McDonald's über alles

"El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First!" (lightningzone) 10/09/2020 at 09:14 • Filed to: None

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Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 10/09/2020 at 09:21

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Okay, but the number of KFCs in Central Europe is somewhat alarming. They’re everywhere. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 10/09/2020 at 09:21

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Funny how all those are American brands. Not surprised about Mickey D’s but Burger King? Not the one I’d think of.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/09/2020 at 09:28

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They’re popular in Spain. And the food is generally better than what you find at McDonald’s. Still, don’t eat chain food if you visit the country. The local places are SO much better.

pip bip - choose Corrour > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 10/09/2020 at 09:30

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hillrat > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/09/2020 at 09:43

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As someone who lived in Germany as a kid when the first McDonald’s opened in the 70's, it i s shocking the number of American fast food places that are in Europe now.

facw > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 10/09/2020 at 09:45

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McDonald’s is dead to me since they killed the c hicken tenders to speed things up at the drive-through during lockdown. I mean the fries are still fine, but nothing on the menu would encourage me to stop there now.

SBA Thanks You For All The Fish > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 10/09/2020 at 09:46

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That’s a little sad.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 10/09/2020 at 09:50

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I am not the biggest fan of fast food and all three of the ones that made the list are not at all friendly to gluten free diets. I’d much rather eat at a sit down restaurant and try a new experience.

Grindintosecond > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 10/09/2020 at 10:29

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This message was not brough to you by Carl’s Junior.

UserNotFound > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/09/2020 at 10:30

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Are there non-American fast food chains?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > UserNotFound 10/09/2020 at 10:35

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On paper, yes.

But wait, Subway is the largest by number of locations? Really?

ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/09/2020 at 10:47

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Yes, though Subway is also losing locations quickly.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy 10/09/2020 at 10:48

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I don’t know the first thing about Subway as I’ve never eaten there. Gluten allergies will do that.

ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/09/2020 at 10:53

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This is a real commercial that someone turned into a meme, but it is an accurate depiction of what you ge t. You get a long sandwich that you could easily make at home if you wanted to.

WilliamsSW > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 10/09/2020 at 10:55

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Plot twist-  90% of the searches are by American tourists who don’t want to eat the local cuisine.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ShrimpHappens, née WJalopy 10/09/2020 at 10:55

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Ugh bread is so 2019.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > UserNotFound 10/09/2020 at 10:58

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Yes.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > UserNotFound 10/09/2020 at 11:03

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Also Quick.

That’s some sort of French McDonald’s. Pretty decent. 

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 10/09/2020 at 11:42

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This is never not true.

ranwhenparked > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/09/2020 at 13:29

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Yes, Subway has the lowest franchise fees and the most flexible standards for building size, appearance, layout, location, etc, so they're by far the cheapest and easiest one to open, consequently, they have tons of them. If you want to put a Subway sign on the little lunch counter in the back corner of your gas station, they'll probably let you do it, whereas McDonalds is going to want you to tear the whole building down and rebuild it to their standards.

duurtlang > WilliamsSW 10/09/2020 at 13:36

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I was in Venice recently. Venice, Italy. A place where you can find great food everywhere. If you try to escape the main stream of tourists just a little (like a 1-2 minute walk), you’ll be able to find awesome food for decent prices.

Not only was there a McD, there was an actual queue in front of it. I just shook my head and almost lost faith in humanity.

By the way, I presume most were not Americans as there were very few Americans in Italy this summer. For obvious reasons.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ranwhenparked 10/09/2020 at 13:45

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Huh. Seems like Subways all feel kind of the same inside though. I’m kind of surprised they are so lax in their franchising. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) 10/09/2020 at 13:48

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It’s weird how KFC isn’t even a really big player in the US fast food market it seems. They’re common but not like McD onald’s or Wendy’s. They’re the Buick of fast food it seems.

Though the Big Chicken is still a legend.

WilliamsSW > duurtlang 10/09/2020 at 13:59

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My comment was based on previous experience on a trip to Spain about 20 years ago. I was with a large group (all 18-35 years old) and out of 50 people, almost ALL of them gave up instantly on Spanish cuisine, and lived on McD’s, BK, KFC etc for the whole two weeks.

We were in places like Madrid and Barcelona, where you can’t throw a rock without hitting a place that served great, local, fresh food.  And they wouldn’t even try it.  It’s my only negative memory of that whole trip (otherwise it was fantastic).

foghat1981 > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 10/09/2020 at 14:11

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Nirulas ’s in India is a good place too.

I (used to obviously) travel 3-4 times/year internationally. While I would generally eat “local” for most of the trip, there was always a need to stop into McDonalds and see their unique stuff we don’t get here. Banana or Mango milkshakes, a whole host of Chicken/potato/lamb stuff in India, potato wedges in Russia, really good breakfast sammichs in Belgium, etc. Fits in well with bringing back weird snacks and flavors of potato chips too.

edit: I had said Wimpy’s before.  That chain was in India when I visited as a kid and I mixed it up w/ Nirulas.  Wimpy’s isn’t Indian.

foghat1981 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/09/2020 at 14:30

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Arby’s way lower than I would have expected!

duurtlang > WilliamsSW 10/09/2020 at 14:30

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It’s a sentiment I just don’t understand. When I travel, I want to experience to local culture. Eat local food.

Why travel at all if you only want to experience what you’re used to?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > foghat1981 10/09/2020 at 14:38

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Jimmy Johns is ahead of Chic Fil A and Popeye’s is way higher than I expected.

