3 Cultural Differences Between the U.S. & the U.K. — and the Hospitality Lessons They Can Teach Us

Scot Turner is the founder of  Auden Hospitality, a creative consultancy transforming how hotels think about food and beverage. With a belief that hotel restaurants should be bold, memorable, and commercially powerful, Auden partners with operators and owners to unlock the full potential of their F&B spaces. Scot has worked alongside some of the biggest names in hospitality including Alain Ducasse and Dominique Ansel, and is the host of “Hospitality Huddles,” the award-winning hotel F&B podcast brought to you by Auden Hospitality. He is also a regular on the speaking circuit having delivered keynotes across Europe and the U.S.

Did you know that we didn’t used to have the Ford Mustang in the U.K.? 

I remember the first time I heard the unmistakable purr for the first time. I’d always known about the Mustang, but I’d never felt it.

That roar, those revs shaking the pavement, captures what I love about the U.S.: big, bold, and unapologetic. While you're sipping strong mugs of diner coffee, we’re over here with bone china and cups of tea.

More on this later. But first, some context.

I’ve grown up in hospitality; hotels made me, restaurants inspired me. 

This year will be my 27^th in the industry. In that time, I’ve opened 50+ restaurants, four hotels, and worked in 16 countries on four continents. In 2022, I oversaw $175M in revenue across 16 brands and 85 restaurants, 11 of which were in New York City for a restaurant business.

I’ve run operations in just about every segment — Michelin, casual, rooftop, QSR, large-scale events, you name it. Now, I lead Auden Hospitality, the business I founded in 2022, shaped by everything I’ve learned.

Recently, I’ve spent more time in the U.S., speaking at the Bar & Restaurant Expos in San Antonio and Las Vegas. After each event, I’ve hopped on a flight to meet friends in other cities, to hang out with locals. Because understanding any market happens best in real life.

So that’s my context: I love hotels, I love restaurants, I travel A LOT, and I love the U.S. 

It’s a place I want to be more. While other like-minded businesses in the U.K. are blinded by the giga-projects in the Middle East, I am, and always have been, obsessed with the American Dream. And there are a few fundamental ways in which our two cultures differ that, I think, have a big impact on how we approach hospitality. 

Here are my takeaways for the most important things we can learn from each other.

Americans Dream Big

I wish we shouted louder in the U.K. It’s the difference between a mug of coffee and a cup of tea. We don’t have a culture of boldness. We’re reserved. Cautious. Glass half empty.

 While the Super Bowl is curated to be an entertainment spectacle, one that is way more than just sport, an event where brands are willing to spend billions to get the half time ad, Brits are watching the FA Cup final, where it’s a phenomenon if Wembley Stadium is lit up in different colors (and then the old romantics think it’s a step too far). 

We don’t tell stories in the same way as you guys in the U.S. I spend a lot of time with my friends from across the pond because they push me to be a little less British and a lot more American. The thought of being on video scared me, but spending time on weekly calls with the Digital Hospitality group, a collection of industry pros all willing to share their knowledge, I was inspired by what it means to ‘tell your story’ and the power of storytelling.  

Americans embraced hospitality podcasts before we did. You were first with meaningful video content and are the first to experiment (Clubhouse, anyone?). In the U.K, if I wrote a book, people would call me a wanker. In the U.S., books build credibility. One friend called it the best business card he’s ever had. In the U.K., it would more likely be used to prop up a wonky table in an unloved restaurant.

It’s a dream big versus do-alright mentality. 

You embrace tech, your restaurants embrace it, and your teams demand it. Whether it’s next gen POS, or forward-thinking platforms like ClearCogs, Marqii, or Wisk, you understand it can make your restaurants better. In the U.K., we still fear tech; we are getting better, but we are years behind the U.S. mindset. (Tech in particular is a problem for hotels, many of them still running on legacy platforms that stunt innovation and limit opportunity, an area that’s more like turning a cargo ship and probably an article in its own right.)

The Brits Love An Underdog 

One of London’s best venues, which sadly closed during Covid, was in a car park. Dinerama was the original food hall in London. It was authentic, raw, full of passion, and pushed boundaries. This mindset hasn’t changed, we are creating phenomenal venues in unique places.  

We are embracing street food. You may have your Pike Place and Chelsea Markets, but we have Broadgate Market, Wood Street Market and the famed Borough Market. We embrace the artisan and give them a platform to show their craft on a simple table, under a gazebo, with a Square payment machine.  

And this platform helps the best succeed. One of our clients is Homies On Donkeys in Leytonstone, East London. They spent five years running a stall in Wood Street Market; two years ago they opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant.  

With a loyal fanbase following them, they have been able to establish the brand and are now featured in the Infatuation’s Top 100, Time Out’s Where to Eat, and up for the Good Food Guide. The U.K. loves an underdog — the working class story, the fruit and veg seller, the local baker, the Indian dhaba, and the Mexican taqueria.  

When you look at the way food halls are being curated today, they are blending the best of the street market and bringing this to life in a multi-functional entertainment venue. The social culture of the U.K. really plays into this — it’s an opportunity to bring together our love for great food, drinks and music. They are incubators for creativity and a launchpad for budding entrepreneurs.

The British Pub Is the Cornerstone of Community

I couldn’t write this article without talking about the pub. It’s our cultural cornerstone. The place we go to win, lose, and just be. Your ‘local’ is where communities thrive. I remember playing football in pub beer gardens as a kid. Watching the World Cup as a teenager. Now, I’m there with my kids doing the same. It’s multigenerational.

Pubs transcend age, class, and background. They prove that when you put community at the center, you create something lasting.

The Great British Pub serves as a reminder to all of us, no matter what side of the pond we live on, why great hospitality venues are so important.

They create reasons to visit every day of the week. They bring people together through their food and drink. They extend dwell time by activating the experience with live performances, game nights, and play areas for children. They put themselves at the heart of the community.

Most importantly, pubs are all united by their ability to stand the test of time. Which, in my experience, is the true measurement of any great hospitality venue.