America, we have arrived! Sure, we surfed in on a wave of unlimited beverage refills and ranch dressing, but we did it.
The United States is co-hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico. The tournament features 48 teams competing across 16 North American cities, with the finale scheduled for July 19 in New Jersey.
One of my favorite pastimes is watching reels and posts from foreigners visiting the United States and reporting on what they have found. German, English, Australian and others are all reporting their experiences visiting America, and it’s the best entertainment I’ve seen online in ages.
Social media gets a lot of well-deserved criticism. So much disinformation and downright hate gets shared online. Then came the flip-side. The internet removed the traditional editors.
Now, a German, French, or Japanese tourist can share their direct experience. Millions hear it instantly, unfiltered. It’s been refreshing to hear their stories. Many are sharing their expectations of the United States versus their experiences. They expected crime, chaos and mayhem. They were met with clean, friendly and amazing meals and snacks.
It’s great to see visitors enjoying what we take for granted. Sure, they may have castles in Europe but we have Waffle House and Costco. They are driving pickup trucks (this thing is massive!), exploring the scenery (“stunning!” “lovely,” “the reason Americans don’t travel outside their own country is because their country is huge!”)
They also seem very impressed with all our freebies: beverage refills, bread baskets and chips and salsa. Their delight with fireworks, Walmart and learning all the words to “Take Me Home, Country Roads” by John Denver as if it is a national anthem have been so heartwarming to see.
It appears, however, that our real contribution to world culture is…ranch dressing. So impressed with our national condiment that thousands of Europeans have been caught SMUGGLING ranch dressing out of the United States.
Here’s the wild part — ranch dressing basically doesn’t exist in Europe. While its popularity extends to Canada and pockets of major global cities, it is generally rare or entirely absent in most of the world. It’s like we have the most American thing ever and the rest of the world just discovered it. Created in the 1950s by a plumber-turned-dude-ranch-owner in Alaska and California, it has become the best-selling salad dressing in the United States.
World Cup visitors from Europe are arriving in America, discovering ranch dressing and literally trying to sneak bottles through airport security. Yes! Full-sized 32-ounce bottles stuffed in carry-ons. Oversized liquids bins are reported to be FULL of ranch bottles. A comment on social media claimed he saw a person try to chug some of the stuff before the Transportation Security Agency made him throw it out before boarding. The TSA had to post official warnings. Multiple times.
If someone could just let them know that ranch seasoning is available in dry packets that can be mixed at home, that would be great. Unless Europe also doesn’t have mayo? Surely that cannot be so. So the real question is that if ranch is this good, why are we not exporting it everywhere? Europe needs ranch dressing!
Having thousands of non-Americans visiting for these games may be the best publicity the U.S. has gotten in a long time. It’s the simple things that most Americans take for granted that the world loves the most.
As we celebrate 250 years by inviting our global neighbors for a visit, we gather to appreciate and celebrate freedom, ranch and unlimited beverage refills!
Just remember one important thing about America: We tend to like our tea one of two ways — on ice or tossed in a harbor.
