# Fast Food Chains Big Elsewhere But Not In The USA **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 15, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128 "2009-04-15T00:09:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/41 "2009-04-15T20:54:13Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > You could have ordered two. There are 260 Hortons in the USA. I have found them as far west as Michigan. There might be some outposts further on. ---
**Author:** ![RiverRunner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/977dab/32.png) [@RiverRunner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RiverRunner)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2009, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/42 "2009-04-15T21:11:05Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > What…is it just Starbucks, McDonalds, and Dunkin’ Donuts for coffee everywhere? The best chain-joint coffee I have had was from Port City Java. Unfortunately, the one near my workplace closed down. It was great stuff. RR ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/43 "2009-04-16T00:16:02Z")
Short story (only slightly off topic) I went to Bali on vacation about 10 years ago. As an obvious tourist, I was routinely hounded by street vendors selling useless junk who would try to buddy up to me by asking me where I was from. The first guy who tried this tactic said, him:: “Where you from?” me:: “America.” him:: “Oh, yeah? New York? California?” me:: “California, yeah.” him:: “Oh! Like the fried chicken!” At this point I’m thinking, where on Earth did he get the idea that California = fried chicken? Eh, whatever, he probably just doesn’t know the difference between Kentucky and California. At least, that was my thinking until _4 other vendors_ hit me with the exact same thing. “Oh! Like the fried chicken!” For the rest of my stay in Bali I am completely baffled. How could they _all_ think that Californians were so desperately in love with fried chicken? Did some previous American tourist with a wry sense of humor play a strange trick on these guys out of sheer annoyance at the useless garbage they were trying so hard to sell? And then, on my way to the airport to fly home, I saw it. The biggest restaurant I had seen on the whole island. California Fried Chicken. ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/44 "2009-04-16T00:22:26Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > In the USA we have fast food chains like “McDonalds,” “KFC,” “Pizza Hut,” etc that are big in the USA and they are all over the world too. > > I was just wondering if there are fast food chains that are big all over the rest of the world but unheard of (or basically unheard of) in the USA? I assure you, there is nothing served at Chinese KFC’s that you’d recognize. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/45 "2009-04-16T00:36:42Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > What surprises me is that there aren’t any Dennys or IHOPs in Australia (at least that I’m aware of). I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve been working on a uni assignment at 3am and thought “You know what? I could really go a Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich or a Bacon & Egg Melt and Bottomless coffee right about now.” There is, basically, nowhere to get food at 3am for the most part, unless you want Maccas (which I don’t) or the dreaded Service Station Pie… 3am or not I don’t think I’d go near a Denny’s. I’ve eaten there twice while in the US and not again if I can help it. I’d almost be willing to risk a service station microwave Beef roll than have Denny’s :eek: What really surprises me is that there **is** an Outback Steakhouse in Australia (in Sydney I believe). The food was actually pretty good, but the kitchy ‘Australiana’ feel would sink like a stone here I would have thought? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/46 "2009-04-16T00:38:47Z")
> [@maplekiwi](#): > > NZ chains Burger Fuel & Hells Pizza are starting to set up overseas. Burger Fuel burgers & service are the best I have ever had at a fast food restaurant. Hells Pizza are better than Pizza hutt or Dominos but IMHO don’t quite live up to the hype. So Hell’s Pizza is a New Zealand chain? We had one open up near me a couple of months ago. The pizza was OK, nothing to write home about, and not worth the inflated price IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/47 "2009-04-16T00:44:18Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > So, basically, the OP is looking for the Abba of fast food, eh? I would call it the “Cliff Richard” of fast food 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/48 "2009-04-16T03:11:01Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I assure you, there is nothing served at Chinese KFC’s that you’d recognize. They do have french fries and ice cream cones. Oh, wait… you meant served at a KFC in the States. In that case I have to agree with you. