward, especially at HEMA where we are not used to it. It feels like stealing :p

    • @baronvonlimbourgh1716
      @baronvonlimbourgh1716 Před 3 lety

      Never use those. They have cashiers for that, why do it yourself.
      If i wanted to scan groceries i'd go work in a store.

  • @daredaemon8878
    @daredaemon8878 Před 3 lety +1

    So regarding the Pond.
    Prior to the introduction of metric, every Dutch city had its own units that were basically the same names as US Customary Units, but the exact definitions varied from city to city.
    Notably, the Amsterdam Pond was 494.09 grams, which as you can probably tell is real close to half a kilogram. So people just started rounding it to half a kilogram and that became the Metric Dutch Pond.
    It's not an official unit, but it is as you've noticed a commonly used unit.

  • @jolinevdk
    @jolinevdk Před 3 lety +2

    Dutch here. I guess as a rule of thumb, if there is a menu (card) on the table someone will come to the table to get your order. If there's a menu above the bar, you will have to go to the bar to order. I think? Or just watch other people, see what they do. I guess it can be café dependent.
    As for the waiting in line, or not in line part: When you arrive at say, the pharmacy (although they mostly have a number machine now) or butcher, you know as soon as you step in that everybody who is in there is first, obviously. So you only have to pay attention to new people coming in basically, because everybody else needs to be done first, before it is your turn. In some places people will come in and ask "Wie is de laatste?"/"Who's last?" so you know you're up after that person but for the most part it is my experience that, although I can see how it's something you might need to get used to, isn't too complicated. Less complicated than forming a line, anyway (apparently).

    • @annap7046
      @annap7046 Před 3 lety

      For the orders i would just ask what is the best way, usually i’m told it’s okay to wait at the table -> no problem when it’s not obvious. I’m confused at how some people like to memorize some rules which are not even rules sometimes :))

  • @brantregare
    @brantregare Před 3 lety +4

    Regarding the US measurement system. It is entirely metric based. It has been since 1959. The definition of and inch is exactly 25.4 mm or 0.0254 m. Similarly the pound is defined as exactly 0.45359237 kg. Temperature is more tricky as the Fahrenheit scale has changed its definition at least once. The conversion factors between Fahrenheit and Celsius are fixed. Most countries use SI units now. The USA and its territories a a stubborn holdout.

  • @wimschoenmakers5463
    @wimschoenmakers5463 Před 3 lety +5

    Never realised how complicated living overhere is. Just go with the flow, never stand in line as a bunch of ducks, and raise your voice as you think it's your turn in the shop.

    • @erikmulder2574
      @erikmulder2574 Před 3 lety +1

      I agree,, when it is not your turn yet, people will tell you they were first.

  • @tubularap
    @tubularap Před 3 lety

    A word we still use in daily life is "pont" meaning "ferry", that crosses a river. That is the only used Dutch word that sounds like that.
    The measurement "pond" is not used anymore. But we still use the phrase "Een pondje meer" ("One pound more") when e.g. referring to a person having gained some weight. It originally came from shopkeepers, when weighing a good for the customer (meat, vegetables) asking "Mag het een pondje meer zijn?" ("Can it be a pound more?"), because then the piece of meat or piece of cabbage could stay intact. It was not that there was exactly an extra 'pond' on that piece of meat or cabbage, but meant as an indication that it would be 'somewhat' more than requested. Then the customer could agree and wait to see how much more, or stick with the original ordered weight. As you see, in these cases it is used as "pondJE", the diminutive form.

  • @picobello99
    @picobello99 Před 3 lety +2

    When entering a café/restaurant it's best to walk up to the first staff member you see and say something like "Excuse me, we are with ... people. Where can we sit?". The server will either seat you at a specific table or tells you you can sit where ever you want.
    When you want to order or pay: try to make eye contact with a server and raise your hand. He/she will come to your table in a minute. Going to the bar is a little rude. You can do that when you don't see any staff around for 10 minutes.
    About tipping: it's nice to leave a tip, but you don't have to. 5% is good enough. You can always leave a tip in cash when you forgot to mention it to the server or when you feel uncomfortable about it. When the bill is €53 you can just pay and leave €4 in cash. That's what I usually do.

  • @gertjanuniversalis
    @gertjanuniversalis Před 3 lety +3

    Tipping? there is no need, really.
    Usually, people round up the amount due to some practical number (usually the nearest 5 euro's). If you pay by card, very few people bother, unless the service was above and beyond.
    Waiters here make enough money from their job to not rely on tips to live

  • @thejaramogi1
    @thejaramogi1 Před 3 lety +7

    In dutch stores it usually polite to let someone know you were ahead of them! If it is my turn and I know you came before me I will ask if you are being served?

    • @VandermolenB
      @VandermolenB Před 3 lety

      You can also ask "Wie is de laatste? " when you enter, so you just have to keep an eye on the person indicated.

