Complaints about U.S. fast food... Something needs to be don

Rage_Phish

i Just made an anonymous donation to KFC, hopefully this keeps that business afloat.

DianaPowerUp

It's true, that fast food companies do make their food slightly differently in different countries, and sometimes, the menus can be quite different. I've been to McDonald's in S. America, Europe, the US, and it's different everywhere. The taste, the portion sizes, some regional offerings...

Having said that, when you're in NYC, even for a short, quick, busy trip, that is by far one of the few cities in the world where you can get excellent cuisine within walking distance of wherever you are. It's a shame that you opted for fast food joints. Even mom and pop shops or street vendors would've been a better alternative.

getoverit87

I stopped reading after the word "holiday" replaced the word vacation. This is America. We invented fast food. We do it great, thanks.

Suedre

<best southern accent=on>

You know, I am a southern fried girl. I've lived in the deep south my whole life and I am a bit miffed by your post. Any self-respecting southerner knows that all fried chicken (KFC, home cooked, or otherwise) is served with a buttermilk biscuit and sweet tea. UNLESS you're adding BBQ (the southern pulled pork kind) in which case you would replace the biscuit with hushpuppies or fried cornbread. Now I'm positive you couldn't get sweet tea in NYC, we let them get by with that; however, leaving off the biscuit would be offensive and in poor taste to American southern culture and might be the spark that starts the next civil war.

<best southern accent=off>

Seriously though, even if you came all the way to the states and limited your culinary experience to KFC and MCD's, why would get mad that it was different instead of immersing yourself in the experience. Even if you didn't like it, you're not going to die any more from our fat and salt than yours. I hope that if you come back, you’re a bit more open minded and try to keep your blood pressure down – anger + sodium might make a heart attack.

Helice

but the biscuit isnt a biscuit...
its a scone..
Which you have with cream and jam and a cup of tea..

kimmerroze

but the biscuit isnt a biscuit...
its a scone..
Which you have with cream and jam and a cup of tea..

In america at KFC it is a buttermilk biscuit... Scone is the english word for biscuit... we eat ours with chicken and mashed potatoes.

stormieweather

A biscuit in England is a cookie or a cracker. Not a big, fat melt-in-your mouth buttery peice of bread.

westcoastSW

Sorry to jab, but I have to add, KFC = Kentucky Fried Chicken. Being that Kentucky isn't located in England, perhaps it isn't the American version that is so wrong?

[They're all wrong, clearly, from a nutritional standpoint. But it seems we're arguing tastes.]

ErinBeth7

I don't think the solution is to rid of fast food. Imagine all the unemployment!!

I think people just need to be responsible for what they eat...stop blaming unhealthy diets on fast food chains. No one is forcing you to buy that quarter-pounder for lunch!

Suedre

but the biscuit isnt a biscuit...
its a scone..
Which you have with cream and jam and a cup of tea..

Well now you're just being a bit ethnocentric. It's not a scone in America, which you were visiting. Calm down and drive yourself the nearest KFC and have it your way. Wait, that's BK.

hbrekkaas

This is why im scared that if it goes out of buisness in America they will close it down here too.

KFC's not going anywhere.

Also, even fast food chains alter their recipes a bit to match the preferred tastes of the country it resides in. I'm not sure if in NY KFC's exactly the same as it is here (kind of sounds like it, but you never know, and comparatively that's another country), but it's prepared in the way the people who eat there like it.

It's just like how in India McD's actually serves veggie burgers and stuff. (I don't think they offer that here yet, but it's not as though I would know ...) They offer burgers with kelp on them in Japan, I believe.

It's regional, man.

A long time ago our McDonalds had veggie burgers too...they lasted about a year and then were taken off the menu.

And KFC will never shut down. No matter how awful it is, people always eat there. I have so many comments about the original post, but they aren't nice and I'm going ot leave it at this: When I am trying to lose weight and live healthier, BigMacs, KFC, and Mcflurries are not on the menu.

freerange

I don't think the solution is to rid of fast food. Imagine all the unemployment!!

I know right? Then what would all the non-English speaking, tattooed, body pierced, smart *kitten*, could care less if they had a job, people do for work?

Chilliaddict

Is the OP serious?? You didn't like the food get over it. However think of the calories you burnt whilst typing that essay ...

IHrtStrwbrries

I wouldnt fly all the way to England or any country and eat fast food. I dont eat it here so I sure as hell wouldnt eat it somewhere else. I try and not do chains all together especailly when travelling unless its a chain I dont have here...You were in NYC!!!!! the hot dog stands would have been better! NYC pizza, subs, etc...Its home to some of the best resturants. China Town, Little Italy....UGH

Just side point I recommend checking out the buffets in china town before you order. lol YIKES! I ate at a place that served goat eyeballs and nuclear green glowing vegetables. The bathroom that I am sure once was white was black with a film of slimy something. it was the most nasty place I have ever seen in my life. lol little italy however YUMMM same with the pizza places. HELLO! Newyork style pizza ROCKS!

In NYC you don't want to eat at Chinese Buffets.....they're all pretty unsanitary and the owners don't really care because they're only there to make money off of people who think that stuff is Chinese food. Most Asians usually don't go to china town to eat, since the food there is nasty and people are more rude there. I'd recommend going to Flushing, that's were all the authentic Chinese/Taiwanese food is......though cleanliness wise, it's still pretty nasty......unless you go to a five star Chinese restaurant, I don't think you'll find a lot of clean Chinese restaurants. Just a word of advice .

wanttogetskinny

It's all additives, chemicals, bad fats, and grease no matter where it's made. Yuck.

