# American food abroad **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 20, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755 "2003-01-20T05:35:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![King\_Friday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/1 "2003-01-20T05:35:21Z")
Are there American restaurants over seas? And if so, what’s on the menu? Please don’t say hot dogs and hamburgers… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/2 "2003-01-20T05:50:53Z")
There are tons of American fast food restaurants in Europe. I’ve eaten at McDonald’s in 10 countries now. There’s also Burger King, Pizza Hut. There was a Subway next to my hotel in Madrid. And, not too long ago, I ate at TGI Friday’s in the Opera Quarter of Paris. It was heavenly - BBQ ribs, Nachos, and a big glass of Budweiser. After a week of French food, I needed a break. Fierra and I also ate at TGI Friday’s in Hertfordshire not too long ago. In all cases, the menus were nearly identical to what you would have in the US, except there were maybe 1 or 2 regional dishes, and some different beers. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/3 "2003-01-20T06:39:59Z")
In Europe, apart from the ever-present fast-food chains, I’ve seen quite a few attempts at recreating the archetypical Hollywood 1950s “All-American Diner” - **good** burgers, ribs, proper milkshakes etc. etc. “Rosie’s Diner” in Hamburg is pretty neat. And I’ve had amazing Cajun cuisine in “N’Awlins” in Copenhagen. Some restaurants will have a US item or two on the menu - steaks or spareribs will often be sold as “US style”. But generally speaking, most people wouldn’t be able to pinpoint the American cuisine very well. ---
**Author:** ![King\_Friday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/4 "2003-01-20T08:03:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by King Friday \* > \*\*Are there American restaurants over seas? And if so, what’s on the menu? Please don’t say hot dogs and hamburgers… :rolleyes: \*\* I may have asked the question improperly, what I meant is there such thing as an \*ethnic American \* restaurant? ---
**Author:** ![simple\_homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@simple\_homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simple_homer)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/5 "2003-01-20T08:10:52Z")
What’s more “ethnic American” than McDonald’s???😕 ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/6 "2003-01-20T08:23:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by King Friday \* > \*\*I may have asked the question improperly, what I meant is there such thing as an \*ethnic American \* restaurant? \*\* What exactly do you mean by an _ethnic American_ restaurant? Within 10 minutes’ bike ride from home, I can get chicken pot pies and fried chicken at KFC and turkey subs at Subway. Or I can have a Pizza Hut pepperoni pizza delivered. These all originate from America, as far as I know. I’ve been to one restaurant that had Reuben sandwiches and rhubarb pies, in addition to other diner style food. Unfortunately the rye bread have no caraway seeds in them, and they’ve recently discontinued the rhubarb pies. ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/7 "2003-01-20T08:34:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by King Friday \* > \*\*I may have asked the question improperly, what I meant is there such thing as an \*ethnic American \* restaurant? \*\* Do you mean a cowboy type place? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/8 "2003-01-20T08:35:36Z")
There’s the Texas Embassy Cantina in Westminster: [http://www.texasembassy.com/](http://www.texasembassy.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/9 "2003-01-20T08:45:09Z")
And here’s the Rattlesnake Grill in Sydney! [http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/E/V/SYDNE/0015/52/92/](http://sydney.citysearch.com.au/E/V/SYDNE/0015/52/92/) ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/10 "2003-01-20T08:51:34Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Anthracite \* > \*\* After a week of French food, I needed a break._\* And imagine - those damn French people eat it all the time. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/11 "2003-01-20T08:54:29Z")
Check out [http://www.restaurants.com](http://www.restaurants.com) for a country-by-country, city-by-city listing of restaurants. There are over 40 American-themed restaurants in Hong Kong! [http://www.restaurants.com/World/WCuisine.asp?Country=HK&City=Hong+Kong&Cuisine=American](http://www.restaurants.com/World/WCuisine.asp?Country=HK&City=Hong+Kong&Cuisine=American) I couldn’t find any at all in Reykjavik. But poke around! They’re out there somewhere! Ethnically American food seems to be steak and baked potatoes, or exotic fare from the Southwest or New Orleans (Can you imagine “Cafe Pittsburgh” or “Genuine Omaha Cuisine”?). ---
