At first glance, a BOGO tag looks like Publix is doing shoppers a favor. Sometimes, that’s true. Other times, it’s doing itself the bigger favor. These are the moves Floridians use to get BOGOs working for them. 1. Splitting One Pair Into Two Coupons Publix treats every BOGO deal as two separate purchases, not one….
A Fort Worth native rattles off directions without blinking: “Take FM 1187 past the feed store, then watch for the water tower.” A transplant just nods, having no idea what “FM” even means. These are the Texas habits transplants can’t fake, no matter how hard they try. 1. Texas U-Turns A native Texan can spot…
Many downstaters treat upstate New York like one giant suburb of Manhattan. But it has its own weather, its own food, and a six-million-acre park bigger than five national parks combined. None of it runs on New York City’s clock. These are the things upstate New Yorkers are sick of explaining to downstaters. 1. Where…
A Californian mentions where they’re from at a wedding reception, and the questions start before the appetizers arrive. Is it always sunny? Have you ever felt an earthquake? Nobody waits for an answer before asking the next question. These are the questions and lines Californians are tired of hearing from the rest of America. 1….
A church fellowship hall in Georgia fills up 20 minutes before the service ends, folding tables already sagging under foil-covered dishes. Nobody wrote a sign-up sheet. Nobody needed a sign-up sheet. Every regular already knows exactly what they’re bringing, the same dishes a Georgia potluck table isn’t complete without. 1. Brunswick Stew Every Georgia potluck…
A moving truck idles in a Westerville driveway while a neighbor stops by to explain trash day. Nobody mentions the state driving laws that could cost the new arrival a ticket. Ohio’s laws run differently than those some transplants packed up and left behind. These are Ohio’s driving laws that catch some new residents off…
Quick, how many of Publix’s official guarantees can you name off the top of your head? Many shoppers can rattle off two at most before they run dry. These are the Publix guarantees Floridians forget they can use. 1. Wrong Scan, Free Item Publix backs every shelf tag with a promise many shoppers never test….
A house left empty after a funeral in Georgia can sit untouched for a year while relatives argue over who inherits it. Nobody has to break a window for that gap to turn into a legal fight. That kind of vacancy can end with someone else living there before probate ever wraps up. These are…
A woman in a Charlotte grocery line asks the guy behind the deli counter if he’s ever had a Virginia ham biscuit. He hasn’t. She sighs the way only a transplant can, then spends the next five minutes explaining Smithfield ham to a stranger who never asked. These are the things Virginians do that give…
A hurricane in the forecast sends most tourists reaching for a suitcase. It sends Floridians reaching for a second cup of coffee. These are the storm-season habits Floridians stay calm about that leave other Americans white-knuckled. 1. Reading the Cone When a storm forms, the first thing a Floridian pulls up is the cone. Not…