And what is a Hunt Bros Pizza?

foghat1981 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/09/2020 at 14:52

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Yup - never heard of them.  I guess a few in Ohio now, but I’ve never seen one in my travels elsewhere.  Hardee’s really high up too.  I wonder if those may be combined w Carl’s Jr 

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! 10/09/2020 at 15:06

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Well the good news is that clearly Taco Bell has not yet won the Franchise  Wars, so you don’t need to worry about the three shells.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > foghat1981 10/09/2020 at 15:23

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They shouldn’t count Carl’s Jr as they are well basically the same thing I guess but not technically. Would you lump Hardee’s Red Burrito in there too? Technically not the same thing I don't think.

Jb boin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/09/2020 at 15:59

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I would say that at least 80 % of the fast foods here are not part of a chain or just a local c h ain (like less than 5  shops in the area).

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jb boin 10/09/2020 at 16:14

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How refreshing! The idea of non chain or very small business based fast food seems very strange to me. 

Jb boin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/09/2020 at 16:29

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Kebabs, non restaurant- oriented pizzerias, many bakeries sells things to eat on the go (sandwiches, pizza slices, pani nis, deserts, ... ) and have seats as well, many w ok and A sian fast foods/restaurant that are some ti mes a bit between both and plenty of things that i might have forgotten :)

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jb boin 10/09/2020 at 16:32

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Lots of grocery stores have that ready made hot food thing going but those are still affiliated with the store chain. Like Whole Foods and Kroger etc.

Kind of depends on your definition of fast food I guess. There is a boutique food hall thing that opened in my hometown that features many such restaurants so I know what you mean. It's just not common at all it seems for them to be so how stores or local chains of a few stores. 

foghat1981 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/09/2020 at 16:36

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I’m not sure what Red Burrito is.  I feel like they should all be separate, but who knows how this is compiled.  Pretty surprising to see so many!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > foghat1981 10/09/2020 at 16:38

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I've seen some as Red Burrito locations branded on the sign. No idea why it what it means but I don't care either. Never see anyone actually eating there.

Jb boin > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/09/2020 at 16:40

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For example, the menu of the Kebab of a good friend of mine :

FYI, a French tacos has nothing to do with a Mexican one, it’s like this (with a kebab on top of this photo) :

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jb boin 10/09/2020 at 16:45

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That looks very filling. Perhaps too filling. I lov e Tex Mex though so I’ll stick with the kind I know for now. Not that I think I could get those here.

Basi cally small fast food places like that only exist selectively in cities if you don’t count diners as fast food. And even then they face heavy com petition from the major players.

ranwhenparked > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/10/2020 at 09:47

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I guess it depends how much the franchisee has to invest, but, yeah, they are much more flexible than the other big brands. Kind of one rung up the ladder from Hunt Brothers  Pizza or Krispy Krunchy Chicken. Incidentally, Hunt Brothers is actually the 3rd largest pizza chain in the country, with over 2,000 more locations than Papa John's has.

El Relámpago(LZone) - Humanity First! > WilliamsSW 10/10/2020 at 10:44

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My experiences with other Americans in Europe were always a mixed bag(probably because we come in so many varieties). From the annoying Texas girl who was angry that she couldn’t bring her gun to Spain and that the music in Málaga’s clubs was too “foreign”. To the tall Detroit guy who lost his wallet(with his ID, credit cards and driver’s license) in a Valencia bar and incredibly found it the next day(I went up to help him look for it and by the time I got a pack of cigarettes he alreadyhooked up with the bartender). To the Hawaii dude who worked with us for a few weeks, who I shared a table at Madrid’s Taberna El Sur a few times (we also ended up sharing a couple of girls too(best temp coworker I ever had). And finally, ending up this year in Rome, where I was stuck in a city tour with 50 year old couple from Florida. He only talked about guns and how stupid Europeans are for having gun control implemented so tight. And she was going about how Jesus Christ possessed Leonardo da Vinci’s body to gift us all those “fancy gizmos and inventions “.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ranwhenparked 10/10/2020 at 12:48

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I don't remember ever seeing a Hunt Bros Pizza. Even Jimmy John's aren't that common it seems. Must be in the wrong place for that. 

ranwhenparked > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/10/2020 at 13:18

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There’s like 7,300 of them, but I don’t believe many, if any, are freestanding. Usually located inside gas stations and convenience stores - and not chain ones, independents.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ranwhenparked 10/10/2020 at 13:21

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Must not be as strong in the southeast as I don't really see them in places like that. I really don't see combo restaurants and gas stations that often around where I live either. There are very few independent convenience stores around it seems. 

ranwhenparked > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/10/2020 at 13:31

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Until I got a job where most of my customers are independent gas/convenience store owners, I had never heard of them either, but I see several of them a day now. Frankly, when I need gas or a drink or something, I tend to gravitate to bigger chains - Sheetz, High’s, Wawa, Circle K, Dash In, Royal Farms, etc, so outside of work, I don’t really notice them, either. The signage is usually pretty subtle, a small thing underneath the main gas logo or something.

At first, I thought they were some small, regional thing, but I ran into one of their sales reps and was surprised by how big they actually are.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ranwhenparked 10/10/2020 at 13:37

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Of the bigger chains you mentioned I've seen a handful of Circle Ks and none of the other ones. I would never have guessed they are so numerous.