KFC, McDonald, and others: Foreign edition

[t209]

So we have KFC in Burma now. Not particularly a liking to those in US or have large history of franchise in Europe, but to many people (including pre-16 years old me) see it as fine cuisine. That got me thinking how the Fastfood Franchise are reacted when it arrive in your country, particularly those entering into economic boom. For many people in that countries, these brands are considered as luxury products in contrast to it as "broke people's food" in US. In addition, that idea is also shared by accounts of a teacher where she got criticism from foreign students who thinks that McDonalds was better in their country than in US that led me think if it was to cater to wealthier customers or only eaten on occasion that it was "unique".
So anyone wish to share about them in those countries?
P.S- Just hope the people who only knew Kentucky from that franchise, if they knew its origin from a state, didn't ask if you live like gods.

[Traab]

What I find interesting is that the reverse never seems to happen. By which I mean a franchise famous in some other nation, comes to america. It makes me wonder if it does, but its sort of treated like watching the latest release from bollywood, or from the BBC. Even when its awesome its kind of treated as second rate by the masses because its not american. For all I know there are a hundred fast food places that started overseas and recently came here, they just dont get a lot of news worthy recognition.

[Joran]

What I find interesting is that the reverse never seems to happen. By which I mean a franchise famous in some other nation, comes to america. It makes me wonder if it does, but its sort of treated like watching the latest release from bollywood, or from the BBC. Even when its awesome its kind of treated as second rate by the masses because its not american. For all I know there are a hundred fast food places that started overseas and recently came here, they just dont get a lot of news worthy recognition.

Tim Horton's has branches here in the States.

Bonchon chicken is really popular and it originated in South Korea: http://us.bonchon.com/our-story/

Din Tai Fung is a well-known Taiwanese dumpling restaurant that's moved here to America: http://dintaifungusa.com/locations_us/

Le Pain Quotidien's a Belgium one (one I didn't know was a foreign one, until I did a little googling).

Pollo Campero is apparently another foreign franchise.

I think the problem is that the idea of a food franchise originated here in the United States, so the oldest, most well-known franchises are already here. I think America also was a huge innovator in fast food and fast casual food, so it needs some time for the idea to go out into the rest of the world and then make it back here. That's not to say that Americans won't get really, really excited about a foreign franchise. Openings of Ikea branches are big events (with campouts!) and H&M and other foreign fashion outfits are also very popular.

[Avin]

What I find interesting is that the reverse never seems to happen. By which I mean a franchise famous in some other nation, comes to america. It makes me wonder if it does, but its sort of treated like watching the latest release from bollywood, or from the BBC. Even when its awesome its kind of treated as second rate by the masses because its not american. For all I know there are a hundred fast food places that started overseas and recently came here, they just dont get a lot of news worthy recognition.

It actually does happen, at least in the NYC area. For example, Korean bbq places are popular around here - some of them chains that originated overseas, such as Bonchon Chicken (edit: ninja'd). As far as how they are perceived/treated by the masses.. well clearly I can't speak for everyone, but anecdotally myself and my friends find the foreign fast food places at least as good as US ones, and often noticeably better.

Also it's worth noting that, say, McDonald's in China is dramatically, mind-bogglingly different from McDonald's in the US. The menu has at least twice the choices, incorporating many Chinese cuisine-inspired dishes (noodles, rice, etc.), and according to my Chinese-born friend it just tastes better. So the way non-US countries treat our fast food chains as more of a luxury food than a cheap last resort? It's not just a cultural thing, our fast food chains are literally better over there, they deliberately cater to a higher end part of the market.

[DataNinja]

Tim Horton's has branches here in the States.

Really? Where? It's always something I miss whenever I visit you guys...

[Joran]

Really? Where? It's always something I miss whenever I visit you guys...

There's 8 in NYC. There's a few in Detroit. The closest one to me is apparently at Aberdeen Proving Ground... Really weird why the only location in Maryland is at an army base, but go figure.

[DataNinja]

There's 8 in NYC. There's a few in Detroit. The closest one to me is apparently at Aberdeen Proving Ground... Really weird why the only location in Maryland is at an army base, but go figure.

They must really like the coffee...

Well, thanks. I'll need to keep a sharper eye out next time I head down.

[Tentreto]

From what I can tell in the UK, it is almost the same as the US but with different health laws, especially in chips (or fries, if you please). AS we got Mcdonallds first after the US, it is probably almost identical. The only other difference I can think of is that tea is prolific.