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/49 "2009-04-16T03:36:37Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > 3am or not I don’t think I’d go near a Denny’s. I’ve eaten there twice while in the US and not again if I can help it. > > I’d almost be willing to risk a service station microwave Beef roll than have Denny’s :eek: Maybe I’ve been very lucky, then- the one in Anaheim (across the road from Disneyland) is very good, as is the one in Christchurch (NZ). I prefer IHOP, though. At any rate, I’m still surprised there aren’t any 24-hour family diner type places operating on a reasonably widespread basis in Australia. > [@](#): > > What really surprises me is that there **is** an Outback Steakhouse in Australia (in Sydney I believe). The food was actually pretty good, but the kitchy ‘Australiana’ feel would sink like a stone here I would have thought? :dubious: That surprised me too. I haven’t eaten there, but I did drive past in once and my first thought was “Why???” ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/50 "2009-04-16T03:44:59Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I would call it the “Cliff Richard” of fast food > > 🙂 Before or after he found Jesus? (thinking) Doesn’t matter. (Jackie Tyler = Cliff Fan) Got it. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/51 "2009-04-16T03:49:58Z")
We have many of the Western chains, but a few home-grown ones, too: [Narai Pizza](http://naraipizzeria.com/). [The Pizza Company](http://www.pizza.co.th/1112/), which is a direct competitor to Pizza Hut. (The American who used to have the Pizza Hut franchise, Bill Heinecke, started it.) [Coffee World](http://www.coffeeworld.com/), which is a direct competitor to Starbuck’s. Malaysia’s [Big Apple Donuts & Coffee](http://www.bigappledonuts.com/) just came to Thailand. Have not tried them yet, but they have a lot of fans in Malaysia and been called the best donuts in the world. [Beard Papa’s](http://www.ladyironchef.com/2008/08/22/beard-papa-sweets-probably-the-best-cream-puff/), a Japanese chain of cream-puff bakeries, is here. We’ve tried them in Beijing, and they are good. They seem to be in the US, too, but mostly East and Southeast Asia and Australia. I’m sure I’m forgetting some. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/52 "2009-04-16T03:59:00Z")
Note: Of those above, Beard Papa’s comes closest to the OP, being in so many markets. Big Apple Donuts seems set to take off, though; I have never met a person who tried them and did not rave about them. ---
**Author:** ![GreedySmurf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a698b9/32.png) [@GreedySmurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreedySmurf)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/53 "2009-04-16T05:59:57Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > Maybe I’ve been very lucky, then- the one in Anaheim (across the road from Disneyland) is very good, as is the one in Christchurch (NZ). Maybe I was just unlucky. When I next get back to the States maybe I’ll give Denny’s another chance. I’ve only been twice, once in Honolulu, and once in Vancouver. > [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I prefer IHOP, though. At any rate, I’m still surprised there aren’t any 24-hour family diner type places operating on a reasonably widespread basis in Australia. That’s a major problem. Hell try getting anything besides fast food after about 10ish and you’re pushing shit uphill. Although I think the Pancake manor in Brisbane City is 24hours. But it’s not something I’ve really seen in Australia. Wonder why that is? > [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > That surprised me too. I haven’t eaten there, but I did drive past in once and my first thought was “Why???” I think I would be too embarassed to go into one here in Australia. My first visit to one was in Anaheim, and we almost pissed ourselves laughing all night over it. ---
**Author:** ![Omgalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/41988e/32.png) [@Omgalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omgalion)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/54 "2009-04-16T06:35:09Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > What surprises me is that there aren’t any Dennys or IHOPs in Australia (at least that I’m aware of). There was a Denny’s on the Gold Coast in the late eighties, I remember eating there as a kid. They may have just borrowed the name, though, and they don’t exist now. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/55 "2009-04-16T06:48:06Z")
There is a Beard Papa’s at the Hollywood & Highland complex. I love love love their chocolate cream puffs. Also love Yoshinoya - they’ve been in California since the 90’s, if I recall correctly. Another Japanese business that arrived to the U.S. fairly recently: Famima. There’s one a few blocks away from Hollywood and Highland, and another in Lakewood. It’s a combination of convenience store and fast-food restaurant. I adore their curry bread. It goes great with a can of UCC coffee. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/56 "2009-04-16T07:22:53Z")