I'm now very concerned for the OP's fiance who apparently eats nothing but KFC. That's disgusting.

bcattoes

LOL I have heard this same thing from friends that have travelled abroad and tasted the "same" fast food that we have in the US. Another thing is that a lot of the same fast foods that are made with saturated and trans fats in the US are made with non-saturated fat in Europe.

But as long as we keep buying that crap, they'll keep selling it.

Umeboshi

Soylent green is the answer... assure uniformity in quality worldwide. It can be our only form of sustenance, and if it's rationed will totally get rid of our need to go on diets to begin with. :laugh:

Angie80281

but the biscuit isnt a biscuit...
its a scone..
Which you have with cream and jam and a cup of tea..

In america at KFC it is a buttermilk biscuit... Scone is the english word for biscuit... we eat ours with chicken and mashed potatoes.

And covered in butter or gravy.

lauz45

I really don't understand what you're getting upset about, OP. I love a big mac as much as the next person, but a) I rarely eat that stuff anymore, and b) if I was lucky enough to go to America (which i'm dying to do, hopefully 2012) i'd be out checking out the local restaurants. I would probably go into the fast food places to look at the menus, because I'm really interested by the UK/US differences, but I wouldn't be posting on a diet/exercise site about my outrage at the lack of special sauce in a big mac. I'm obviously English but I feel a little offended for our US friends for that post, it felt like you were telling them they're doing it wrong! It all started over there, who cares if they eat a biscuit/call a scone a biscuit with their meal, that's what makes the world an interesting place; we're not all the same. I'm not trying to be mean but if a bad KFC makes you cry I would seriously kick that addiction. Maybe it's just the way you wrote it, you obviously have very strong feelings about fast food.

Helice

scone is the english word for a bready sort of roll.... Not a biscuit..
Biscuit is the word for biscuit...
The same as cookie is the word for cookie..
And crackers are the name for crakcers...

A scone is just a tiny bread roll... Thats slightly harder than bread...

kimmerroze

scone is the english word for a bready sort of roll.... Not a biscuit..
Biscuit is the word for biscuit...
The same as cookie is the word for cookie..
And crackers are the name for crakcers...

A scone is just a tiny bread roll... Thats slightly harder than bread...

BUT you said that the biscuit that they serve at KFC in america is what you would call a scone, then I am telling you that WE CALL IT A BISCUIT... are you trying to say that we are wrong in calling it a biscuit, because that isn't what a biscuit is to you in England?

That is just silly.

kingkong123

Popeye's > KFC -- Fact.

Helice

BUT you said that the biscuit that they serve at KFC in america is what you would call a scone, then I am telling you that WE CALL IT A BISCUIT... are you trying to say that we are wrong in calling it a biscuit, because that isn't what a biscuit is to you in England?

That is just silly.

no its the other way round.
I thought that people though that the English called Scones, Biscuits...
Where we dont we call Scones, Scones.
I didnt realise they were saying Americans call Scones, Biscuits.

DianaPowerUp

What Americans call scones is a biscuit type sweet bread, that is rather dry and crumbly, and served with butter, jam, coffee, etc. A scone will often crumble apart if you were to try to cut it in 2 to spread butter on it.

A biscuit is not a sweet bread, it is much softer in texture, and flaky and moist, not crumbly. But it is not like a dinner roll, which is bread. It is served (generally) with savory meals, esp. in the southern US. It accompanies fried chicken, ham dinners, and sometimes for breakfast with sausage gravy over it. (I do like honey and butter on biscuits, tho).

If you add sugar to biscuit dough as you make them, they become "shortcakes" - a sweet biscuit, that you cut in half and add macerated strawberries and whip cream to. Heavenly.

I would say that an American biscuit is probably in b/t a dinner roll and a scone, as far as texture. In any case, what we get here in the US at fast food chicken places, is biscuits. And if you want a scone, you go to Starbucks.

lauz45

Okay this is silly...i'm hoping these pics work!

Here in England this is what we call biscuits - hot cup of tea to dunk them in, optional (but yummy).




This is what American's call biscuits


This is what we call scones.


Sorted.

westcoastSW

That is a TON of butter! Better track it

nyctraveler

I live in New York City and can attest to the fact that all chain restaurants in nyc are worse than what you will find in suburbia

why? because real new yorkers will never eat that crap.

NY is all about fine dining, mom and pop outposts of new foods to try, trendy selections, etc.

If I ever wanted "fast food," there are award winning food trucks, vegetarian chains, small falafel chains....McDonalds and KFC not among them

sorry but it's gross.

And....having worked in the UK, I can say that it is very similar to US in certain aspects and I would not eat fast food there either. there are great assortments of Indian and Middle Eastern food in London that I really enjoyed - don't know why you would do KFC

Pebble321

Congratulations for posting the most unlikely rant I would imagine I'd see on a site that is designed to encourage healthy eating and exercise!
And please take on board the fact that the world is an incredible place, cultural differences are fascinating. Instead of whining because the beans at KFC aren't the same (who knew KFC even offered beans, I've never seen them advertised in Australia?) use the opportunity to learn about how other people live and eat.

Chilliaddict

That is a TON of butter! Better track it

That's not butter dear it's clotted cream or it can sometimes either be whipped cream too

nickscutie

why weren't you eating pizza and bagels everyday - you were in f''''ing New York City! Obviously you weren't trying to eat healthy, so why would you at least not seek out cheap local food or some authentic ethnic cuisine - both are in large supply in NYC.