The problem in the UK is that we don't really have much food culturally our own made in fast food. Probably only fish and chips.

I would also consider Mcdonalds to be travelling food- just getting food on a journey or something, and a cheap reputable eating place in a place you don't know. However, I do know that fish and chips can be found almost any where as well- and that works well too.

I think any 'new' fast food has the problem of being probably niche. I enjoy noodle bars I find, but I never remember the names.
Oh, and my inner Brit hopes you have chip shops wherever you live.

[DataNinja]

Oh, and my inner Brit hopes you have chip shops wherever you live.

I have lots of them where I live. But that's probably because Victoria always wanted to be a microcosm of England.

[Traab]

Tim Hortons I knew about, I figured that would be a easy response, the rest I havent heard of before, which is kind of my point. It may happen but its not considered a big deal aside from maybe locally.

[Artemis97]

I ate at a McDonald's in Sicily once, and I recall the menu being different. There were more specialty burgers on it. I ordered one, Bacon Cheese and Onion I think, and it tasted really good. About a year later they released a similar burger in the US, and I tried it and wasn't greatly impressed. I don't know if the quality was just better in Sicily, or if I was just really missing American food, maybe a combination of both.

There's a sandwich shop I like, called the Earl of Sandwich, which is apparently owned and operated by the current Earl himself. There's one in Orlando at Disney, and another on the Turnpike south of me. It's just really delicious food. We make a special trip to the Disney area almost any time we're in Orlando just to get these sandwiches.

Tim Horton's is delicious, and I wish they had them down south here. I remember seeing one on the New Jersey Turnpike, to add to the list of US locations.

I'm reminded of a story my boyfriend's told me about how they tried to open a Krispy Kreme donut shop in the Vancouver area. It did great for about a week, and then crashed and burned because everyone went back to Timmie's because they were simply so much better.

[BannedInSchool]

I would also consider Mcdonalds to be travelling food- just getting food on a journey or something, and a cheap reputable eating place in a place you don't know.

AIUI, that's exactly what MacDonald's was built on.

[MrZJunior]

Nando's Peri Peri Chicken, a South African chain, has been making inroads here in the DC area.

[AtlanteanTroll]

Tim Horton's is also all over the midwest. Dont know any other foreign-originated fast food out here, though.

Also, Japanese McDonalds are pretty great.

[lio45]

Originally, IIRC (I used to travel pretty extensively), the Tim's were only found in the immediate vicinity of Southern Ontario. Southeastern MI, the extreme north of Ohio, WNY.

If they have now spread to NYC then that's news to me.

On my path to my lands in the US the last stop for a Tim's is in Coaticook, QC then right after that the next available coffee place is Dunkin Donuts in Colebrook (NH).

I think they haven't yet penetrated New England at all, but of course I don't check that daily.

For the record, I think both Tim's and Dunkin have inferior coffee to other cheapass chains like McDonald's and Taco Bell that aren't even supposed to specialize in coffee.

[factotum]

The problem in the UK is that we don't really have much food culturally our own made in fast food. Probably only fish and chips.

Hot pasties are a thing, especially in the North (Greggs 4 Lyfe). There's an old joke that says a kebab in Wigan is four pies stuck onto a broom handle...

It's impossible for me to judge what the reaction of us to McDonalds was, though, given they first arrived here when I was four years old (and our own version, Wimpy, had been going for 20 years at that point). For as long as I've been an adult they've been a fixture in towns. By the time the likes of Nando's came along we were all well used to fast food outlets and there wasn't really much of a reaction to them.

[RazorChain]

McDonalds came to my country and started to branch out, was going to take over as THE burger joint. People realized it was crap and nobody likes to eat crap so McDonalds closed shop. Now the last McDonalds burger has been on display for the last 7 years. It hasn't changed much which tells you how much preservatives are in this crap

[Brother Oni]

Also it's worth noting that, say, McDonald's in China is dramatically, mind-bogglingly different from McDonald's in the US. The menu has at least twice the choices, incorporating many Chinese cuisine-inspired dishes (noodles, rice, etc.), and according to my Chinese-born friend it just tastes better. So the way non-US countries treat our fast food chains as more of a luxury food than a cheap last resort? It's not just a cultural thing, our fast food chains are literally better over there, they deliberately cater to a higher end part of the market.

