For those who do occasionally eat at fast food restaurants at home or on their travels (for whatever reason), a new study found that meals served at fast food chains like McDonald's may contain much less trans fats overseas than in the U.S.:
http://tinyurl.com/jb5wp

why eat mcdonalds when you can have yummy kebabs and bratwurst and the such?

Interesting article. Well, I'm been known to eat McDonalds on occassion while in Europe. I know its a sin, but sometimes just get cravings for a burger. I guess now I don't have to feel so guilty about it!

Tracy

so that's why BigMacs are not as good...

"PrincessOfPenguins" is right. Every country has its own fast food: fish & chips, cornish pasties, croque monsieur, bratwurst, panini, pizze, tapas, etc, etc. What's the point of travelling to eat the same as you eat at home?

Traveling from France to Italy, we got stuck in the Florence train station one day waiting for a delayed train. There is a MacDonald's inside the station there. The smell got to me. I got some fries and Lee had a milk shake. I know some would never believe this, but those fries tasted better than any pommes frites we'd had in our two weeks in Paris. Maybe it was all the trans fat that did it.

Sometimes there is nothing like a McD's cheeseburger at 1100 on a Sunday morning to cure a hangover.

Sometimes you just want a "taste of home". It's not pretty, nor is it gourmet, but it's dependable. (Plus they usually have clean restrooms!)

Marla

The clean restrooms are one reason but the one we crave is a large drink with ICE!!! btw - when we do stop in either McD or Burger King, its mostly locals and not a lot of tourists at all!

I almost never eat fast food, even at home in the states, but when I was hungry, sick of spending $20Euro for a sit-down lunch and stumbled on a Burger King in Rome, I gleefully ate a Whopper Jr. with Cheese, with fries and a Diet Coke. Hmmmmmmmm.

Then I went back to eating like the Romans.

Jules

Europe doesn't do breakfast well, so I have stopped in McDonalds for breakfast, or a salad or some ice cream.

I remember walking into a McDonald's and purchasing some food only because I had to use the toilet. When I asked the manager where the toilet was, he said "their broken."

I gotta pee!!

You mean the fried apple pies at McDonald's in Hong Kong (or perhaps elsewhere) are healthier than the baked ones here?

"Then I went back to eating like the Romans."

Does that mean you started going to MacDonald's? I've passed a few of those and they sure seemed to be jam packed with locals, more than tourists!

I have found that the pita with falafel fast food is popping up all over. First saw in latin quarter in Paris, but found one in Madrid last year. They put falafel in a pita and you serve yourself the veggies. it is actually faster than MAC's and way more healthy.

the headline promised more than this article delivered. as it says, trans fat content varies by city even within countries...hardly evidence of anything very systematic. i guess the headline is more attention grabbing.

I confess, after 10 days in Italy a couple of years ago and eating pasta, pizza, gelato and everything else under the sun, the day before I left I was guilty of a Big Mac, fries and coke on a Sunday afternoon....seriously, I couldn't find much of anything else that was open!!! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!! At least NOW I know it had less trans fat especially since I hadn't eaten at McDonald's before that in probably 2 years and haven't eaten at one since, but WOW was it good!!!!

oh my FSM, I'm hungry for felafel now...

<What's the point of travelling to eat the same as you eat at home?>

Well, I never eat McDonald's at home! But I have been known to do so in Europe... when my stomach is upset from the unfamiliar diet or if I have a raging hangover.

Suze, I'm with you. I hadn't eaten at a MacDonald's in years. I had to convince myself that the fries at the ones at home wouldn't taste that good to avoid going to one when I got home.

What's the point of going to Paris or London and eating Indian food?

Please stay AWAY from that Burger King at Schiphol...it does NOT "taste like home" in any way, shape, or form. The McDonald's upstairs is actually a little better!