Hi Tom, I want to reply to your post but I don't want to buy into there being a place or city that has the most unfriendly people because I believe you find who you are wherever you go, if you're an ass, you'll find more asses and vice versa. Its worked for me in all my travels. Its a little like saying 'all Australians are this or that'. We live in a world of diversity and I love it in all its glory, dark and light!
Cheers
Lise :^)

Superficially, a lot of U.S. cities seem really friendly, because service personnel gab at you and strangers just start spontaneously making remarks to you. But I sense a certain smug ego-assertion in all of it -- these people don't actually have any friendly interest in you, they just want to make sure you know that they're "cool" and "self-confident." So I nominate Seattle, where the locals blather as steadily as the rain, for Least Friendly City.

Lise, I agree with you, up to a point. When my 89-year-old grandmother came from her small Pennsylvania town to visit me a number of years ago, she remarked on how friendly people were here. This is not everyone's conclusion about South Florida. But I have been places where the reception has been consistently better - or worse - than in other places.
Kirahvi, I've heard foreigners complain about Americans' superficiality, but I've never heard it described as ego-assertion. That's an interesting interpretation. And your dissing of Seattle is kinda refreshing. (About the blathering: Do you think it might have something to do with all that coffee they drink?)

I agree that you can't label everyone in a place as "friendly" or "unfriendly" and that you get what you look for to an extent, but I think there are clear, broad differences in the way outsiders are received in various parts of the world. The mistake is to assume these differences stem from rudeness, I think. For example, we big-city Canadians tend to be quite reserved - but this is more out of shyness, or a sense that randomly talking to strangers might seem rude, than any hostility.

All that aside, in the spirit of entirely arbitrary survey results, here are my least friendly cities: Memphis, Montreal and Prague.

Enjoying the blog so far, Tom.

I don't put much stock in most "best of this" or "best of that" lists to begin with, and the one ranking unfriendliness is just plain meaningless. A visitor who has had an unpleasant encounter or two, or who doesn't understand urban brusqueness, will consider a place to be "unfriendly," while an endless stream of "have a nice day" farewells will think that people are friendly indeed.

Having said that, I kind of enjoy filling out travel surveys every now and then, and in fact, I recently wrote a blog post on this same topic. It's at http://travel-babel.blogspot.com/2008/03/best-cities-in-america-t-launches.html

When I travel I like to research the local customs. I find when you honor their customs you will find a lot of friendly people around the world.
In Germany they smile at family and friends so because they don't smile when they hand you your coffe doesn't mine they are being unfriendly. In Egypt I accepted the sweet tea the were offering to not insult them, let them stand close when talking and do not try to photograph the women. In Japan you have your business cards printed at the hotel overnight in the larger size they use, with everything written in Japanese on the back and hand it to them with both hands. You bow your head slightly when greeting them.
When you are trying to follow their customs it is amazing how friendly people around the world can be...even if they aren't grinning like a cheshire cat.

I googled and found some more interesting information but I would advise buying a book on social customs around the world..very interesting!

Eye Contact—From the introduction to the farewell, appropriate eye contact varies greatly depending upon the country. In the United States, direct eye contact is considered a sign of honesty and reliability. Shifting one’s gaze away, or to the floor indicates a lack of attention, or worse, deceit.
However, in Latin America, intense eye contact between men can be considered challenging and aggressive. Depending upon the situation, subordinates may not always look superiors in the eye for a protracted period of time. If a Hispanic looks away when being questioned, he or she is probably being respectful, rather than hiding something.

Extended eye contact between the sexes—in a purely business setting—is common in the United States, but can be interpreted as an overture for more intimate communications in many Latin and Mediterranean countries.

Smiles—“You’re never fully dressed without a smile.”
While a smile is generally part of an introduction, smiles aren’t always the universal signal for friendship. Although smiles invite communication in much of the Western Hemisphere, in the Far East, a smile can be used to cover up embarrassment, dismay or fury. If you’re negotiating with Japanese, Chinese or Indonesian prospects, an inscrutable smile is used to communicate far more than pleasure. It’s a form of polite behavior, which masks anything from sincere enjoyment to menace. When accompanied by a protracted period of silence, a mysterious smile can unnerve Western salespeople. Relax, if you have already made your statement, it’s acceptable to sit respectfully in silence, and smile back.

In the French frame of reference, a person who grins too much can be regarded as simple. And in Germany, smiles are often reserved for family, friends and social situations, but not displayed freely in business settings.

Shaking Hands
In the United States, a firm grip has long been an indicator of strength of character, but styles of handclasps can definitely vary around the world. In Asia, a weak, extended grip is normal and doesn’t belie the negotiating strengths of the participants.

If you’re in a Muslim or Orthodox Jewish environment, you must be highly sensitive to touching the opposite gender. Devout orthodox Muslims and Jews must not touch women, so follow your hosts’ lead.

Bowing
The tradition of bowing is so complex that Asians attend classes in the proper protocol of the bow. It’s unlikely that any international visitor would be able to appropriately execute a formal bow (to the right depth, with the correct duration, etc). However, a polite attempt to bow in greeting will be appreciated by your Asian hosts. If you’re the subordinate in the relationship, bow lower. Be sure to learn an appropriate verbal greeting to express with the bow.

Kissing
Most initial business meetings around the world don’t involve a kiss. But after establishing a relationship with clients in the Middle East, Latin America, many parts of the Mediterranean and parts of Africa, there may be times when your clients/friends initiate a brief kiss on either cheek, accompanied by a handshake, hug or pat on the back.

If you’re in Brazil, this custom may occur between the sexes after only one or two meetings. In the Middle East, the same custom is likely to happen between males, followed by an extended period in close proximity. Whatever you do, never back away from a kiss. You don’t want to undermine your new business relationship by being coy about your personal space. As the saying goes, “When in Rome (or Rio or Riyadh), act as the Romans do.”

I didn't find Seattle folks to be a particularly blathersome group; I found service personnel friendly and residents confident, but not cocky. With that said, their choices for visual aids at the Pacific Science Center are noteworthy!
Check them out below:

Man Contemplating Egg:
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/jenfondo/Seattle/IMG_2877.jpg

Best mascot ever:
http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p16/jenfondo/Seattle/IMG_2882.jpg

We found out after paying for admission that the museum is geared more toward elementary school kids than other demographics. We still had fun though!