I am had the chance to travel to Cuba, England, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Greece, and now Cyprus… and one thing that always surprises me the types of fast food brands that are abroad. Naturally you will find McDonalds everywhere. If you travel in Europe, you can always guarantee McDonalds to have wifi available and usually open very late. For a backpacker they can be a godsend to recharge your phone and get off your feet for awhile. The menu is often tailored to the expectations of the locals (price and quality) along with more native ingredients. I remember getting a breakfast McMuffin with eggplant and a small bottle of red wine in the McDonalds nearby the Palace of Versailles at 10am, which at the time seemed incredibly French to me.

But there are a few more brands that surprised me. Sure Burger King is a worldwide brand, but I usually don’t see them as often. The menu had very Cypriot flavoring to it. Namely, they emphasized Angus Beef, Halloumi Cheese, and Mushroom. Sure beef and cheese would be standard in the U.S., but the particular types were unique, and I don’t think an U.S. fast food burger chain has mushrooms on the menu.

Even the cheese choices are different on pizza. The Pizza Hut along the beach had its own rather odd ingredients. You can choose Philadelphia cheese for stuffed crust I have my reservations about. Sweet corn would be another surprise topping, but the coconut based cheese for the non-dairy consuming folks out there seemed really out there… although I would not be opposed to trying it.

But I would say the one that caught me the most off guard was not the KFC, but the TGI Friday’s that was next to it. I had zero idea TGI Friday’s was an international brand. I could only be more shocked if I were to find an Applebee’s in Athens. There are so many nice dining establishments all along the beach front, that TGI Friday’s just really stood out to me. You would be in for a better experience eating at any other locally owned place without a stone’s thrown away.

I guess the reason for this post is for future students who want to come out here during a dig season. If you are skittish about new foods or the unfamiliar tastes you might encounter, believe me, Larnaca is loaded with comfort foods like they are back home. I’ll even make a wager that these fast food franchises have better and fresher ingredients than we are used to the States. They are also generally cheaper. I make a habit of trying McDonalds in every country just to get an idea of what the locals expect from the most ubiquitous food chain in the world.r

Bon Appetit

-Adam E.