  • @RealConstructor
    @RealConstructor Před 3 lety

    A pedestrian has priority in Dutch traffic in two ways that come to mind. 1. At a zebra crossing. All traffic has to stop if you want to cross at a zebra, so you don’t need to set a foot on the street in order for them to stop, they are obligated to stop when you want to step on the street at a zebra crossing. 2. You have right of way if you walk on the footpath next to a road and someone want to turn into a side street (the one you are crossing because you walk straight ahead). The one who wants to turn into the side street has to wait until you crossed the side street in order to walk straight ahead (alongside the road, which road the car is leaving). You can cross a road anywhere (if it’s legal to walk on that road) outside 30m of a zebra crossing. When you are within 30m of a zebra crossing, you’ll have to use it. If you don’t, you can get a fine. Sometimes there are pedestrian crossings without zebra stripes, they will have canalization stripes (like a center line perpendicular on the road, from the curb at your side of the road to the curb on the opposite side), mostly with a safety isle in the center of the road. Sometimes there is a blue square sign with a black pedestrian in it on a black and white pole, above or besides the crossing , sometimes lighted. Although not obligatory (as far as I know) it is sensible and safer to use those pedestrian crossings.

  • @captainchaos3667
    @captainchaos3667 Před rokem

    The queueing thing always amuses me in airports, where people will stand for ages in a long queue for the gate to open, completely pointlessly since you have an assigned seat. I just wait for the queue to be gone and then I leisurely stroll up.

  • @cyclingchantal
    @cyclingchantal Před 3 lety +47

    Bill 53 euro and horrible service: no tip, good service 55 euro, when waitress smiles and flirts 60 euro 🤣
    Imperial system should be banned. 1 or 2 countries use it, rest of the world uses metric system.

    • @frankteunissen6118
      @frankteunissen6118 Před 3 lety

      Imperial system to be banned. Yes! Abso-bl**dy-lutely!!!

    • @Helleuw123
      @Helleuw123 Před 3 lety

      there 3 countries with imperial system usa, liberia(africa) and myanmar(asia)

    • @nonexistingvoid
      @nonexistingvoid Před 3 lety +2

      Horrible service: directly complain about it.
      Good service: thank your waiter.
      Smiling, flirty waiter: that's inappropriate behaviour, which to me falls under bad service. Unless it's a host club, customers shouldn't be flirted with.

  • @jeroenvandillen
    @jeroenvandillen Před 3 lety +3

    Also, if you pay with a card, the money goes into the bank account of the business owner, the waiter gets nothing. The business owner also has to pay taxes (VAT and income) on these tips. If you really want to tip a waiter, give them cash.

    • @AdTrompet
      @AdTrompet Před 2 lety +1

      Beste Jeroen, Dit is niet correct. Een eigenaar betaald alleen BTW over het gefactureerde deel van zijn inkomsten. Fooien zijn BTW vrij.
      Een fatsoenlijke baas zal altijd de fooien verdelen onder het personeel.

  • @--6553
    @--6553 Před 3 lety +1

    I'd tip 55 , they make a decent hourly, so even giving a tip is optional, it's something you do because you really enjoyed your time there. I usually just round it to something, add something between 2 - 5 euro's or something

  • @idiewiej
    @idiewiej Před 3 lety +1

    First off, I am a born and raised Dutchy and love this vids!
    I think the reason why bikes 'own' the road, is because it's a very practical way of getting where you need to be. If you have to go to work, study or a medical appointment, you don't want to be late. Knowing myself I would never leave the house earlier to wait on pedestriants on the way. When writing this, it almost sounds rude but to us Dutch people it's really not.

  • @fonziemachil
    @fonziemachil Před 3 lety +14

    I worked in bars in NL for 15 years and still i almost never tip. Tips are nice when you get them, i used to buy my breakfast with the tips i got the night before but they are an exaption. If you really want to tip, tip.. Don't feel like you should it is something extra.

    • @fonziemachil
      @fonziemachil Před 3 lety

      @Faigornx yes, Utrecht

    • @fonziemachil
      @fonziemachil Před 3 lety

      @Faigornx about what?

    • @timvanravensberg4268
      @timvanravensberg4268 Před 3 lety +1

      cheapskate! :-) I have worked in hospitality for over 20 years, tipping is not an obligation by Dutch norms but if you received service which is more than a product being delivered as ordered it would be decent to tip. It does not have to be a lot but if you have been happily waited on all night and just pay your bill , your waiter is certainly not going to remember you as a appreciating customer and you might just right out leave them feeling undervalued for their service.

    • @fonziemachil
      @fonziemachil Před 3 lety

      @@timvanravensberg4268 I never felt that way abour people who did not tip me. Like i said it is something extra, a bonus on top on what you allready get paid, and that is mininumwage or more.

    • @metalvideos1961
      @metalvideos1961 Před 3 lety

      @@fonziemachil Utrecht is not part of the Randstad.

