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op,
the point of your post is what?
that a normal american should not know how to speak spanish?
i agree but this may be the stupidest thread that i have ever seen, i really hope no one else responds to this.

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not that he shouldn't know how to speak spanish but he clearly was not proficient in it while the mexican guy clearly could speak and understand english. why did this guy go out of his way to speak spanish with this guy? it was a forced and embarrassing attempt to look cultured and it is insulting to the mexican guy.

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Whether it's insulting depends on how bad the guy behind the counter speaks English. When I am in a foreign country I am so bad at languages and am relieved when people suddenly break into (broken) English. Also, if the customer has seen him speaking Spanish to some other customer or somebody else in the restaurant, he is fair game. For the customer to be the first in the room to use Spanish is rude, in essence it says, "your English sucks, I can tell you are different".

But like lots of people in this thread have said, the motivation is to practice. Anybody who is traveling to a Spanish speaking country and wants to get out would be a fool not to take any opportunity to practice in everyday situations with native speakers here.