Here's a good way to avoid rude service in Europe as an American tourist:
Try your hardest to speak with a Michigan accent. Any southern drawl will get eyes rolling and noses snooting upwards instantly. And don't pretend to be Canadian, because Canadians are just American-lite. They might mention something about cars, because you're from Michigan. It's well known that German cars are better than American cars, but American cars are much much better than French cars and the vast majority of Italian cars.
We don't really have one - or if we do - I already use it. A lot of Midwest people are on radio - b/c we have no accent, so it's the universal American "language" i guess.
I work at Greenfield Village (kinda like Colonial Williamsburg) - I see these people all the time, and hate them.
Yeah - knew that.
They're very annoying at Greenfield Village - they always order fish - or when htey don't, they're VERY impatient.
Edit: One more thing:
I got skimmed once in Italy for an ice cream cone. The guy tried to charge me EUR 4,50 for 2 scoops of gelato on a cone. I handed him the ice cream cone back and told him I didn't want it. He got really mad, but screw him! If he hadn't taken the damn thing back I would have smushed the damn thing face down on the floor and walked out of the store. Make sure you either ask ahead of time how much something is or make sure there are prices posted. This never happened to me in Austria or Germany. You should go there too.
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