  • @creativecheersoffashionlau7364

    For tipping we usually’ round of’ the bill with a reasonable amount. When it is 53 euro you can make it 57,50 or something. When it is 100 you can give 110. But in NL we don’t rely on tips. It is just an extra above normal pretty good wages.
    And must say ut is really strange that as a pedestrian you go first all the time! You are the slowest so can easily stop and wait. And walking through red light? No no no!

  • @wastedspam385
    @wastedspam385 Před 3 lety +1

    Love the series! On your last topic, about standing in queue or line and people cutting in front, I think the fact that you were on your phone also played a part in that; they might have thought you were busy with something, so instead of waiting on you they went ahead and took your position in line. There's a saying here: "opgestaan is plaats vergaan", which roughly means; "if you got up and left, you lose your spot". By not being mentally present, because you were distracted by your phone, you lost your spot.
    My personal experience is that when there is confusion about who is next, because the person who is up next doesn't realise it's their turn, people will start discussing who was ahead of them and who came in after.
    That's why I think they consciously moved on to the next person; either because they didn't want to bother you from what you were doing, or because they even might have thought it was a little rude you weren't paying attention. It's understandable though, that if you aren't from around here, you have to get used to our system. So don't feel bad about it xD

    • @wastedspam385
      @wastedspam385 Před 3 lety +1

      Oh, and pro-tip: you only have to take note of who was there ahead of you. If those people are gone, its your turn. You can make this list even shorter by simply asking: "wie is de laatste?" (people tend to know if they were the last person before you to enter the room), and then you only have to keep track of that one person!

  • @AwoudeX
    @AwoudeX Před 3 lety +1

    being a pedestrian is not confusing if you consider this: we have dedicated separate parts of the road for pedestrians, cyclists and motorized traffic. We keep them separated as much as possible for safety and flow rate. If you're crossing a road as pedestrian and you do it at a place where it's not designed to be expected, it's your responsibility to stay safe. So if you are in a busy city, use the zebra crossing as pedestrians get priority there from all other traffic modes. At crossings, just wait for the light to turn green.
    Also keep in mind that we have the same basic rule for cars, they're always held responsible for any collissions, bikes not so much (the non-gas guzzling variety ofc). However, we have not the damages claim culture the justice system knows in the USA, so cyclists are not going to consider this aspect. Of course in general we tend to do our very best to avoid colliding into each other and when it's very busy, cyclists just dismount their iron horse and become another pedestrian.

  • @VincentNLgaming
    @VincentNLgaming Před 3 lety +3

    I think if there is a menu on the table someone will come to take your order. No menus often means go to the bar where they have the menu on the wall.

  • @computerjantje
    @computerjantje Před 3 lety +33

    Please never ever compare Amsterdam to the rest of the Netherlands, As a true Dutch I find the Amsterdam people in businesses or on the street among the most unfriendly in the whole world. This is NOT representative for the rest of The Netherlands. I do not know why it is like this but in many ways Amsterdam is NOT the Netherlands.

    • @tjeerdfranskok
      @tjeerdfranskok Před 3 lety +2

      Simpel: Amsterdam is een wereldstad, rest van Nederland platteland. Amsterdammers zijn volledig bij de tijd, de andere Nederlanders lopen minstens een halve eeuw achter.

    • @computerjantje
      @computerjantje Před 3 lety +13

      @@tjeerdfranskok En ik noem dit dan weer amsterdamse arrogantie.

    • @tjeerdfranskok
      @tjeerdfranskok Před 3 lety +2

      @@computerjantje echt wel! Maar waar is het ook.

    • @computerjantje
      @computerjantje Před 3 lety +1

      @@tjeerdfranskok Dream on :)

    • @tjeerdfranskok
      @tjeerdfranskok Před 3 lety

      @@computerjantje echt niet!

  • @Paul_C
    @Paul_C Před 3 lety +1

    Eh, no, the countdown clock is only on a 'solid RED' light. The only possible blinking light with regards to traffic is a blinking amber which signals "Traffic Lights Are Out Of Order".

  • @Sheka88
    @Sheka88 Před 3 lety +1

    Pond, I often hear at markets, butchers etc. Many food related items sell by the pond.
    Queueing is a bit strange, but usually there are some people who look attentive (making sure they get their turn) and some who are not. Those who are not may have already given their order and are waiting for it to be ready. It might be easier to see in smaller towns, in de Randstad (such as Utrecht or especially Amsterdam) this process is a lot quicker and barely noticeable.
    Sometimes I roughly estimate what would be fair, then just make eye contact with the person serving to let them know i'm ready to order and they'll respond to that. If there is a crowd and you seem preoccupied with your phone or haven't made up your mind yet, they'll often give you time and do the efficient thing: let you take care of that without them having to make other customers wait extra.

  • @lucbrons
    @lucbrons Před 3 lety +4

    I never saw a blinking red light in Amsterdam!

