If you’ve ever landed in a new country, walked into a grocery store, and thought, “Wait… why does the milk look like juice and the chips come in tubes?”, you’re not alone. A viral article making the rounds right now—“31 American Things That Look A Whole Lot Different In Other Countries”—has travelers sharing photos of familiar brands and everyday items that look completely different once you cross a border.
From McDonald’s menus in Japan that feel like gourmet cafes to Coke bottles in Europe with labels you barely recognize, this trend isn’t just fun content for your feed. It’s also a massive clue: understanding how “the same things” change abroad can actually make your trips cheaper, smoother, and way more interesting.
Here’s how to turn that culture-shock moment—“Why does everything look different?”—into smart, share-worthy travel hacks you can start using on your very next trip.
Learn Local “Versions” Before You Go
That viral “American things abroad” conversation is a reminder that what you know at home might exist under a totally different name, look, or label somewhere else. This matters when you’re tired, jet-lagged, and hunting for basics.
Before you travel, spend 10–15 minutes googling or TikTok-scrolling these basics for your destination: what a typical grocery store looks like, common drugstore chains, and what packaging for essentials (milk, painkillers, transit cards, SIM cards) actually looks like. Search “[country] grocery haul” or “[city] supermarket tour” on YouTube and TikTok—creators everywhere are posting these mini walkthroughs. Screenshot anything you know you’ll need: allergy meds, baby supplies, specific snacks, or non-drowsy cold medicine. When you arrive, you’ll recognize what you’re looking for even if the brand name, language, or bottle shape is different. That tiny bit of familiarity kills panic purchases and saves you from overpacking “just in case.”
Hack Your Food Budget With “Different-Looking” Fast Food
Those side-by-side photos of American chains overseas—like KFC selling rice bowls or McDonald’s offering macarons and matcha lattes—aren’t just funny; they’re a cheat code for budget travel. In many countries, international chains adapt to local tastes, and their “different” menus can be surprisingly affordable, cleaner, and easier to navigate than you’d expect.
Use this to your advantage. If you’re arriving late, exhausted, or traveling with picky eaters, check local menus for global chains on Google Maps before you go. Many show pictures, prices, and translations. In Japan, for example, McDonald’s often has seasonal specials and clear combo pricing that can beat airport food. In parts of Europe, Starbucks becomes a reliable, well-marked place to recharge devices, use Wi-Fi, and regroup without the pressure of a full meal. The trick: don’t rely on chains your whole trip—but absolutely use them as “soft landings” for your first night, long transfer days, or when you’re overwhelmed by choices in a totally new environment.
Treat Packaging Shock as a Language Hack
Those “wrong-looking” Doritos bags and mystery cleaning products in another language? They’re not just confusing—they’re actually one of the easiest, low-pressure ways to pick up useful words fast. Dictionaries and apps are great, but nothing sticks quite like “learning under pressure because you really need shampoo, not fabric softener.”
Turn every store run into a micro-language lesson. Use your translation app’s camera mode on labels to learn a few key words: “shampoo,” “conditioner,” “dairy,” “non-dairy,” “spicy,” “non-spicy,” “children,” “adult,” “allergy,” or “contains nuts.” Save a note in your phone with those words in the local language. The next store you walk into, you’ll start recognizing packaging by sight instead of scanning everything. Over a week-long trip, this can save a lot of time—and help you avoid accidentally buying sparkling water when you wanted still, or super-strong cleaning vinegar when you thought it was drinking water. It’s a small habit that makes you feel more confident, faster.
Use “Things Look Different Here” To Pack Less and Smarter
The trending photos of American products abroad prove one huge thing: you can find almost everything you need everywhere—it just won’t look like it does at home. So instead of overstuffing your bag with backup toiletries and snacks “because I don’t know if they’ll have it,” assume you’ll buy locally and use that difference to your advantage.
Think in categories, not brands. Pack enough to get you through the first 24–48 hours: a travel-sized version of your must-have items (medications, specific skincare if you’re sensitive, one snack for emergencies), then plan to restock in your destination. Travel-size items are expensive per ounce and take up space; local full-size items are almost always cheaper and tailored to the climate (think: humid-friendly hair products in Southeast Asia or dry-skin creams in high-altitude cities). Bonus: buying local versions can be part of the experience—trying the local chocolate bar that “replaces” your usual, or the country’s go-to instant coffee, can be as fun as visiting a tourist attraction, just with less pressure and more snacks.
Turn Everyday Differences Into Content (Without Being That Tourist)
All those viral threads and TikToks only exist because people noticed and shared: “Look how different this everyday thing is over here!” You can totally join in—without being disrespectful or annoying to locals. And if you’re a content creator or just love posting your trips, these small, unexpected details often perform better than yet another shot of a famous landmark.
Here’s how to do it well. Focus on your experience, not mocking theirs. Instead of “Look how weird this is,” frame it as, “I thought I knew [X] but here’s how it totally changes in [country].” Take side-by-side photos when possible: your favorite U.S. snack vs. its French, Japanese, or Mexican cousin. Add something useful in the caption, like price differences, sizes, flavor notes, or how it changed your packing list for next time. This kind of content is fun, helpful, and respectful—and it doubles as your own personal reference library when you’re planning your next trip.
Conclusion
The internet is currently obsessed with how “American things” transform once they leave the U.S.—but buried in those viral side-by-sides is a powerful travel hack: almost nothing abroad is truly unfamiliar, it’s just wearing a different outfit.
If you treat those differences as clues instead of obstacles, you can: walk into any store with confidence, eat better on a budget, pack smarter and lighter, learn key local words without boring study sessions, and create unique, helpful content that other travelers will actually save and share.
Next time you land somewhere new and your brain goes, “Why does everything look wrong?”, flip the script. That feeling isn’t a problem—it’s your sign you’re in exactly the right place, collecting exactly the kind of stories that make travel unforgettable.
Key Takeaway
The most important thing to remember from this article is that following these steps can lead to great results.
