We Charlotteans have a couple of our own quirky habits that out-of-towners might find confusing – like calling downtown Uptown. We get it, it’s just that strange! There are also a few major no-no’s that you will never catch anyone from Charlotte doing. These things are just “unCharlotte” in our book and they include the following:
1. Dissing Michael Jordan...
Michael Jordan is a national basketball legend and businessman known all around the world; in Charlotte, he's a local legend and Charlotteans hold his reputation dear. As the owner of Charlotte's beloved NBA basketball team the Charlotte Hornets and a North Carolina native, Michael Jordan can do no wrong in our book and you'll never catch us dissing this man.
2. Or Cam Newton...
Along the same lines, Cam Newton is the quarterback who has taken our Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl. We know he's passionate and sometimes displays his passion in less than desirable ways, but he's our team's leader. He’s also somewhat of a philanthropist when it comes to helping kids in the Charlotte community. A true Charlottean would never utter a bad word about Cam Newton or the Panthers- they’re our team and we are standing by them!
3. Or Ron Rivera for that matter.
Ron Rivera is the fearless coach and leader of the Carolina Panthers. This is the man we have all grown to love due to his loyalty to his players and his great t-shirts at press conferences. We regularly sing his praises, especially on game days, and don't want to hear anything different from visitors to our city.
4. Turning down that good ol' North Carolina BBQ.
North Carolina BBQ is a tradition in our state and in the Queen City. You can find a great BBQ joint on almost any corner and get your favorite pork BBQ sandwich, platter, or plate at any time of the day. If you're from Charlotte, you’re bound to have your own favorite way to eat BBQ and you'll never pass up an opportunity to take on the delicious goodness!
5. Not knowing our neighbors...
One great thing about the QC is how friendly our locals are. If you live here, you're bound to see examples of people being neighborly each and every day. Whether it's saying hello while passing a neighbor out for a walk, or volunteering to help a neighbor in their time of need. Many of the neighborhoods in the QC host regular gatherings and meet and greets for neighbors and you'll find that you can find lifelong friends by just reaching out in your neighborhood.
6. Or passing up the chance to help make our city a better place.
Most Charlotteans have a passion for giving back to our city and ensuring that the place we live and love is just as awesome for future generations. There are many volunteer organizations and groups in Charlotte dedicated to cleaning up the city and developing ideas to make it better. It's our Charlotte locals that are the ones volunteering to do the job!
7. Visiting our neighborhood Chick-Fil-A on a Sunday.
If you are from anywhere in the South and you occasionally enjoy a chicken biscuit from the famous fast food chain Chick-Fil-A, then you know that you can't fix your Chick-Fil-A cravings on Sunday no matter how hard you try. The southern chain honors its Christian traditions and stays closed every Sunday to let employees go to church and spend the day with family. If you live in Charlotte, no matter how bad you want that chicken sandwich if it's Sunday you know you'll have to wait!
8. Not showing our support for the arts.
With multiple major art museums serving as fixtures of Uptown Charlotte, many Charlotte locals have made the arts their passion and show up regularly to support these various institutions via events, museum tours, and more. Arts, culture, and history are extremely important to our city's core and our Charlotte residents. You won't catch us missing a chance to support our favorite museum whenever we can.
9. Leaving our fur-friends at home.
One of the great things about the QC is how pet-friendly it is. So many restaurants and breweries allow dogs on their patios, and there are even two local dog bars built specifically for pups and their owners. It's rare to see a Charlottean leave their pup at home when they can bring them to enjoy the fun out on the town. Why wouldn't we want to bring along our best friend?
10. Drinking anything other than a local craft beer while brewery hopping.
The Charlotte brewery scene has blown up over the past few years, and Charlotteans love getting out on a pretty day and trying some of their favorite local beers. You won't catch us drinking a Miller Lite while out and about at our local breweries. We are all about supporting local businesses and most of us have our favorite beer that we never pass up!
11. Not spreading the word about how great our city is.
And finally, there's nothing more we would rather do than share how great our city is with others. Anytime we have the chance we'll tell you about all the awesome things you can do here. You'll never catch us saying anything but positive things about our town and, if you visit, you'll see why!
Can you think of any other things you’ll never catch a Charlotte local doing? Share with us in the comments. Or let us know why you love our city as much as we do!
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