  • @Xardom
    @Xardom Před 3 lety +8

    Funny to hear tips about tipping: about 70% of the Dutch doesn't tip at all. And to be honest, it's accepted. We don't bother. An tip is really an extra bonus and only given when someone wants to. But even if you're service was above excellent, mostly they'll just pay the price mentioned on the receipt.

  • @DataStorm1
    @DataStorm1 Před 3 lety

    Getting served: Go sit, and look around, is someone serving some? get their attention. If not, wait a bit to see if some comes out, if not, go to the bar.
    Restaurants:
    Inside: If there's an hold area, wait to be seated (rare) or just find a table that has no sign on it with "reservated". Server will come.
    Outside: Just go sit somewhere that is not "reservated" with a sign. server will come out regularly, and if not 1 of the group has to go in and order.
    Tipping: in the Netherlands there's no need for we actually PAY ppl to serve, but if you want, literally whatever remainder of a roundup is fine.

  • @dannya8614
    @dannya8614 Před 3 lety +1

    My take on your experiences, coming from a 49 year old Dutchie:
    * When it comes down choosing between waiting or go the bar, just signal any nearby waiter with a simple gesture.
    It is a common practice in the Netherlands, and many other European countries.
    * Catering industry employees earn their salary according a CLA within their profession.
    You tip whenever you feel to without almost never insulting the person who served you.
    * Biking in the Netherlands, perhaps you should try this channel:
    czcams.com/users/NotJustBikes
    * Metric is NOT Dutch. It is mostly used worldwide, and yes; it will be the unified global system eventually. Fun fact: Most American cars have both MPH and KM on the speedometer in their car.
    Great content. Keep it coming :)

  • @purewhitechocolate
    @purewhitechocolate Před 3 lety +18

    Its 10% tip for a great service

  • @peterstringa3350
    @peterstringa3350 Před 3 lety +8

    When you don´t know how to behave when coming into a café or Bar, just ask friendly and politely what you have to do! It really can depend on the rules of the café. You have a very good American mouth, so why should you be silent in The Netherlands?

    • @crystalwolcott4744
      @crystalwolcott4744 Před 3 lety

      Do most waitstaff speak English? Sorry if that is a rude question.

    • @peterstringa3350
      @peterstringa3350 Před 3 lety +1

      @@crystalwolcott4744 It would be very strange if they didn´t. Maybe 1 % waiters and waitresses don´t speak English. But be aware. A lot of staff in villages speak Denglish of English like they speak Dutch. But in cities you can expect normal to excellent English, even with proper English accents.

    • @crystalwolcott4744
      @crystalwolcott4744 Před 3 lety

      @@peterstringa3350 That really awesome and good to know! I am always so impressed by people who can speak more than one language. I can't wait to visit your country when it is safe to do so.

    • @peterstringa3350
      @peterstringa3350 Před 3 lety +1

      @@crystalwolcott4744 We as a small country, we depend on trading internationally, so we have to speak at least English. I myself speak 6 languages. No big deal.

    • @crystalwolcott4744
      @crystalwolcott4744 Před 3 lety

      @@peterstringa3350 Dang six is a lot! That can't be common? I know many bi/trilingual people but 6 is something else!

  • @WolfyLuna
    @WolfyLuna Před 3 lety

    As for weights, a 'pond' is 500 gram, an 'ons' is 100 gram. At a butcher one could ask 2½ ons of a certain meat meaning 250. But one could also call that same amount ½ a pond. or even a ¼ kilogram. But I notice mostly on specialized shops (like butchers, chicken meat shops "poeliers", vegetable & fruit shops and so on) and markets that these terms are used more often.

  • @nralbers
    @nralbers Před 3 lety

    Tipping: you don't need to tip, and you won't be thought of as rude if you don't. If you want to, you can either pay a round amount over the bill so the server can keep the change, and any more than a couple of euros is generous. If you pay by card, you can say you want to add extra as a tip (they will never ask!), or you just leave a small cash tip. You never tip at snack bars. Tipping a delivery driver is a bit more common, because the pay is shit.

  • @ConnieIsMijnNaam
    @ConnieIsMijnNaam Před 3 lety +8

    The "pond" (500 gram) and the "ons" (100 gram) are a little archaic but still very much used in daily life. The names are leftovers from older weighing systems. The metric system is very logical and actually does not call for such folklore terms. When I was at school in the 70's we were specifically told that we were not allowed to use those terms. (which had the opposite effect because we learned what those terms meant and started to use them like all the other people around us) In stead of "ons" we should say "hectogram" (really nobody uses that term ever except when learning about it at school) Instead of "pond" we should say "500 gram" or "half a kilogram" (people do use those terms as well)
    People say "twee ons kaas" and "een pond koffie" all the time. I taught at a school for children with special needs and I specifically taught them about the "ons" and the "pond" because those are words they will actually encounter. I did not mention "hectogram" at all. What would be the point?

