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One in Bologna has a gelateria window on the side, where the drive-up window is on most American McDonald's, but that one's on the corner of two regular streets (sidewalks). And, again, I appreciate the variety at overseas McDonald'ses -- and the beer.
well nice to see person like you are really present who are real foodie... i ate the same but i have not noticed anything bad over there... it was nice... not so good... but it was ok...
please keep me informed for such things in prior especially Mc D...
I have eaten fast food in every country I visited. In fact KFC in Vietnam, and Dairy Queen in Thailand are a treat. Not to say the local food is not delcious, just a bit of home to calm the palate.
While I don't go out of my way to find them for their food, either here in the US or abroad--I do search them out when I need to use a bathroom. (My first choice in those cases, would be a nice hotel). I do have to admit being very hungry one night in AMS and going to a Pizza Hut as well as a McD's in Dublin for a quick breakfast after an early flight arrival.
In China, Western food is really expensive if you go to the random western style restaurants, and it's more like what Asians think of as Western, not the average American. Mcdonalds is convenient, has different things and items, and no language proficiency required, just point. That's also why we only were able to go into places with plastic food displays in Tokyo and Kyoto haha. Pizza is also really expensive for crap quality in terms of pizza. although once in a while you want to try it, and treat your relatives to something they would consider very expensive compare to 6 yuan noodles.
Plus the bathrooms! are western style and probably have toilet paper.
Probably lived off of McDonalds, although I didn't want to, while abroad in Hong Kong, because I'm not a brave enough soul to go to random restaurants point and eat. I also don't like the feeling of eating alone, because in Hong Kong I got a bunch of weird looks.. okay I was taking random pictures of my food but still. I did hit a lot of local places, but I'm not brave enough to try anything without someone with me.
And only in Chinese KFC do you find those blueberry Portuguese egg tarts, yum. That's the only thing I eat from there though.
My cousin mentioned that the last time she ate mcdonalds was 2 years ago in the states, while staying a month in China she already ate MCD like three times. We both wondered why...probably because we eaten all the restaurants within a 3 mile radius, sanitary reasons(bathrooms! and questionable dish hygiene) and the ony palatable ice cream is at mcdonalds.
No excuses for the foodies, as my friend never went in the single time she was in Europe, but hey, I'm only partially ashamed of admitting it, more of why the hell didn't I just explore the rest of the Hong Kong to find food.
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Never, EVER, do I eat American fast food abroad....it's a rule of mine. Although I am interested in their local twists to the McRib....ewwww. I don't eat that crap at home, why here? Oh, by the way...hello from Shanghai!
Today's diet: pork seamed buns, harry crab, and oh...I dunno...I'm off to dinner. "M" on the Bund.
After I landed in Warsaw, my hosts took me to a mall so we could eat at a place they thought would make me feel at home--Burger King!
Interesting that you mention Warsaw - there is no place on Earth I think where the food is as bad as it is in Warsaw (to overgeneralize). I searched desperately for a McDonald's on a visit there, and gratefully found one - had a Big Mac and it was soooooo good! Also, I've traveled my share, and the only other place where I looked long and hard for American fast food was in Morocco - in Casablanca - the food hygiene was just not at all up to standards to which I am accustomed (stuff like sides of beef out in the open, covered in flies, stomach troubles from drinking the water, etc.), and though I really enjoyed visiting Casablanca, there was a real lack of casual restaurants or tourist amenities - I did find a McDonald's, but the Quarter Pounder was oversalted. But at least it was good and edible. Every other place I've been has had really good (sometimes excellent) food options.
I suppose when you are off the beaten path, you need to expect that things may get adventurous.
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Because overseas, it's better quality! Yes, I've visited McDonalds, KFC, etc. overseas and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I enjoy a nice local meal, but sometimes I like the quick and easy. The Big Mac and Filet o' Fish were so good in Australia that it's actually ruined me for the American chains. Oh, irony.
I avoid pizza in Asia though. I never thought they could screw up such a simple thing.
LOL, guilty! Sometimes that's the cheapest/quickest thing we can find, especially in Europe between catching trains. We do try to find cheap local food though if we can.
I have lived in quite a few countries, and I usually tend to eat the local food anywhere I've been. It usually tastes better, the price is lower, and the quality is quite a few notches above any fast food.
That being said, I am guilty of the following:
ENGLAND: McDonald's
HOLLAND: Burger King
SINGAPORE: Burger King
KOREA: McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, KFC, Bennigan's, Outback, Lotteria (local burger chain) and something called "Mexican Spicy Taco Family". And of course, Krispy Kreme for free doughnuts.
PHILIPPINES: I had the largest burger I have ever seen in my life at a TGI Friday's in Manila. Also McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Yellow Cab and Greenwich (local pizza joints) and Jollibee (local burger chain). And once I went to Wendy's for some chilli con carne with rice.
JAPAN: A friend and I sat down in a restaurant near the Korean consulate in Hakata but we were ignored by the staff, so we went across the street to Hard Rock Cafe, where I had a very nice meal of a BBQ Pork sandwich with fries and some tortilla soup (yum). Another time I came out of a movie theater and was handed a sheet of coupons to use at McDonald's. So I took the opportunity to try a Teriyaki Burger.
HONG KONG: Oliver's Super Sandwiches (local sandwich shop chain).
CHINA: McDonald's, KFC, Pizza Hut.
I don't consider Starbucks "fast food"... more like "fast coffee". Anyways, I used to spend insane amounts of time at various locations of Starbucks in Seoul, Korea and Cebu, Philippines.
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I was very bad this trip!
KFC twice in Andorra. You go in for the fountain soda, but you always end up getting food!
First time I had croquetas, but the second time the spicy chicken wings called to me. Our hotel was up on a hill, and KFC was the first thing you saw whenever you took the elevator down to the main street of town.
McDonalds at BCN. Once you clear immigration for your flights to the US.. McD's is about the only option. And it was right next to my departure gate. Cheeseburger, fries, salad, and a large coke.
Also, I've traveled my share, and the only other place where I looked long and hard for American fast food was in Morocco - in Casablanca - the food hygiene was just not at all up to standards to which I am accustomed (stuff like sides of beef out in the open, covered in flies, stomach troubles from drinking the water, etc.), and though I really enjoyed visiting Casablanca, there was a real lack of casual restaurants or tourist amenities - I did find a McDonald's, but the Quarter Pounder was oversalted. But at least it was good and edible. 
Every other place I've been has had really good (sometimes excellent) food options.
