When it comes to comparing life in the United Kingdom and the United States, friendly debates are inevitable.
While both nations share a common language and historical ties, their cultures often diverge in surprising ways.
From everyday habits to national systems, the British have found unique ways to outperform their American counterparts in several areas.
Whether it’s safer electrical plugs, more reliable public transportation, or simply better chocolate, the U.K. offers some clear advantages.
In this article, we explore 12 things the British arguably do better than the U.S. and why it matters to travelers, expats, and curious readers alike.
1: Public Transportation
Access to public transportation is not universal in the U.S., with 45% of Americans lacking access. Where it does exist, American buses, subways, and trollies are often aging and in need of repair.
In stark contrast, people in England took an average of 739 trips on public transportation in 2020. This usage amounted to passengers traveling over 360 billion miles (580 billion kilometers).
Based on personal experience, public transportation in the United Kingdom is perceived as cleaner and serving a larger middle-class working crowd compared to the U.S..
2: Desserts
For those with a sweet tooth, the sources suggest that experiencing British desserts is essential. A key difference highlighted is that British desserts often contain less sugar than American ones.
This reduced sugar content allows the other ingredients in the dessert to be tasted more distinctly.
The historical context provided indicates that one reason for higher sugar levels in American desserts is the drop in sugar price and its ready availability in the U.S. after gaining independence.
3: Healthcare
While the British healthcare system is not presented as perfect, the sources state that it is objectively better than the U.S. system.
According to the Michigan Journal Of Economics, the U.S. was ranked last among 11 developed countries for overall healthcare system performance, whereas the U.K. was ranked fourth.
The U.K. operates a government-sponsored universal healthcare system known as the National Health Service (NHS).
4: Innovations
Despite famous American innovators like Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and Elon Musk, the sources cite Japanese researchers who found that over 40% of discoveries embraced globally in the last 50 years originated in the U.K..
The sources acknowledge that Americans might find this hard to believe, pointing to historical disputes like the invention of the light bulb.
Americans typically credit Edison in 1879, while the British attribute it to Sir Joseph Swan of Newcastle in 1878.
5: Walking Culture
Tracking daily steps, a common practice for many Americans, is seen as a “silly way to spend time” by friends across the pond.
A study is referenced which indicates that Americans walk about 1,200 fewer steps daily than the British.
The sources attribute this lower step count in part to factors beyond American control, such as places often being too spread out for walking and the potential lack of sidewalks.
Furthermore, limited public transportation means Americans often park closer to their destination rather than walking several blocks.
6: World Sport
The sources acknowledge that American football is a unique and celebrated American sport. However, from the perspective of aligning with global sports enthusiasm, the U.S. falls short in its embrace of soccer.
Despite the U.S. Women’s team holding more World Cup titles than any other country as of March of the current year, the general preference among Americans is to watch football or baseball over soccer.
7: Chocolate Bars
Asking a Brit their opinion on American chocolates like Hershey’s is likely to elicit a strong negative reaction.
According to the sources, the reason for this strong reaction is that to the British and many Europeans, American chocolate tastes like vomit.
This perception is linked to the fact that American chocolate companies frequently use butyric acid as an ingredient to extend shelf life, and this acid is also found in vomit. Brits, therefore, tend to prefer butyric acid-free options like Cadbury.
8: Stronger Food Rules
Even though the U.K. has left the European Union, it continues to adhere to many of the EU’s stricter regulations regarding permitted food additives.
A significant difference highlighted is the approach to food additives. In Europe (and the U.K. by adherence), an additive must be proven safe before it can be used in food.
Conversely, in the U.S., new food ingredients are allowed on the market unless or until they are proven harmful.
9: Safer Plugs
While three-prong plug adapters might be seen as inconvenient for Americans due to limited luggage space, the sources suggest that the British system is actually safer.
The essential function of the third prong on a plug is to ground the electricity. This grounding feature provides better protection from electric shock if a wire comes loose, compared to a two-prong plug. Therefore, despite the inconvenience, the British plugs offer a safety advantage.
10: Afternoon Tea
In contrast to the American value placed on a fast-paced life, the British culture embraces taking a break for afternoon tea.
It is considered perfectly acceptable to pause for this tradition. Afternoon tea is typically enjoyed sometime between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Beyond just the tea, the experience usually involves enjoying finger foods.
Common accompaniments include mini sandwiches, scones, and various other pastries served alongside a pot of tea.
11: Dates
While Americans might prefer their familiar Month-Day-Year format, the sources argue that when viewed from a broader perspective, this system “doesn’t exactly make sense”.
The U.K. uses a more logical ascending order for writing dates: Day-Month-Year. Similarly, even Eastern Asian countries demonstrate an ordered approach, using a descending order: Year-Month-Day.
This suggests that the British method of ordering date components may be more intuitive or aligned with other international formats than the American standard.
12: Literature
Despite acknowledging a fondness for American authors, the sources point to data indicating that not a single American author is featured in the top five best-selling books of all time list.
In contrast, two British authors have books on this prestigious list. Charles Dickens, from Portsmouth, England, wrote A Tale of Two Cities, which ranks as the second-best seller globally. J.K. Rowling, born in Yate, holds the fifth spot with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Alicia Richards