The culinary universe is huge and wonderfully varied, isn’t it? Each country has its own special gastronomic stars and, let’s be real, a few domestic disasters best served by the native population. In terms of American food, you would think you have it all in the bag burgers, fries, and the global fast-food chains we’ve shipped all over the planet. But here’s the twist: what feels totally normal to us can be a real head-scratcher or even gag-inducing for people abroad.
Those traditional “American” grub we all grew up adoring, from daily snacks to festive favorites, don’t always translate well to overseas crowds. After sifting through BuzzFeed forums and Reddit arguments, we’ve compiled some iconic American fare that foreigners just can’t get their heads (or mouths) around. Warning: you may find yourself jumping to the defense of a childhood staple.
So, grab a snack (not one of these!) and buckle up for a wild ride through the ultimate global taste test of “gross” American foods. It’s an interesting glimpse at how culture, upbringing, and even ingredient quality inform our attitudes. After all, what is comforting to one individual can be downright weird to another.
1. American Cheese
Those individually wrapped, perfectly square slices or giant melty blocks are a mainstay of U.S. kitchens. On burgers, grilled cheese, or mac and cheese, it’s a favorite for its creamy texture and mild taste.
But outside the States, this “cheese” is baffling. Many call it plastic-like, pointing to its bright orange tint and heavily processed nature. Redditor Iamfromthewater dubbed it “plastic stuff” and swore it was “an instant guarantee I’m not ordering that food.” Another user joked that even their five-year-old would choose blue cheese over it. For many, the fact that ants won’t eat it is all the proof they need.
2. Hershey’s Chocolate
To Americans, Hershey’s are unadulterated nostalgia milk chocolate bars, cookies ‘n’ cream, Krackel, and Special Dark. It’s the candy store classic that we grew up with.
But to foreigners, Hershey’s can be straight-up repellent. A lot of people characterize its taste as tangy, acidic, or even goaty. One person on Reddit said it “tasted rotten,” and another referred to it as “dusty and not very rich.” When compared to Europe’s rich, silky chocolates, Hershey’s is often a disappointment, and reviewers can’t get excited over what we think is a national treasure.
3. Pineapple on Pizza
Referred to as Hawaiian pizza, the ham, mozzarella, and sweet pineapple combination is an American favorite. Some adore the salty-sweet opposite; others insist it’s a culinary crime.
For others overseas, the notion of putting fruit on pizza is simply wrong. Pizza, in their minds, is supposed to be savory. Putting pineapple is one step too far and changes the nature of the dish into something unrecognizable. The food wars have few battles as hot as this one.
4. American Soda
Our sodas are fabled bright cans, assertive flavors, and bottomless fizz. But here’s the catch: they contain high-fructose corn syrup that sweetens them.
In nations where cane sugar is the norm, consumers notice the difference at once. American sodas are described as too sweet or artificial by many, with one Canadian terming them outright “disgusting.” Even Americans have their preferences for “Mexican Coke” or retro sodas with actual sugar. For foreigners, soda with corn syrup is a turn-off.
5. Aerosol/Spray Cheese
Spray cheese: handy, instant, and unmistakably American. Whether squirted onto crackers or as a party prank, it’s a wacky staple in this country.
But to most outsiders, it’s terrifying. The concept of cheese that shoots out like whipped cream is abhorrent to those who are accustomed to natural, traditional cheeses. One Redditor captured it best: “Food just shouldn’t be in a spray can.” To them, this isn’t cheese but a nightmare on a plate.
6. American Taco Night
When Americans are having taco night, it most likely involves hard shells, seasoned ground beef with packets of seasonings, cheese sauce, sour cream, and possibly some diced tomatoes. It’s convenient and comforting here.
But foreigners, particularly Mexicans, view this as a plaintive copy of the original. True tacos value freshness, hot pepper, and harmonious flavors traits more frequently sacrificed in the American version. For them, our “taco night” is more like cultural cosplay than food.
7. Root Beer
This sweet herbal soda is a cult favorite in America particularly in root beer floats. For some, it’s a sign of childhood memories and diner culture.
But for newcomers overseas, it’s like dentist’s mouthwash to the taste buds. The sassafras and wintergreen flavor so comforting to Americans is medicinal and nasty elsewhere. What’s comforting to us is dental horror in a cup to others.
We’ve already toured some of America’s most puzzling food quirks from plastic cheese to mouthwash soda. But the global taste test doesn’t stop there. Let’s keep going.
8. Twinkies
These golden sponge cakes with creamy filling are snack icons here, stuffed into lunchboxes for generations.
Foreigners, though, think them disgusting. One likened the feel to “a sloppy cake with moisturizer cream inside.” The sugary sponge and artificial cream taste more like chemicals than cake. Americans call it nostalgia; outsiders call it nausea.
9. Sweet Cinnamon Buns
Cinnamon buns in Europe are delicately sweet pastry that emphasize spice and dough. In America? They’re covered in frosting, usually to the point of overindulgence.
A Swede described U.S. cinnamon rolls as “disturbing,” arguing that frosting smothers the natural flavors. While we see indulgence, others see a sugar overload that drowns out the pastry’s essence.
10. Deep Dish Pizza
Chicago’s pride is more pie than pizza, loaded with sauce, cheese, and toppings in a thick crust. It’s a hearty, knife-and-fork dish that Americans adore.
But Italians and pizza enthusiasts bristle. For them, pizza is light, crisp, and in balance. Deep dish is heavy, bloated, and in one Redditor’s opinion “disrespectful to Italian culture.” To them, it’s not even pizza.
11. American Fast Food Quality
Chains such as McDonald’s and Burger King are international, but foreigners contend that the U.S. editions are inferior. Canadians, for one, lament that the identical chains are fresher-tasting and superior over the border.
Why? Perhaps ingredients, cooking, or rules. Whatever, it’s a slap in American pride that our own fast food can be bested by the imitations overseas.
12. American Bread
Around the world, bread is revered for its crust and taste. From German rye to French baguettes, it’s supposed to be savory and filling.
In the US, however, store bread tends to have a strange sweetness. One expat remembered assuming they’d purchased “dessert bread” by mistake. Mix in preservatives and corn syrup, and you have soft, tasteless loaves that are more like candy than traditional bread elsewhere.
13. Instant Ramen
In Japan, ramen is a work of art: slow-cooked broths, chewy noodles, rich toppings. In America, instant ramen is a salty, inexpensive block with a flavor packet.
To ramen enthusiasts overseas, it’s an insult. They view it as taking away all the things that make ramen distinct and leaving only a “gross” imitation. Convenience in one place is cultural disappointment in another.
14. Cherry-Flavored Anything
From sugary soft drinks to candies, imitation cherry flavor permeates America. To us, it’s a strong, comforting taste.
Foreigners think it is medicinal, chemical-tasting, and nothing at all like cherries. Some liken it to cough medicine, asking how on earth Americans can stand it. For them, products with a cherry flavor are a flavor flop.
Food is never just fuel it’s memory, culture, and identity. These American favorites demonstrate just how varied taste can be between borders. What we consider comfort food may be culinary blasphemy to others. And that’s what makes food so interesting: it’s always more than flavor, it’s where we’re from and what we want from a meal.
So tell us, what foods do you adore that everyone else hates?
