Here's How Typical American Foods Compare In Different Countries.

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3. It was never traditional to do that here in Germany

I remember my wife being amazed at getting ice in drinks served to her without her asking. She always asked, what did that they do that for? I didn't ask for that!

Besides the fact that Germany tends to be colder than much of the USA in the spring, summer and fall, space was always at a premium here, and electricity was always more expensive than in the States. This means that most people have smaller kitchens, and small (as in half the size of what you usually have in the States) freezers. Making and maintaining lots of ice uses up energy and space. So keeping lots of ice around to put in everything was never something that was done here habitually.