International Travel And Finding Refuge In McDonalds

Love it or hate it, McDonalds has a huge international presence. There are few places internationally where you cannot find the “Golden Arches” and regionally some McDonalds have improved on the brand beyond what you find in the United States.

As you travel there are a number of good reasons to search out McDonalds near you:

Easy access to clean restrooms is one important reason. In many places around the globe finding public restrooms can be a challenge and often there is a fee involved in gaining entrance. After visiting hundreds of the Golden Arches all around the world we’ve never found one without public restrooms. At times you might need to pay a small fee but often they are still free.

Cusco’s historic center, Peru

Finding decaf coffee internationally is often nearly impossible. In my case, for medical reasons, I’m supposed to avoid caffein and there are many countries and cities where there just isn’t any, except at McDonalds and Starbucks.

A place where you can expect a good value and a familiar menu. While there are regional and ethnic food differences on the menu, usually you know what to expect when you walk into a McDonalds. While you probably shouldn’t get in the habit of eating mostly fast food hamburgers there are times when a quarter pounder with cheese just feels like comfort food.

At times you’ll find some really pleasant surprises. While it never seemed to catch on in the United States there are places where McCafe is a huge success. Image walking into a McDonalds and discovering overstuffed chairs, sofas and out-of-the-way seating areas next to a fancy coffee counter and pastry cases that would rival any bakery. From the Azores to Germany to Hungary you’ll find MacCafe is an amazing experience and none in America even come close.

Left- The Azores, Center- Germany, Right- Budapest

The Worlds Most Beautiful McDonalds (Click photo to read the story)

If you frequently travel internationally in addition to McDonalds you’ll find a number of locations of American food and culture dotted around the world with names like Starbucks, Burger King, Five Guys, KFC and even Krispy Creme. Also there are brands emerging outside of America that are learning from the American franchises like Jollibee. This is a fast-food chain that was founded in the Philippines. Today Jollibee has expanded globally that now has 39 restaurants in the United States along with outlets in Canada, Saudi Arabia, Europe (Spain, Italy, UK) with about 1,500 outlets worldwide and still growing. Its menu typically features a variety of items such as fried chicken, burgers, spaghetti, and depending on location Filipino dishes.