I can totally imagine getting thoroughly overwhelmed with all the new food choices when abroad, and occasionally needing to retreat to the familiar. If you were to ever find me in a Starbucks in Venice, that would have been precisely what happened. If you find me in a McD's in another country, it will be because I am intrigued at the cultural differences. In fact, I am intrigued at the differences in McD's in different regions in the U.S. - having found out that they serve more seafood in the ones in Maine, for instance. It's not like I go there more than once a year when at home, anyway.

I'm really curious what they serve in McD's in India, where cows are sacred.

edit: Heck, go in, take a picture of the menu board, then leave.

Wimpy!

Having eaten there, NO. McDonald's burgers totally better.

Having said that, the hotdogs at Leicester Square are hands down better than anything I've ever eaten in the US. You people should be shamed.

Hard Rock cafe in London

This is actually the original Hard Rock, it isn't an American company, people seem to forget that.

My favourite American tourist story concerned a New Jersey couple visiting the Acropolis. They scale the hill to gaze upon the Parthenon, jewel of Classical Athens, and the husband - puffing and red-faced from the heat and the climb - stares at it, eyes bulging in disbelief. Finally, he complains to his wife:

"I don't know WHY we bother coming to these places! All of their buildings are falling down!!"

And as he turns to stomp back down to the city, he delivers his parting shot:

"AND they're only copies of OUR buildings anyway!!"

"AND they're only copies of OUR buildings anyway!!"

Ima start claiming to be Canadian, even before I go traveling. Sheesh.

I can totally imagine getting thoroughly overwhelmed with all the new food choices when abroad, and occasionally needing to retreat to the familiar.

The first time we went to Japan, Pete was not yet very adventurous about food. So yes, we did eat at a McDonalds in Tokyo. Once. Out of self-defense, because neither of us spoke a word of Japanese, and we were feeling very overwhelmed.

ND is right about the first Hard Rock Cafe being in London, and I believe that one of the purposes was so that people could have a hamburger in London. If I'm in London, I'd still rather have a meat pie.

A quick shameless plug for my blog, in which I discuss discovering New Orleans food (since we are talking about food tourism.)

Tonight we are going to the Bacchanal, as recommended by smonster!

I ate at a McDonald's in London once on New Year's Eve, but that's because all the other restaurants around Trafalgar Square were closed for New Year's Eve. We were often gobsmacked by the marketing differences in Britain. (Some tourist things cost more during the off season, because, you see, fewer people came....) We stayed across the street from a McDonald's in Sydney, so we grabbed a few quick breakfast there when we had to head out early. They had plain toasted English muffins with single servings of jam or Vegemite.