A British expat has split opinions after sharing one key difference between Aussie hospitality and that of her homeland.
Documentary maker Ellie took to Instagram to share her unexpected gripe, explaining that while she loves Australians’ “warmth and friendliness” most of the time, there are moments when she’d simply rather be left alone.
“I’m about to be a whining pom,” Ellie warned at the start of her Instagram video.
She went on to explain that one aspect of Australian customer service continues to catch her off guard.
“I love your warmth and friendliness 99% of the time, but read the room,” she said in the caption.
“If it looks like I have a face like a slapped a**e, do not ask me how my day is going, unless you want an honest answer.”
According to Ellie, customer service in Britain is generally far more straightforward.
“You hand over your money and you’re gone,” she said, adding that workers will often not even make eye contact during the interaction.
Despite her criticism, Ellie admitted she has become accustomed to Australia’s famously friendly approach and expects she’ll miss it when she returns to the UK.
“I will leave and I will say ‘Britain is nothing like Australia’,” she said. “Australian hospitality is next level.”
Her video quickly divided viewers, with some agreeing that Australian customer service can feel overly enthusiastic, while others insisted the opposite is true.
“What throws me in Australia is they ask you how you are going, but they do not actually expect you to tell them, nor do they want you to ask how their day is going,” one viewer wrote.
“I also arriving in Australia and getting rally irritated when the shop assistants hovered around offering to take my clothes to the changing room or telling me about their current sale, but you quickly get used to it.
“I miss the dead-pan shop assistants who leave you alone in the UK,” agreed another. “I loved it.”
Another commenter recalled a similar cultural difference when their mother visited family overseas.
One viewer shared a similar story writing that when their mum visited their sister, “she would chat to all the people behind the counters, being friendly.
“My sister told her that’s just not done in the UK.
“Get your stuff, pay for it and leave.”
Others, however, argued they had experienced the exact opposite.
“I find the customer service the other way around. Much more friendly in the UK and trained to provide service, whereas here it is just a monetary transaction,” one user wrote.