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World Cup visitors love these American foods

qz.com · 11 words · saved by 1 readers

The 2026 FIFA World Cup brought something unexpected alongside the football: a real-time documentary of international visitors encountering American food culture for the first time, posted directly to social media in genuine amazement. The posts are not ironic or performative. A Swedish fan discovering ranch dressing, a Scotsman standing in front of a Buc-ee’s, declaring that a place like this could only exist in America. These are authentic responses to a food culture so specific to the United States that even its most mundane fixtures read as exotic spectacle to visitors from countries where portion sizes are regulated by a different understanding of what a reasonable drink looks like. What makes the social media documentation compelling is its specificity. The visitors are not just reacting to American food in the abstract. They are reacting to Beaver Nuggets, to the free refill tradition, to the experience of walking into a Waffle House at 1 a.m. and receiving great food, great pri

World Cup visitors are losing their minds over these American foods

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