Depends on the dish. Having had MacDonalds in multiple countries across the globe, a Big Mac is a Big Mac where ever. I would agree that each country has its own regional variations (KFC in Hong Kong does this quite frankly disgusting mushroom soup, although they also do biscuits and gravy unlike in the UK) and different target markets (10 MacDonalds value meals in the UK will get you change from 50 UKP, whereas the same in Osaka is at least double the price).

Hot pasties are a thing, especially in the North (Greggs 4 Lyfe). There's an old joke that says a kebab in Wigan is four pies stuck onto a broom handle...

Pasties are unsurprisingly also a big thing down in the Westcountry and quite surprisingly, in Mexico where they're called pastes due to the Cornish miner emigration in the 19th Century.

[factotum]

(10 MacDonalds value meals in the UK will get you change from 50 UKP, whereas the same in Osaka is at least double the price).

A few years ago McDonalds did a range of ultra-cheap stuff--99p cheeseburgers, that sort of thing. Friend of mine once bought 7 of the things for lunch, and yes, he ate all of them!

[tomandtish]

So we have KFC in Burma now. Not particularly a liking to those in US or have large history of franchise in Europe, but to many people (including pre-16 years old me) see it as fine cuisine. That got me thinking how the Fastfood Franchise are reacted when it arrive in your country, particularly those entering into economic boom. For many people in that countries, these brands are considered as luxury products in contrast to it as "broke people's food" in US. In addition, that idea is also shared by accounts of a teacher where she got criticism from foreign students who thinks that McDonalds was better in their country than in US that led me think if it was to cater to wealthier customers or only eaten on occasion that it was "unique".
So anyone wish to share about them in those countries?
P.S- Just hope the people who only knew Kentucky from that franchise, if they knew its origin from a state, didn't ask if you live like gods.

Depending on the country, you may have hit on it. It may very well be financially based.

When I was in college we did a Jan term (1 month - 1 course intensive study) of Central America political history in 1991. As part of it we spent most of the month in Central America. We mostly stayed with families who volunteered to put us up (2-3 of us with each family). It was a wonderful experience.

But one thing we did notice was that meat was very rare. We only had meat abut one time with each family, and were advised well ahead of time not to say anything about the small portions because they were probably spending their meat budget for the month to have it for that one meal.

Looking here, in Myanmar, the minimum daily wage is @$2.80 a day (converted to US dollars).

(Incidentally, do people prefer it being called Burma or Myanmar?)

The U.S has a minimum hourly wage of $7.25.

According to here, a McDonalds Value meal averages @$5.00 in Myanmar. Note that a three course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant is $16.23, and a meal for one at a cheap restaurant is $2.25.

So yeah, based on pricing it looks like McDonalds and equivalent places are definitely more of a luxury there than in the US.

[Aedilred]

(Incidentally, do people prefer it being called Burma or Myanmar?)

An interesting question, though one I suspect is probably too political for this forum.

[Traab]

Hot pasties are a thing, especially in the North (Greggs 4 Lyfe). There's an old joke that says a kebab in Wigan is four pies stuck onto a broom handle...

It's impossible for me to judge what the reaction of us to McDonalds was, though, given they first arrived here when I was four years old (and our own version, Wimpy, had been going for 20 years at that point). For as long as I've been an adult they've been a fixture in towns. By the time the likes of Nando's came along we were all well used to fast food outlets and there wasn't really much of a reaction to them.

I hear you brits do interesting things with baked potatoes and their toppings, though that may just be hearsay. There is also the fun of confusing us americans by making various puddings and seeing the look on our face when we look at them.

[Kalmageddon]

Uh.
Weird. I never thought of McDonald as "luxury food", here in Italy it has always been considered a mix between incredibly cheap and incredibly unhealthy, which seems to be the reputation in its home country as well. In fact, for a while (and maybe today as well?) " This is McDonald's X", where X is any food or item, was synonimous with over the top poor quality.

[tomandtish]

Uh.
Weird. I never thought of McDonald as "luxury food", here in Italy it has always been considered a mix between incredibly cheap and incredibly unhealthy, which seems to be the reputation in its home country as well. In fact, for a while (and maybe today as well?) " This is McDonald's X", where X is any food or item, was synonimous with over the top poor quality.

Maybe not so much a luxury food versus a luxury in general. The luxury of fast convenient food on the go. How much of a luxury versus a convenience it is depends on how much of a percent of your daily income it takes up. When one meal takes up an hour (or less) of income, it's pretty convenient. When it takes up a day's worth or more, it's definitely a luxury.