    • @TestTest-eb8jr
      @TestTest-eb8jr Před 3 lety +4

      Het fijne van een echte juf is dat ze dingen kan uitleggen....🖒🖒🖒

    • @dutchgamer842
      @dutchgamer842 Před 3 lety

      We use pond, ons, mijl, inch but not often, since our official measurement system is metric. If you don't learn them, hecto, there is a gap on the metric scale/line.

    • @ConnieIsMijnNaam
      @ConnieIsMijnNaam Před 3 lety

      Dutch Gamer Then you go to the cheese stand and ask for a hectogram of 🧀 cheese....

    • @sachadee.6104
      @sachadee.6104 Před 2 lety +1

      @@ConnieIsMijnNaam LOL. Ja, they would be surprised.

  • @Paul_C
    @Paul_C Před 3 lety +19

    Nah, not confusing at all: coffee only, no tip at all. With something to eat, round up to the nearest round number or not at all. Dinner depending on the bill: as a rule, I round up to the nearest €5. Then depending on the number of people: it is wholly dependent on the quality of service. And I do limit it to 10% at max.

    • @VRBLNSLT
      @VRBLNSLT Před 3 lety

      Your really an example of a stingy dutch, people like to receive a tip even if you just have a coffee, if its good and people where nice.. tip.. its not like they make a descent wage so dont be stingy.
      When it comes to dinner if it was really nice and the service was excelent I go as high as 25% tip if I domt tip that means it was a shitty night and they get an ear full before they dont get a tip 🤷‍♂️

    • @LaPingvino
      @LaPingvino Před 3 lety +5

      @@VRBLNSLT there is an actual problem with tips: differences in approaching customer service. in the Netherlands, servers are not slave to the customers, and they help you out of a sincere wish to help you, not because they can't live well otherwise. it's a much more equal relationship. in a similar way people actually feel bad when you pay too much (there is an RSA video about this).

    • @VRBLNSLT
      @VRBLNSLT Před 3 lety +1

      @@LaPingvino there is a reason we dont have career servers in the Netherlands, the wages are to low and to cut costs only teens (who make even less) get hired most of the time. How many times in your life did you get served by a knowledgable 50 year old who wasn't the owner?

    • @LaPingvino
      @LaPingvino Před 3 lety

      @@VRBLNSLT long time ago I went to a place with servers in the first place. We don't have as much of a restaurant culture as the USA has. I used to live in Belgium though and there tipping is much more common, but I found people were way less passionate about their job, because work culture stipulates hierarchy. I got kicked out of a company without even knowing why. Dutch work culture is much more on an equal level, and I am fully willing to hand in some pay to have that. That said, of course you are right that what you see is a result of that, I'm just not sure if it's in any way problematic.

    • @VRBLNSLT
      @VRBLNSLT Před 3 lety +1

      @@LaPingvino I'll take a grumpy old garcon with descent knowledge that I dont have to explane what saignant is over a phone focussed tween that only knows there is red or white wine anyday of the week.
      US restaurant culture is on a totally different scale, altho that has to do with the lack of food knowledge aswell, most eating out there just cant cook and if they can its hard to actually find descent produce for reasonable prices without driving for miles, most of the time passing multiple (fastfood) restaurants.

  • @renzeatzema5990
    @renzeatzema5990 Před 3 lety +1

    We indeed won't typically talk about a couple of blocks down, tho we will probably talk about a couple of streets down the road

  • @Random_user_8472
    @Random_user_8472 Před 2 lety

    Most of the time in cafes or bars you can enter and choose a place yourself. In restaurants however, it's more the custom that you wait for someone to point you a seat (or they tell you to find one yourself). It's also a good thing to make a reservation in advance. In The Netherlands we only tip (big) when the waiter/waitress added an extra service in his/her work, like being socially pro-active. But if you wish to give a tip, just round the amount up, letting them keep a few small coins. With a bill of 53, giving 55 is perfect, certainly not more. Always remember: In The Netherlands a tip is a gesture, not an obligation.
    When you wish to make contact with a waiter, keep staring at them and give them a subtile signal when they look your way, they will see it and come to you. If it really takes too long (to check out), then just stand up and start leaving very obviously, that's the signal that they let you've been waiting for too long (and also a bit rude, sometimes you have to be rude to make a point).
    Our red bycicle traffic lights do not blink. Regarding pedestrians there are a few unwritten rules here:
    Keep right, walk in a straight line and watch your surrounding when you change direction.
    When you cross over, watch all directions. As a pedestrian you are no target for bikeriders, but they expect you to watch out and not to just step on their lane, except when you have a green light as a pedestrian. And yes, pedestrians are a protected species, but careless behaviour will make you end up in the hospital. You might be right in law, but you lose at the end.
    For me it's confusing that in maybe the US, but at least in South America, the traffic lights for cars are across the intersections.
    One lb is 453,59 grams. So yes, basically one pound of ours is 10% more than yours. That's not so hard.
    Calculating miles to km is also easy. You can roughly say that you add 2/3 to the distance. P.e. Take 120 miles. 2/3 of 120 is 80. 120+80=200km. From km to miles I prefer to use a calculator ^^
    Ounce is more different. We say 'ons', which means 100 grams. Your ounce is 28,3495 grams.
    I usually say 'een halve kilo' (half a kilogram), or I say 500 grams, using the word 'pond' is a bit old fashioned.
    About lining up, you don't have to remember who got there first, you only have to remember who came after you. In small stores we don't line up, in supermarkets we do (to pay). We also line up in theme parks, museums and airports. A big difference between British people and the Dutch (I know you're from the US) is when a British person 'jumps the queue', other people are really insulted and tell that to the queue jumper. In The Netherlands we're more tended to ask 'I believe I was here before you, so it's my turn?' A good shopman will support your claim, problem solved. But then, when I'm in line in the supermarket with a lot of stuff and I see a person behind me with only two things in his/her basket, I'll let them go first. Most of the time that ends in some small talk and a smile, sometimes people say that they will wait.
    Ok, that was quite an extended comment haha but, one more thing Eva (or Ava?), you're really funny!!
    Oh, ok, one more tiny thing. Can you please try not to cut so much in your video? It gets really flashy. It's ok to hesitate sometimes, or to say something wrong, laugh about it and 'knit it straight again' (

