United States: Practical information

Eating Out

Rules For Eating Out: Lunch is usually served between 11 am and 1 pm and dinner 5 pm to 10 pm. Do not forget to tip your waiter or waitress (20 % at a "sit-down" restaurant). Service is almost never included in the price of the meal. Sometimes, if you eat with a group of people over a certain number, the restaurant will add a service charge to your bill, which means you do not have to leave a tip.

Food Specialties: American culinary specialities vary considerably by region. Some popular examples include:
Appetisers: crab cakes, oysters Rockefeller, crab soup and Waldorf salad.
Main courses: chili con carne, burgers, chicken or shrimp gumbo, jambalaya and country ham.
Alcohol and cocktails: bourbon, eggnog and mint julep.
Baked goods: corn bread and peanut brittle.
Desserts: president's cake, red velvet cake and King cake.
Drinks: Soft drinks like Coca Cola, Fanta, etc. are the most commonly consumed beverages.
The legal drinking age is 21 years old. American beers, such as Budweiser and Coors, are popular with younger adults. High quality wines, beer and spirits (especially bourbon) can be found in the United States. Imported international alcoholic beverages can be easily found.
Dietary Restrictions: None

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car Rental
Los Angeles Intl (LAX)	24 km / 15 miles	USD 30 / 30-35 min	USD 3 / 30-45 min	Available	Available
Chicago O'Hare (ORD)	9 km / 5 miles	10 min	Available	Available	Available
New York - Kennedy Intl (JFK)	21 km / 13 miles	USD 45 / 40-60 min	Available	USD 5 /1 0-15 min	Available

Name	Type	Domestic Flights	International Flights
American Airlines	Major	Yes	Yes
United Airlines	Major	Yes	Yes
Continental	Major	Yes	Yes
Delta	Major	Yes	No
Jet Blue	Low Cost	Yes	No
Southwest Airlines	Low Cost	Yes	No

National Roads Organizations: Federal Highways Administration
Department of Motor Vehicles

Current Local Time: It is %T:%M %A In New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia
It is %T:%M %A In Chicago, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas
It is %T:%M %A In Los Angeles, San Diego
Summer Time: From April to October.

Time zone

Type of Climate: Temperatures and climate vary considerably across the United States. Below are some average temperatures in several U.S. Cities:
Chicago: -7°C in January, 20°C in June
San Francisco:12°C in January, 18°C in June
New York from 0°C in January, 22°C in June
Hotel reservation websites: U.S. Department of Commerce: Climate Analysis Branch National Weather Service Federal Emergency Management Agency - Disaster Information

Climate

System of Measurement Used: The U.S. still uses the English Imperial units. It still has no definitive plan for the adoption of the International Metric System.
Unit of Measurement of Temperature: Degrees Fahrenheit (F).

Electricity
Voltage: 110-120 volts
Frequency: 60 Hertz
Type of Electric Socket: For the USA, these are the electric sockets that can be used: Type A & B (National Electrical Manufacturing Association) (North American 15 A/125 V ungrounded).
Type of Telephone Socket: RJ11, found in most homes and offices in North America for single line telephones. RJ14 and RJ25 also fairly common, using the same size connector as RJ11, but with two and three phone lines, respectively, connected.
DVD Zoning: Zone 1

Domestic Currency: American Dollar
ISO Code: USD
To Obtain Domestic Currency: It is helpful to have some dollars with you upon arrival into the United States. If that is not possible, you can change foreign currency into USD at a bureau de change or withdraw USD directly from ATMs.
Possible Means of Payment: Credit cards can be utilised nearly everywhere. Traveller's cheques may be used; however, they are becoming less commonly accepted in retail locations and less popular.

To Find a Cash Machine Where You Need, Use the ATM locator

Official Language: There is not an official language at the national level; however, English is the official language of the majority of American states and the most commonly spoken language.
Other Languages Spoken: Spanish is the most commonly spoken language after English. While regionally concentrated in states such as Arizona, Texas, California, Florida and New Mexico, there are Spanish-speaking enclaves across the country. In communities with large immigrant populations, other languages are spoken, including Chinese, Japanese, Italian, German, Polish or Greek. Moreover, there are many languages spoken by Native American populations (Navajo, Cree, Cherokee, etc.).
Business Language: English

Police, Medical and Fire	911
Non-emergency municipal service number	311

Telephone Codes: To Make a Call From the United States, Dial 011
To Make a Call to in the United States, Dial +1
Mobile Telephone Standards: The U.S. mainly uses Analog, TDMA, CDMA and GSM 1900. It is important to note that each standard may have multiple frequencies. Phones that can support multiple GSM frequencies may be able to work in the US, but another option is to purchase a pre-paid card.
National Mobile Phone Operators: AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, SBC, BellSouth, Sprint, Qwest

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