Travel
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Re: Eating at chains while traveling abroad
I loved the big signs all over the place warning that the meat is mutton, not beef. They must get a lot of pissed off tourists. We didn't what what it was so long as it had lots of cheese on it.
Well, this wasn't abroad, but the McDonalds in Halifax had a lobster roll! So we had to try it. It actually was pretty comparable to the lobster rolls in higher-end restaurants too, which was surprising.
And since we don't have any Cheesecake Factories in my area, I totally hunt them down in the US
When we're in the Caribbean or Europe we don't usually eat in US chain restaurants, but its possible we've ate at their 'local' chain restaurants without even knowing it.
I don't seek them out, but if we're out and busy and it's convenient I don't have a problem with it. My husband, however, does. Despite the fact that he has no ability to recognize that he's getting hungry until he gets to the point where he's like "I NEED TO EAT NOW! OMG I'M SO HUNGRY! FIND SOMEWHERE TO EAT!"
Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.
Mark Twain
My Travel Blog
Chinese breakfast is very different! But since I grew up with it, I was IN LOVE when we visited China. I'm sure DH would have loved to stop in a McD's for a Mcmuffin! (I am proud to brag that I eventually got him hooked on the fresh dumplings and some of the breakfast buns.)
But back to the OP question, I rarely eat chains here so unless I was stuck, I rarely eat at chains. Eating local cuisine (especially cheap street fare) is part of the traveling experience for me. That being said, though, I've never lived abroad so I can see how some people get comfort from the chains.
Fair enough, I re-read my response and I do sound a bit snotty, sorry everyone. Some things are easier to say than to type!
(If it was a real question Knitty, basically we just avoided tuna and stuck to salmon)
BFP Apr 2012, EDD Dec 19 2012 * twin h/b at 6wk, 9wk scan * Baby A lost at 12wks, Baby B was my rainbow born at 36wks
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Living abroad will change your mind about eating at American chains. We have far less American chains in Switzerland than most of Europe (We have BK, McDo, and Subway...the nearest one to is 2 hours away though). DH and I hunt down Hard Rock Cafe in other countries, I need American food sometimes! Sometimes we get McDonald's here...but only because I like the grilled chicken wrap, its one of the few places that serves grilled chicken. The nearest BK is an hour away, and I hate BK so we never go there.
We will go out of our way to have Subway, I crave it sometimes.
But generally when we're in the US we don't eat at chains, except Chipotle
.
I hope you at least purchase a coke or something, rather than just sneaking in and using the facilities. I worked in a fast-food restaurant in a high traffic tourist area and we all the time got people coming in only to use the facilities who never purchased anything. It's really not fair to use the "clean" restrooms and not pay for the privilege.
Friends don't let friends eat farmed salmon!
This is us too! We live for the Hard Rock when we travel because we cannot get anything but Italian food where we live (southern Italy)! So going out for a nice juicy hamburger with all the trimmings or getting a salad with RANCH dressing (as opposed to just olive oil and balsamic vinegar with some salt) on it is a serious treat! Oh wow, does it ever melt in my mouth hahahahha. But I will sometimes go to the local McDonalds too. I love getting the curry sauce (which is something that you can't get in the U.S.) with my chicken nuggets. YUMM.
Always. I'm a sucker for a fountain soda and my DH (who also worked in the tourist industry) will never set foot into an establishment and use their facilities without purchasing something (honestly, he won't even go into a shop to ask for directions, etc. without purchasing something.) I just don't eat the food - it gets me pretty sick and that's something I don't need to deal with when I'm not home.
GP buddy to blenderdance