Something I unknowingly did while traveling was trying some type of American food from every country I visited. Of course, there were some places I had planned on going to, Starbucks was obviously a go to but I found that while I traveled I actually ate a lot more American food than I had planned on. Here I’ll be delving into my own sort of view on American food chains abroad through each country I visited; Scotland, Northern Ireland, France, England, and the Netherlands. My only regret while writing this is that I never really thought to take pictures but a quick google search can help you put an image to the stories if you feel inclined.
Five Guys in Scotland
I tried a lot of different food while I was living in Scotland, I found out I even like haggis but that’s a story for another time. When I first moved into my flat I was incredibly homesick and didn’t know what to eat. I had already been in Scotland for about a week but moving into my flat meant it was all becoming permanent, this would be my home for the next 4 months. Upon move in, I had seen a Five Guys across the street and later that night I decided to try it out.
Despite how pricey it was I was excited to have a bit of normalcy to my day. Being stressed out gave me an incentive to practically order everything off the menu. I could lie and say I only ordered fries and a shake but I didn’t. I had gotten a hamburger, fries, hotdog, and my personal favorite a cherry milkshake. Cherry milkshakes aren’t exactly the norm in America so I was thrilled to see it as an option here. I didn’t end up finishing all of my food but I liked it. I did find that it tasted different from American food though.
Subway in Northern Ireland
One night in Belfast I went out with my friends. We had checked out a few bars and were headed home when I noticed a Subway. To be honest the food at our hotel wasn’t the best and I knew we wouldn’t be eating for a while so I decided to grab a sub. It was very interesting because I’m used to a large selection of options to choose from but they seemed to have half of what a Subway in the states would offer. To give you an example there was maybe two options for cheese (American & Cheddar) while in the States there are many more. It was interesting to try. I think I ended up ordering an Italian style with some veggies on top and overall it wasn’t bad for a sandwich, I couldn’t taste much of a difference apart from my different choice in toppings.
Chipotle in France
Paris was my first solo travel experience. After I checked into my hostel I was walking around the city when I found a Chipotle. Without even really contemplating it I went in and ordered. It was kind of surreal to be sitting in Paris on my own eating something I was so used to eating in the States but it was comforting as well. I had no complaints on the food, it tasted the same to me so that was great. It was actually one of my favorite memories on this trip because I just felt so comfortable, I sat in front of the window facing the street and texted my mother the entire time, no shame. If I had the chance to do it again I definitely would.
Shake Shack in England
I had booked a trip to London with my best friend for her birthday. London has a ton of amazing food spots to try but one place I knew I wanted to go to was Shake Shack. There is a Shake Shack back in Philly that I love and I knew I needed a taste of home. It was very similar to my Five Guys experience in that it was good but it wasn’t the same. In terms of food for the price, I’d probably try other burger places in the future but I still enjoyed it. The Christmas cookie shake was my favorite part of the meal. It tasted just like the one from home so that definitely made my night.
Dunkin Donuts in the Netherlands
At this point in my study abroad experience, it was almost over and I was feeling really lonely. I remember walking down a street filled with shops and just wanting to go home when I saw a sign for Dunkin Donuts. For context Dunkin Donuts was a staple at my university. It’s where my friends and I always went no matter the time of day so seeing this was a Godsend.
I wish I had taken a picture of this place because it was honestly unlike any Dunkin I had ever seen. It was as if Anthropologie was sponsoring this tiny Dunkin Donuts because the decor was beautiful and definitely not bright pink and orange. There were also many specialty donuts that you typically don’t see in a regular Dunkin. I can’t remember the name of what I ordered but I’m pretty sure it was Santa related. Anyway, there was vanilla frosting inside of it and it tasted amazing. I also ordered a vanilla iced coffee, it was pretty good but it wasn’t as sweet as I was used too, insert your own commentary about Americans using too much sugar here.
In the end, I was really glad I found this place and I will definitely come back. This time I’ll also make sure to take pictures.
New Meaning to Comfort Food
After looking back on my travels I’ve come to realize that trying American food was actually really comforting. I tried to stay away from American food so that I could try new things but I found that when I was feeling off I turned to something familiar for comfort.
I’ve noticed this now not just in myself but in others as well. This past spring one of my roommates in college was from South Korea. She was incredibly sweet and tried American food on occasion but whenever she got the chance to eat Korean food she always took it. Looking back on my travels, I identified with wanting that taste of home. So where ever you travel next, definitely eat outside of your comfort zone but try to eat something familiar too, you never know, it might be one of your favorite memories on your trip!