California is home to about 39.5 million people, spread across a coastline, a desert, and mountains that have snow every winter. But many out-of-staters think of California as one big beach town. These are the everyday comments that make Californians grit their teeth. 1. Calling It “Cali” Californians hear “Cali” the second they mention where…
McDonald’s spent nearly three years testing AI voice ordering at its drive-throughs with IBM’s help, then shut the whole experiment down in 2024 after it kept mishearing customers. That failure made national news because voice ordering looked like the easiest problem AI could solve. Across Pennsylvania, harder calls than a drive-through order still get left…
Think you could sit through a backyard cookout in Rhode Island without asking someone to repeat themselves? You probably couldn’t if you’re from out of state. These are the phrases Rhode Islanders say without a second thought that leave everyone else, other New Englanders included, completely lost. 1. “Cabinet” Rhode Islanders walk up to an…
Pennsylvanians love being right. But Punxsutawney Phil makes that hard to prove. The famous groundhog has correctly called the weather just 39% of the time since 1887. That’s worse than a coin flip. So, is it rude to correct someone who’s wrong? In our opinion, these are the situations when Pennsylvanians are better off keeping…
Maine is the most rural state in the country, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with a bigger share of its residents living outside any city or town than anywhere else in America. That kind of space rewrites a few rules newcomers assume hold everywhere. Some of what catches new residents off guard costs money….
Floridians love talking about the postcard version of their state to other Americans. But nowhere is perfect. Press them a little, and the answer changes. These are the things Floridians think about their own state but rarely say out loud. Note: This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Insurance premiums, minimum coverage requirements,…
A first-time visitor to Michigan pulls into a gas station outside Traverse City and asks for directions to the nearest party store. They picture balloons and paper plates. Not that kind of party. These are the Michigan sayings that leave out-of-towners completely lost. 1. Pasty Michigan’s Upper Peninsula turns out hand-held meat pies called pasties,…
Delaware fits a beach, a battlefield, and its state capital inside a two-hour drive. Move to Delaware from almost anywhere bigger, and that scale takes some adjusting to. So does the rest of what comes with living in the country’s second-smallest state. Here’s what surprises the newcomers who make the move, for better and for…
Think you could pass for a longtime Virginian before your coffee kicks in? We’re willing to bet you can’t. More than 170,000 people have moved into Virginia since 2020, and their headlights are easy for native Virginians to pick out of the pack by 7 a.m. These are the morning habits that instantly give away…
Sanford Stadium holds just over 93,000 fans on a Saturday, close to the entire population of Athens-Clarke County. Georgians navigate the crowds by a rulebook outsiders have never had to learn. These are the tailgate mistakes that instantly mark someone as out-of-state. 1. Setting up Before 7 A.M. Georgia tailgaters know exactly when the party…
