bpratt

There's a McDonalds (or at least was a couple of years ago) on the Promenade des Anglais right where it angles away from the ocean and into central Nice.
Every afternoon after finishing a 5-6 mile run along the ocean, a LARGE coke with lots of ice was exactly what I needed, or at least what I wanted.
A small 200ml glass with one ice cube just wasn't going to cut it.
Similarly, the Chili's off the Champs d'Anglais in Paris when I had been walking around the city with a friend for an entire hot summer day, and we just wanted to sit down for 30 minutes in air conditioning at a place with free refills on sodas with ice in them. Once we cooled off and rehydrated, THEN we went looking for a nice place to eat and have some wine :-)

Bob

DarkHelmetII

I have eaten several double cheeseburgers in Riga and Helsinki

PDX Duck

The coffee at McDonalds in Nice stands out as the best cup of coffee I have ever had at a McDonalds. In comparison to the cafes in Nice, it was mediocre, but in the US it would be considered a good cup of coffee.

Later in the same trip, I had a McFlurry with Coronet pieces (sugar cone, chocolate and nuts) Mmmm. If we could only get McDonalds to sell McFlurrys with "Drumstick" pieces here...

gmitchs

On an 9 month RTW backpacking trip I would make it a point to stop at an American fast food joint on my last day in each country. Even though I was usually surrounded by incredible food, I just missed it. I did manage to lose 40 lbs on this trip because of the lack of fast food and the availabilty of fresh food.@:-) Maybe I should schudule another RTW!

I have had McD's in Bali, Egypt, Switzerland, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland and Italy.
I have had BK in Thailand and El Salvador.
I have had Pizza Hut in Honduras, India and Bali.
I have had KFC in El Salvador
I am sure there are others that I can't remember.

I was surprised that it cost me $16 USD to get two Big Macs, french fries and a coke at the McD's in Interlaken, Switzerland. And that was in 1995.

Canarsie

I admit it, not because I will not eat food that is local to the area, because I actually do.

Rather, I find that the fare of American fast food restaurants outside of the United States are consistently of substantially superior quality than of those within the United States.

iahphx

Yeah, I challenge any American spending a few weeks in Asia not to hit a fast food restaurant at least once. Especially in China. I mean, if you want Western food, and you want it where you are, where else are you going to get it?

I'd guess I've been to McDonalds in well over 25 countries. Different reasons in different places. As noted above, the restrooms are often more of a draw than the food. And sometimes I have my kids, and they love the differences (but familiarity) of stopping in foreign McDonalds. Almost always, the staff is better than at US locations. I LOVE the staff in Japanese McDonalds -- almost to an employee, they are individually committed to being the best McDonalds worker they can possibly be!

Sometimes the value is too great to pass up. The 100 yen menu in terrific. In the UK, it's hard to get a comparable lunch for 4 times the price (and it's not particularly likely your local food is going to be better). I tend to avoid McDonalds in most other places in Western Europe, but if you're in a hurry and you're hungry at lunchtime, it's a plausible alternative if you come across one. There's really not that much other "fast food" around (especially if you can't find a bakery).

iahphx

Yes, the prices at McDonalds in Switzerland can be shocking. Of course, the prices of everything in Switzerland can be shocking. I remember being with my kids in Geneva a couple years ago and they wanted some Happy Meals. I was going to order a sandwich until I saw the prices. I just couldn't spend like 8 or 9 bucks for a Big Mac. And no "dollar menu" in Switzerland, at least at that time.

IrishRed

I had to look it up to make sure, but I got one of those two. I thought it was a chicken sandwich when I ordered...but it's some weird deep fried burger?

It wasn't terrible...

icurhere2

I will admit to some Popeye's Fried Chicken (and some McPollo) in PTY . . .

justforfun

Sometimes you just need the familiar.

There's a difference between "ugly Americans" who go abroad and ONLY eat American fast food, and cultured FTers who have spent days eating locally and every once in a while just need a little reminder of home.

Even if I don't eat at a McDonalds abroad, I always make a point of at least going in to one to see what unique items they have on the menu. I find it fascinating.

But Starbucks is another issue. I actively seek them out, and have been known to choose hotels that are near one of them. I'm sorry, but I just need my morning iced venti quad espresso. I don't care what exotic parts of the world I'm in. And I'm not ashamed to admit it.

stupidhead

I had Papa John's and Pizza hut outside the country before-but only because I was really craving a pizza and I didn't want to have bulgogi and kimchi pizza, or the shrimp-fest pizza, which is apparently very common in South Korea. Mushroom pizza with white sauce-mmmmm..... The richness of the cream sauce and the garlic butter is perfectly complimented by a nice glass of coke. By the way, Korean McD's put hot sauce on practically freaking EVERYTHING. Learned that the hard way when I bit into a quarter pounder.

Other than that I usually go for the local fare. I can't believe I've been to Montréal and have never tried poutine. Oh well, I guess I'll have to make a run to Pomme Frites sometime.

Food's one of those invisible hobbies of mine.

bpratt

I lived in Tokyo for 9th grade (more than a few years back now), and the highlight of each week was the all you could eat lunch buffet at the Shakey's Pizza on the Ginza. At the time, pepperoni pizza was a big hit!

I also got to try their more "local" offerings. Corn kernels as a pizza topping was just odd, while squid doesn't work at all (baking it on pizza turns it into rubber, basically).

Bob

PhlyingRPh

Look, I hate america as much as the next jihadist, but nothing beats stepping into a Pizza Hut, McDonalds, Dunkin Donuts or Subway once in a while, if for no other reason other than to harrass the staff with additions, deletions and substitutions to one's favorite menu item. Sure it's fast food, not good for you and denies you the opportunity to try local fare, but if it's what you want to eat, what's the harm in it?

stupidhead

Oh and Krispy Kreme. Mmmmm......

freeair

hmm i think i need a break to eat my food..well i went to HK last feb.and i ordered cheese burger well the taste is just the same..