Say what you will about Americans, but most of our retailers give quite good, customer friendly service (just stay away from mail order camera stores - most of them are run by thieves). It's nice to have supermarkets open 24 hours a day, fast food restaurants open until 2 a.m., many stores that give you a no-questions-asked refund if you have your receipt and the item is in new condition, etc.... Outside of large cities on either coast, most Americans are quite friendly, especially in the Midwest. Ricky, have you visited the States before?
Based on several visits to Canada, I expect our northern neighbor is the same way, except possibly for Quebec. I had a five day trip to Quebec City in the winter of 1984 and encountered as many rude shop clerks, waiters, etc..., there as I had in four trips to France. In France, quite a few French weren't eager to help an English speaker, but usually were friendly if I gave it a try in French. In contrast, I found at least a half dozen Quebecois mocking my (then fairly reasonable) French and/or pretending they couldn't understand me.
I can segue this experience to badminton, though. My hotel did have membership privileges with an indoor racquet club in downtown Quebec that was mostly a badminton club and I played with a friend's drunk dad who was insisting on playing in those old big furry apres-ski boots that were popular in the early 1980's. He further insisted on betting me $5/point and I beat him something like 15-3, but since he had just bought me, his son and two other friends a $700 (US) dinner (best meal I've ever eaten) including lots of superb bordeaux, I declined to collect on it.