Posts from the ‘International Intrigue’ Category

Chain Links: Big America

In 2010, the UK received Taco Bell (a re-entry), Ruby Tuesday and Chipotle. What tactics have they been using? Taco Bell advertised on bathroom doors, Ruby Tuesday has tried shocking Brits by offering massive portions and free refills on soda and fries and Chipotle has been sourcing products locally. [Stores]

Britain isn’t the only recipient of our generously proportioned meals. McDonald’s in Japan has launched Big America 2, a series of four hefty burgers. The 713-calorie Idaho speaks to me with its hashbrown, bacon and pepper-mustard sauce. Also, I’m incredibly confused by this comment. [WSJ]

A staggering amount of effort has been put into creating the perfect McDonald’s french fry in India.  [Forbes India]

If you live in Jamaica you can order iTwists at KFC. Chicken fillets? Whatever, the bright red tomato wrap is what caught my attention. [Jamaica Observer]

Dixie Cream Donut Company, and a slew of other Beautiful Brands International (BBI) restaurants that I’ve never heard of, will be heading to the Middle East. [QSR]

Wingstop is invading Mexico. [Dallas Business Journal]

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Chain Links: Comtemporary Border Cantinas

First Red Lobster started going all Bar Harbor, now Chevy’s is getting a makeover. Lowell Petrie, CMO, said “Chevys is a border cantina with loud signs and lights and neon. We don’t want to lose that energy and fun, but we want to make it more contemporary.” I’m trying to imagine contemporary border cantina and can only picture copious granite and adobe. They do have tasteful design in Mexico, you know. [NRN]

I was hoping to see Napa Valley Grille in its natural element instead of inside of a Paramus mall on my fall Yountville excursion, but it was no longer in operation. The original spot, though, is being turned into an R + D Kitchen, a Hillstone (formerly Houston’s) brand, so at least it will be keeping with the spirit of things. [Eater]

Smashburger and Fatburger always blur together in my mind as chains we don’t have in NYC and that I don’t think about, but if three Smashburgers are coming to Brooklyn I could get interested. [Metromix]

I watched this CNBC documentary Behind the Counter: The Untold Story of Franchising right before the holidays and had no idea it was controversial. Chains have images to uphold, of course, and now CNBC has pulled the program after  Cold Stone Creamery sent a threatening letter. [Blue Mau Mau]

I don’t see a branch of North Korean Okryu-Gwa opening up in the US any time soon. Dubai gets everything. [NPR]

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Chain Links: Muy Nuclear

Pizza Hut and Burger King will soon be opening in Cambodia, and it has street vendors worried. Already present KFC, the first international chain to enter the country, could be the reason that one vendor used to sell 80-90 chickens per day and now sells half that. [Phenom Penh Post via QSRweb]

I’m not familiar with the mouthful of a business, Nestle Toll House Café by Chip, but Saudi Arabia soon will be. [QSRweb]

Wing Zone opened their first international location in Panama and will be expanding to the Bahamas, Mexico and Japan. Sadly, nuclear, on the sauce list, is simply translated as muy picante. [QSR]

There are still countries in the world untouched by McDonald’s. Zimbabwe is one of them. They’re certainly not without fast food, though—I spy hot dogs, pizza and fried chicken. [The Zimbabwean]

Siam Reap KFC photo from saopaulo1/waymarking.com

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Barrel of Fun

There are days when I feel like I know a lot of things, and other when everything is completely new to me. KFC Party Barrels supposedly being synonymous with Christmas in Japan falls into that latter category.

The Financial Times reports:

“Through one of the most successful advertising campaigns, which started in 1974, KFC Japan has made eating its chicken meals at Christmas a national custom. This happens on December 23, 24 and 25, but particularly Christmas eve. Sales for the three days are equal to half normal monthly sales, the company says."

And indeed, there is a whole Japanese KFC holiday microsite. The Party Barrel appears to include eight pieces of fried chicken or four pieces with six soy garlic chicken tenders, a “Caesar salad” topped with bacon and grated cheese, a chocolate-hazelnut mousse cake sprinkled with gold dust and a commemorative plate for ¥3880, which is about $46. Extravagant.

McDonald’s is trying to get a piece of that action with their iCon'BOX. And even MOS Burger, known for their namesake foodstuff, is selling Christmas fried chicken. It’s hard to compete with that chocolate cake, though.

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Arepas Are Not Tortillas

Photo from Venezolana de Television

Like Angry Birds and Glee, Wikileaks is one of those unavoidable topics that I try to know as little about as possible—until now. Because, arepas?

We have the popular Caracas Arepa Bar mini-chain, but apparently in Caracas, Hugo Chavez opened a chain, Arepera Socialista, last year. A perfect target for an American diplomat to monitor.

“On a January 8 visit, EmbOffs witnessed a long line of people waiting to get into the restaurant but surprisingly rapid service. Inside, one wall was dominated by a quote in large red lettering from Simon Bolivar: ‘The best system of government is that which produces the greatest happiness.’”

And lest you think Venezuela lack food bloggers (doesn’t it feel like the US and Asia kind of dominate the genre? Or maybe that’s my own bias.) El Gourmet Urbano was on the beat soon after the cafe opened. Other than the trash bags hanging off the sides of the cans rather than being inside, the verdict was positive.

I went looking for more socialist restaurants, but communism seems to be more popular.

Instead, you can look at more food blogs from Venezuela:
Tomásnomás
Diario de una comensal caraqueña que se aburría
Fogones de Venezeula
Milsabores
El Fogon Creativo

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Chain Links: Seaweed Soft Pretzels

I’ve seen Auntie Anne’s—serving seaweed pretzels, no less—in Malaysia, so it doesn’t seem so strange that they’d also expand to Japan. “…much of the Japanese population had never experienced a soft pretzel” yet that did not stop curiosity-seekers from lining up around the block–and filming it. [press release]

Golden Chick, which I keep reading as Golden Child, is a Dallas-based chain that has nothing to do with Eddie Murphy and a lot to do with chicken tenders–they practically claims to have invented them. They will be bringing breaded strips of poultry to China and nine other Asian countries next year. Also, there is a chain of Irish pubs in Texas?  [QSR]

California Pizza Kitchen will also be opening its first mainland China location. Shanghai is the lucky recipient. [NRN]

Subway is getting out of control in Saudi Arabia. Oddly, the last Subway I patronized (in Paramus) was filled with Middle Eastern families so maybe there is a UAE hoagie connection. [AME Info]

Frozen yogurt is so unappealing to me that I would prefer not even typing the two words. Apparently, there is a chain from Oklahoma creatively named FreshBerry. Venezuela and Portugal will be getting their no-sugar-added vanilla frozen yogurt in Q1 2011. [QSR]

Tossed, which isn’t that prevalent in the US, will be heading to Vancouver, B.C. [Fast Casual]

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