  • @khulhucthulhu9952
    @khulhucthulhu9952 Před 3 lety +3

    There's also the "ons", being 100g
    So not an ounce

  • @ingmarhendriks8172
    @ingmarhendriks8172 Před 3 lety +15

    Unlike in the USA, waiters actually get paid a decent wage. If your want to tip then do it, but not tipping is also okay.

    • @Winterjas
      @Winterjas Před 3 lety +3

      Also the reason they don't ask for tips.

    • @VRBLNSLT
      @VRBLNSLT Před 3 lety +3

      Wages a at the lowest point possible.. hence the young folks doing it.. so its not ok to not tip

    • @janjochem20
      @janjochem20 Před 3 lety +3

      @@VRBLNSLT they get minimum wage, alot of people are on that so no its fine not to tip

    • @svw3734
      @svw3734 Před 3 lety +2

      @@VRBLNSLT what are you talking about? Having minimum wage is still enough to be able to live a good life here in the Netherlands. You're not making tons of money but if you want that you'll have to look for a drifferent job in stead of HORECA!

    • @MM-vr8rj
      @MM-vr8rj Před 3 lety

      @@VRBLNSLT do you work as a waiter/waitress or something haha

  • @KarenMogendorff
    @KarenMogendorff Před 3 lety +1

    You may buy a pond of cheese, vegetables, or fruit at a market stall. You can also use 500 grams or half a kilo instead of pond

  • @svengoessens7283
    @svengoessens7283 Před 2 lety

    Tipping in the Netherlands starts usually starts with 2 euro. But I usually tip around 8%. But if service is bad, (late, cold, rude) no tip at all. Love your little struggles.

  • @daanhaagen
    @daanhaagen Před 3 lety +4

    'Do you remember when you were 12,13 years old and you were figuring out how the world works and becoming an adult'
    Me, a 21 year old: 'maybe it's time to grow up🤔'

    • @jankoevoet4042
      @jankoevoet4042 Před 3 lety +3

      Me, now at 65, I guess I'll never really get it...

    • @DutchAmericano
      @DutchAmericano  Před 3 lety

      I guess this video shows that I'm still figuring things out too =D

  • @GustavSvard
    @GustavSvard Před 3 lety +4

    08:25 Pedestrians are kings in the US? ah, you're forgetting to include cars in the ranking.

  • @carmenl163
    @carmenl163 Před rokem

    I have never seen a blinking red light. Green lights are blinking, and it means: hurry up, start running because, in a millisecond, I will turn red. But I've never seen a red light doing that.

  • @generaldreagonlps6889
    @generaldreagonlps6889 Před 3 lety +2

    The 'pond' is very much for older people like my parents. According to them I learned it in elementary school but I doubt it (I'm 28, they are about 60). So people like me technically still know what it is but don't use it. Younger people usually don't. And besides the 'pond' we also have the 'ons', which is 100 grams. Same thing applies there.

  • @dirkgonthier101
    @dirkgonthier101 Před 3 lety +4

    Why worry about tipping? It's not as if you need to tip. Everybody gets a living wage and that's the end of it.
    No, a pond is not typical Dutch. It's also used in Belgium (0.5 kg).