[t209]

Maybe not so much a luxury food versus a luxury in general. The luxury of fast convenient food on the go. How much of a luxury versus a convenience it is depends on how much of a percent of your daily income it takes up. When one meal takes up an hour (or less) of income, it's pretty convenient. When it takes up a day's worth or more, it's definitely a luxury.

And
- Brand name
- popularity through advertisement and media.
- not visiting country with that brand but hear it from visitors.

[cobaltstarfire]

The McDonalds in Germany had the same kind of menu as in America...though the fries were much better. (Actually any kind of fry from anywhere in Germany was better than most fries I can get back here in America)

There are some weird things even within the US, like Hawaii loves SPAM, and so McDonalds has SPAM themed foods on the menu.

I don't eat McDonalds ever now, for me it's Whataburger, or Sonic if I must eat fast food. Whataburger I doubt has left the country, it's barely out of the south, Sonic I'm not sure of. Are there Sonics in other countries?

[Gnomvid]

The McDonalds in Germany had the same kind of menu as in America...though the fries were much better. (Actually any kind of fry from anywhere in Germany was better than most fries I can get back here in America)

There are some weird things even within the US, like Hawaii loves SPAM, and so McDonalds has SPAM themed foods on the menu.

I don't eat McDonalds ever now, for me it's Whataburger, or Sonic if I must eat fast food. Whataburger I doubt has left the country, it's barely out of the south, Sonic I'm not sure of. Are there Sonics in other countries?

Never heard of either, not here in the UK or in Sweden. In Sweden up north where I'm from McDonalds tried to settle in Luleå in the early 80s but burned down and was not seen again until late 2000 something, Burger king has been around for a long time in the north but not as long as Frasses (which used to use J. Wellington Wimpy from Popeye on it's logo), sibylla or MAX, of which MAX is arguably the most popular. I must say one thing though here in the UK American hamburger dressing seems to be an unknown for some reason, here you only get mayo and ketchup on your burgers

[Bulldog Psion]

I would also consider Mcdonalds to be travelling food- just getting food on a journey or something, and a cheap reputable eating place in a place you don't know. However, I do know that fish and chips can be found almost any where as well- and that works well too..

That's certainly how I use it. In fact, it's been an almost literal (or possibly literal) life-saver when traveling outside the U.S.. I was over in a small city in Ukraine many years ago, and I got sick as a dog eating the local food. Throwing up, diarrhea, dangerous levels of dehydration. The local quack looked me over contemptuously and basically tossed me out after securing the contents of my wallet (fortunately I was smart enough to bring only a portion of my traveling money).

By instinct, I headed to the city's one McDonalds and forced myself to eat 2 burgers. Apparently, the "familiar" food helped my body, because my digestion settled down to normal within several hours and I was able to rehydrate and continue normally after resting for a day.

I now view the Golden Arches as "in case of emergency, break glass" food for traveling, especially international traveling.

[Fri]

Fast food used to be luxury here, 20 years ago when I was a kid it was luxury, but nowadays it's pretty much normal restaurant.

By that I mean, the price range is the same with basically normal speciality restaurant that would cook your food fresh. The only thing cheaper than Mcdonald or KFC and the like are basically hole-in-the-wall eateries where workers would eat their lunch and such and food carts.

Also, since they're neither considered cheap nor luxury, fast food always try to rebrand themselves as something here.

For example, KFC had been trying to brand themselves as the place where hip youth gather (not sure how successful it is), with their hip decor and how they sponsor indie bands and in some places they'd have life local indie bands play every weekend.

[Domino Quartz]

Relatively recently (within the last few years), we had Carl's Jr. arrive in New Zealand. I've eaten there a few times (both Carl's Jr. and Hardee's), but that was when I was in America. I haven't eaten there since it came to New Zealand. Another place that wasn't in New Zealand before I went to the USA is Domino's Pizza, but it was there when I came back (after 4 years). Before that, we just had Pizza Hut and various pizza places of our own. While I was in America, I also went to Whataburger and Jack-in-the-Box a few times as well. They were pretty good. McDonald's (which we also have in NZ) was good for getting a lot of food for a big family (8 including my parents, me, and my siblings). We would usually get a bunch of 99 cent double cheeseburgers. As for KFC, it's one of my favourite fast-food places.