The Fast Food Giant Rick Steves Actually Recommends Visiting Abroad

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You wouldn't expect a travel expert to suggest eating at a McDonald's when you're on vacation abroad, but that's exactly what prolific globetrotter Rick Steves advises. Like any worthy travel author, Steves, who is most famous for his insights on exploring Europe, recommends trying the local cuisine. He also offers practical eating advice for countries like Italy, where visitors can quickly get overwhelmed by the amount of options on offer. Sometimes, in the midst of exploring the multi-sensory novelty of a foreign country, all one needs is a tasty, familiar meal without having to overthink or overspend. For this, you can either grab a kebab — the reliable street food Steves swears by when he travels – or look for the closest outlet sporting the Golden Arches.

Talking of cheap eats in Europe, Steves says that visiting a McDonald's outlet can serve multiple purposes. In addition to the food being relatively cheap and of consistent flavor and quality, McDonald's outlets are generally in prime, easily accessible locations. The bathrooms and (occasionally) free WiFi are also welcome facilities for most travelers amidst a day of sightseeing. For those traveling with little ones who may find it challenging to adjust to foreign gastronomy, the familiar food is a godsend. And while McDonald's menus are different across countries so they can best cater to local preferences and prices, nothing hits home quite like McDonald's french fries halfway through a trip when you've got homesick taste buds.

Visiting a McDonald's abroad isn't just a dose of familiarity and convenience. It can also offer interesting insight into your destination. Not only will you find the juicy Teriyaki Chicken Filet-O at the McDonald's in Tokyo, but comparing the price of a Japanese Big Mac to what the same burger costs at home can provide a rough gauge for budgeting a trip to Japan. This global consistency across McDonald's menus is what led to the formation of the Big Mac index, a tool used to compare currency values based on the local price of a Big Mac.

Pricing aside, visiting McDonald's abroad can be a cultural culinary experience. The seasonal McRaclette in Switzerland and Maharaja Mac in India are easy inroads to local cuisine, as are the decadent, freshly baked pies and pastries in McCafe outlets in Austria, or South Korea's iconic bulgogi burger that blends sweet and savory into a Big Mac-sized affair. Then, of course, there is McDonald's in France, which understandably goes the extra mile to entice visitors with one of the world's best cuisines. Start with the McBaguette and finish with the macaroons — they're even better if you order them in Paris' world-famous McDonald's Champs Elysées outlet.

As you can imagine, certain McDonald's locations are worth the visit simply because the fast food titan has installed itself in iconic buildings across the world. Gary He's "McAtlas" lists many of them, including one that faces Milan's Duomo cathedral in Italy, another that's housed inside a decommissioned plane in New Zealand, and, closer to home, the spaceship-shaped outlet in Roswell, New Mexico.