    • @Genesizs
      @Genesizs Před 3 lety

      So yes it is typical Dutch, lol. Belg

  • @robertkoote5114
    @robertkoote5114 Před 3 lety +5

    There are no straight rules when you've to get your coffee yourself or that you will be served. First of all do not bother and do not get confused, asking about that is not strange, you're just a helpful client. Perhaps look to the counter and see if the cash-register is facing the shop or not. If facing the shop, then the counter is meant for personel only. AND YOU'RE CERTAINLY NOT AWKWARD!! You moved to another continent and try to manage that, be proud of that!! In the Netherlands it's very important just to be yourself, that's more then enough --> Remember Dutch people are direct and open, we do not like people who are not themselves. But I cannot emphasize enough, people in Amsterdam are mostly fake and not well respected. So Amsterdam is not equal to the Netherlands.
    Tipping more then 10% is suspicious. Salaries in the Netherlands doesn't need any tipping, it's only a gesture to a person/shop/restaurant who served you well and gives you a pretty experience. If service is standard or perhaps bad, just do not tip. Maybe it's rude but it's also honest, and we appriciate honesty way more. Sometimes I bring paper-money with me so that I can tip a person, instead of the whole shop.
    Traffic lights for pedestrians and bicyclist are an mere advice, for me then, I trust my eyes and ears a lot more then those stupid lights. I hate pedestrians who doesn't look around before crossing my way, bicycle-lane or car-lane, and surely I will scare them so that they will look before they act. Call that lessons learned in Prince. I could also run you over. So being aware of your surroundings is the key in this.
    Imperial is sooooooo old-fashioned, ounces, pounds, gallons, vadems, miles all from the middle ages. Only the US and perhaps some other british ex-dominions use that old COLONIAL way of measurement, the modern world use metric, Very easy to use but stop comparing it to imperials. It is the same when we switched from guilders to euros. The first few months you calculated it back to guilders, but then you get used to it. To make it more difficult in the Netherlands we also have an ons (100 gram) a half-pond (250 gram) and anderhalf pond (750 gram), which are also very commonly used at markets, but it is still metric.
    Queueing in line is what we call "Kadaver-Discipline" and Dutch weather is not suitable to stay in line outdoors. Just remember the person who was last before you, which is normal to ask, and who come in after you, and claim your turn if necessary. Remember the cheeky ones have half the world.

  • @benverdel3073
    @benverdel3073 Před 3 lety +2

    If you go to a bar/restaurant in France it's marked on the bill that 15% service is already included. In the Netherlands it's the same but not spelled out. So paying the exact price is what you would be doing in the States with 15% added as tip. Students for example are poor by definition and don't tip over the already included 15%. So whatver you tip over the total due is really a token of appreciation over their wages.

    • @casek1238
      @casek1238 Před 3 lety

      Students are not poor by definition. I saw them even ride on Swap-bicycles. And those are expensive.

  • @rendomstranger8698
    @rendomstranger8698 Před 3 lety

    For seating at restaurants and the like, the rule of thumb is pretty much that if you get asked for your order, you get given the bill at the end. Just flag someone down. It is also generally the case that you take a seat in the case of lunch or a somewhat fancy dinner. For anything that can be classified as junkfood, you generally have to order it. Also, don't be afraid to just ask and don't make a big deal out of it. It is very normal to ask here if someone will come to take your order.
    As for tipping, consider it completely optional. Any amount is perfectly fine. The people who expect a tip the most are food delivery drivers, and it's still optional. If you really want to tip, just stick with 5 or 10%. 15% if you're feeling generous. People in the service industry get paid a normal wage here.
    Regarding the whole pedestrian thing, you still generally aren't considered to be the one at fault when you get hit. There needs to be strong proof that you caused the incident through sheer recklessness. We just aren't as patient when it comes to bullshit. Just because you aren't at fault does not mean that we let you do whatever you want. If you get in the way of other traffic, we will let you know. Often very loudly.

  • @hennienagtegaal953
    @hennienagtegaal953 Před 3 lety +7

    You don,t walk on a bikelane and you don,t walk on a motorway in the Netherlands. If you do, don,t be surprise if they hit you
    You walk on the footpath and don,t cross over without looking!

  • @JulesStoop
    @JulesStoop Před 3 lety +3

    I’m dutch, have never lived abroad and would still still round up from 53 to 60. I like giving decent tips-probably because I’ve been a lowly bartender myself for about ten years. Wages in cafes and restaurants are better than in the US, but still pretty bad compared to many other professions.

  • @jannetteberends8730
    @jannetteberends8730 Před 3 lety

    I absolute totally agree about pedestrians are the omega’s in Dutch traffic. The pavement is horrible almost everywhere. I walk with a rollator, and I walk often on the bicycle path because the path for pedestrians is so horrible that it’s impossible to walk on it.
    Cooking with cups is so much easier than with weights. But there are these things where you can measure a lot of other things beside water.
    I think that we used to cook that way to. I have a cookbook where on the first page is a list how much cups or spoons a the weight of certain ingredient is.
    And when you forgot to tip, you can just leave money on the table before you leave.

  • @Dutchbelg3
    @Dutchbelg3 Před 3 lety +1

    1 friendly advice: If you enter a bar or restaurant.. just address 1 of the employees and ask actively "Hey, can I choose a table or do you like to show me? " That works wonders :-)

  • @AmmPed
    @AmmPed Před 3 lety +6

    The amount of my tipping depends on how the waiter or waitress makes me feel (in a decent way ;-) ). One time a waitress was terrible rude. I had to pay 28 euros and said; make it 25. She freaked out, called the manager who said I was right and 25 was still too much. 20 would be fine. The waitress imploded and left. No career in waiting for her.