> [@Lucky\_13](#): > > Another Japanese business that arrived to the U.S. fairly recently: Famima. There’s one a few blocks away from Hollywood and Highland, and another in Lakewood. It’s a combination of convenience store and fast-food restaurant. I adore their curry bread. It goes great with a can of UCC coffee. Those are run by a Japanese company (Family Mart) but don’t actually exist in Japan. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/57 "2009-04-16T08:16:40Z")
> [@GreedySmurf](#): > > Maybe I was just unlucky. When I next get back to the States maybe I’ll give Denny’s another chance. I’ve only been twice, once in Honolulu, and once in Vancouver. The one in Honululu I found to be… not great. Alright, but not as good as the one in Anaheim or Christchurch > [@](#): > > That’s a major problem. Hell try getting anything besides fast food after about 10ish and you’re pushing shit uphill. Although I think the Pancake manor in Brisbane City is 24hours. But it’s not something I’ve really seen in Australia. Wonder why that is? I’ve been wondering the same thing for years. I mean, Christchurch, NZ (population c.400,000) can make a Denny’s profitable, there’s no reason why somewhere like Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane couldn’t. Or, more importantly, why someone here hasn’t simply ripped the idea off and started Donny’s, a _Big Lebowski_ themed Diner. 😃 I know wages are higher here, but the situation is the same in NZ, so if they can manage, there’s no practical reason why we couldn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/58 "2009-04-16T08:36:26Z")
maplekiwi writes: \> Hells Pizza are better than Pizza hutt or Dominos but IMHO don’t quite live up \> to the hype. That’s not difficult, since Pizza Hut and Domino’s serve only mediocre pizza. There’s good pizza in the U.S., but you’re not going to find it at the national chains. Again, the fact that a chain restaurant is common in the U.S. doesn’t mean that ordinary Americans were asked to determine what the best variety of the food that they offer is. Chain restaurants exist to make large amounts of money for the company owning the chain. They advertise heavily and they figure out how to run their restaurants cheaply. The quality doesn’t have to be any better than necessary to keep from completely turning off the customers. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/59 "2009-04-16T10:01:09Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > That’s not difficult, since Pizza Hut and Domino’s serve only mediocre pizza. There’s good pizza in the U.S., but you’re not going to find it at the national chains. Again, the fact that a chain restaurant is common in the U.S. doesn’t mean that ordinary Americans were asked to determine what the best variety of the food that they offer is. Chain restaurants exist to make large amounts of money for the company owning the chain. They advertise heavily and they figure out how to run their restaurants cheaply. The quality doesn’t have to be any better than necessary to keep from completely turning off the customers. To be honest, I find the chain pizzas- more specifically Eagle Boys- to be a lot nicer than the “Gourmet” stuff that’s usually vastly overpriced and full of “weird” toppings. Let’s face it, a Hawaiian Pizza is a Hawaiian Pizza regardless of whether it comes from Eagle Boys, the minions of Pizza The Hutt, or a local neighbourhood place- at least in my experience, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2009, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128/60 "2009-04-16T10:53:47Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > Abra Kebabra out of Ireland is the only example that comes to mind though. Having had it many times after drinking at the Pubs in Dublin it would be a pretty solid addition to a city like Boston, San Fransisco, Miami or San Diego if you were a entrepreneur. Other Irish chains include: Supermac’s Eddie Rocket’s (upmarket cousin of Johnny Rockets) Apache Pizza Mizzoni Pizza & Pasta Abrakebabra is one of those “too drunk to walk but must eat” kinda places. I used to like it, have gone off it royally in recent years. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fast-food-chains-big-elsewhere-but-not-in-the-usa/493128.md?page=4)