**Author:** ![King\_Friday](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@King\_Friday](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Friday)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/12 "2003-01-20T10:52:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Krokodil \* > **Check out [http://www.restaurants.com](http://www.restaurants.com) for a country-by-country, city-by-city listing of restaurants. There are over 40 American-themed restaurants in Hong Kong!** You want a real bargain, search for [restaurant.com](http://restaurant.com) on ebay…save some big money ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/13 "2003-01-20T13:41:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Gaspode \* > \*\*And imagine - those damn French people eat it all the time. 😃 \*\* Well, in fairness, after a week of American food I need a break too. ---
**Author:** ![mrcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@mrcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrcrow)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/14 "2003-01-20T14:12:49Z")
i was in a restaurant in manchester near the docks and the lowry exhibition centre, salford quays…there was a mexican restaurant there as well… i think it was an american type food restaurant with photos of a town in new jersey etc (i know because i used to live there) the food was mainly sort of italian with large portions of ice cream and sundaes. what really is american food? hominy grits and cornpones? think it was fatty arbuckles sorry ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Washte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Washte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washte)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/15 "2003-01-20T15:34:32Z")
That’s the thing about American food, though. It is a conglomeration of so many other _ethnic_ foods that there is nothing purely _American_. I mean, come on… [chop suey](http://www.snopes.com/food/origins/chopsuey.htm) is an American creation! Having been in several countries (Canada, Mexico, Japan, Ireland, UK), one can always find McDonald’s (over 1100 in the UK alone), KFC, and Burger King. Recently Subway has found its way to the UK. Have yet to see a Wendy’s or Taco Bell outside the US, however. There have also been a few TGI Friday’s around (UK and Ireland). There are a few places that claim to be American Diners - red leather booths, mini-jukeboxes on the table, straws, etc. However, these places tend to serve… drum roll please… hamburgers and hot dogs. And don’t forget the obligatory large portions. Food is served by folks in white aprons, red bow-ties, and boat hats. It’s like being at _Al’s_… you expect the Fonz to walk in at any moment. We just returned from Dublin where we ate at an [Eddie Rockets](http://www.eddierockets.ie/home.htm) which is an American diner experience. They had the hamburger and hot dogs, but also had chili, chili fries, nachos, chili dogs, and shakes/malts (menu available from site). Strawberry malt was out of this world, but the food was just… food. Nothing I would class as American specific. So, sorry **King Friday** , most _American_ restaurants overseas serve burgers and dogs… ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/16 "2003-01-20T15:56:27Z")
I would say that a place like TGIFriday’s would qualify as an “American-style” restaurant. And there are several here in Panama City. There are a number of other similar places that specialize in things like deluxe cheesburgers, Buffalo wings, nachos, fajitas, Cajun-style food, BBQ ribs, etc, etc. And we have most of the U.S. fast-food chains too: MacDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, KFC, Popeye’s, Subway, etc. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/17 "2003-01-20T16:01:02Z")
There used to be Wendy’s in London, but I think they died out. Pity, coz IMO their burgers are better than any of the other fast food outlets. I enjoyed a big Jack Daniels Ribs meal at TGI Friday’s in the outskirts of New Delhi, while sacred cows wandered around outside. There’s also a Tex-Mex place in Connaught Circle in the centre of the city. ---
**Author:** ![Popup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/94ad74/32.png) [@Popup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Popup)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/18 "2003-01-20T16:19:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by King Friday \* > \*\*I may have asked the question improperly, what I meant is there such thing as an \*ethnic American \* restaurant? \*\* If I have understood the question properly: I have never seen any european restaurants specializing in ‘Navajo cuisine’, or anything else along those lines. There are quite a few ‘latin american’ restaurants, but I’m not sure if what is served there would be considered ‘ethnically american’ or rather results of colonial cuisine, intermingled with local resources. Or how do you define _ethnic American_? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/19 "2003-01-20T16:25:43Z")
I don’t think you _can_ define ethnic American. I don’t think it exists. Sure, you can have your 50’s malt shop, or your stereotypical cowboy-boot wearing western steakhouse, but those are as gimmicky in New York as they are in Europe. That’s not to saw you can’t have an American _style_ resteraunt. I’d say that a place like TGI Friday’s would fit the bill perfectly. But ethnic American? Nah. Not unless you want to call fast food Ethnic American. ---
**Author:** ![PumiceT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/43a26b/32.png) [@PumiceT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PumiceT)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2003, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755/20 "2003-01-20T17:47:40Z")
How about BBQ? Like pulled-pork, and other “African-American” delights? That stuff originated in the USA, didn’t it? Being a Buffalonian, I am also pretty sure that Buffalo Wings are an American creation. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-food-abroad/149755.md?page=2)