  • @noortjevanoo1837
    @noortjevanoo1837 Před 3 lety +4

    ROOD =DOOD 😄

    • @lexroet1215
      @lexroet1215 Před 3 lety +1

      So I should watch out for gingers?

  • @GuidoHaverkort
    @GuidoHaverkort Před 3 lety +2

    When something is really close we just say "is maar vijf minuutjes fietsen"

  • @MrHansklamer
    @MrHansklamer Před 3 lety

    Before the introduction of the metric system [before 1820] in the Netherlands, an ons was usually about 30 grams and was 1/16 of a pond (about 480 grams) or 1/12 of a medicinal pond (about 375 grams). It ourselves was divided into eight drachmen or drachma's. Officially, the 'pond' and 'ons' [1/2 kilo or 500 grams and 100 grams] may no longer be used in commercial transactions since 1937.
    I was once in Ireland and they asked me how many stone I was?

  • @GinaLopes2
    @GinaLopes2 Před 3 lety +4

    I actually never tip. I just pay the amount they want from me and that's it. I don't think it's rude?

    • @louiseleite3866
      @louiseleite3866 Před 3 lety

      It depends on the culture/country. In Brazil it's very rude not to tip.

  • @isaqsalawu1729
    @isaqsalawu1729 Před 3 lety +15

    Most of Europe: Don't tip ,Seat yourself

    • @baronvonlimbourgh1716
      @baronvonlimbourgh1716 Před 3 lety

      And once you get your order you will not see a waiter again until you call them over to order more or pay or whatever.

  • @lactobacillusprime
    @lactobacillusprime Před 3 lety

    As a Dutchman I used to live and work in the US for quite some time in the 90s(St.Louie Missourah . It has changed me. I still tip between 10-20% in restaurants. Not only a couple of euros.

  • @gijsvanlieshout
    @gijsvanlieshout Před 2 lety

    'Pond' is just used in a vegetable store or at the market, or in relation to licorice. Or it is 'pont', which means 'ferry'.

  • @robhendrikx2198
    @robhendrikx2198 Před 3 lety +5

    Americans are confused by the fact that the Earth is round.

  • @Van.Je.Af.Is.Harder
    @Van.Je.Af.Is.Harder Před 3 lety +5

    As a Dutchman, it is my duty to declare that in the name of his majesty, King Willem-Alexander, this video has hereby officially been colonized by the Kingdom of the Netherlands!

  • @jpdj2715
    @jpdj2715 Před 3 lety

    In my youth, my family was on Fahrenheit. It took a couple years to adapt to Celsius. Note that "decimal" and ISO units are a worldwide standard. "Imperial" has very limited use in the world. USA, Myanmar and Liberia. Note that US heavy and car industries are on "metric-decimal" since ages. The Netherlands went "decimal" in 1820.
    The anachronistic units we still use are "pond" (now 500 gram) and "ons" (100 gram).
    We also had units like "duim" (=thumb, the width of a man's thumb or about 2.5 cm) and "el" (short for "ellepijp" which is the bone between your elbow and wrist, or about 30 cm, or about 1 ft).
    Then there were measures like "mud" (70kg or 100 liter of certain goods) and "lood" (originally 1/32nd of a "pond" and about 15 grams but with the "metric-decimal" transition it became 10 grams. As 32*15=480 that must have been the pre-metric weight of a continental pound). I guess these are all new to younger Dutch generations.
    The advantage of imperial might be that it helps to develop people's arithmetic skills.
    In general: imperial is short for something that triggered the French Revolution and guillotine: imperialism.
    Note that "water boils at 100C" is true for very pure H2O. Add salt and that number goes up. The some applies to water's freezing point 0C. Add salt and it goes down.
    0F is freezing of seawater, but as seawater does not have a standardized salt concentration, this is a difficult number. Pure water is safe fro a physics and units point of view, for freezing and boiling.
    Yes, body temperature at 100F is handy. Now just remember, your skin temp0erature is likely 35C, a healthy core temperature for homo sapiens is 36.8C, fever starts at 37.8C and above that the proteins in your body lose stability and pathogens have a very hard time. Hypothermia already starts at 36.4 core temperature, IMO.
    Or, any weather above 35C is blisteringly hot, as your body cannot transfer its heat to the atmosphere any longer. Each person is like a 75W radiator ... Put 10 in a room and you have a 750W heat source.
    JLBH - just learn by heart

  • @joehoe222
    @joehoe222 Před měsícem

    Tipping is not mandatory in the Netherlands, but if you want to do that, the most common way is to round it up to pay easy. So for example if it's 17.50 euros, make it 20. If it's 19.20, make it 20, or 22.50. Like that way.