A Well Kept Man

Have you ever found yourself in a new place and just wishing to eat something that reminded you of home? Two weekends ago when we were in Italy we both had that "I miss America" feeling and decided the best solution to our problem was to go eat at McDonald's. Thankfully it worked, (although I don't think eating at McDonald's regularly is a good idea) but there were some unique observations that I feel obliged to share with all of you.

First, the menu is different over here. Not so different you're wondering what the heck is a McFoie Gras sandwich, but dissimilar enough to make you notice that something is odd, like you're in a Bizarro McDonald's. The menu is familiar enough to most, Big Mac's and cheeseburgers, french fries and Cokes, but as anyone who has seen the movie Pulp Fiction knows they don't have a Quarter Pounder with cheese (remember, metric system). So instead they have the Royal Cheese. Not so weird, just different.

Another difference is how the menu works. First you pick whether you want a burger or salad. Then you pick the type of side item you want, then the drink. I went with the Big Mac, although I almost got the Cripsy McBacon. I applaud this McDonald's for putting a 1,000 calorie sandwich on the menu, and had Alli not been present I would have obliged them and ordered it, but instead I opted for the "healthy" choice. The sides items included the standard fries or small side salad, but the unique thing here was curly fries (patate vertigo = fried potatoes with a balancing problem). Again, I chose the American version of french fries but the curly fries had me intrigued.

They also had items such as McToast (which is basically a Croque Monsieur = Hot Ham and Cheese on Toast), donuts, croissants, Greek Salad and a Caprese salad (just basil, tomato, and mozzarella).

Our Coke's came without ice (standard) and free refills were nowhere to be found. The Happy Meals had a toy cell phone that plays music in them, and the restaurant looked more like a swank coffee shop than a McDonald's. So if you are in Europe, and you need to feel a little bit of America then run over to McDonald's...just don't expect it to be a perfect American experience.

Neither equine, swine, nor hare were harmed to make this burger