Pretty ironic - isn't it - that on Day One of New Year's Resolutions I am writing about McDonalds!!! But honestly it is one of the biggest love-hate relationships I have developed while living in Europe.
We have eaten at "Old McDonalds" (as Connor calls them) all over Europe. I have an entire drawer full of Happy Meal toys to attest to it. It sort of makes me groan every time we realize we will be visiting Ronald's house yet again. We are NOT McDonald's people. I cannot remember the last time I went to one in the USA. But really, it is a necessary staple in Europe. Nowhere else can you eat within an hour and be assured consistent food for the two year old picky eater with food allergies. Plus in Spain and France it is the only place that serves dinner before 8 PM. Those late meals don't jive well with a 7 PM bedtime!
And as an added bonus when on the road...every McD's in Europe has free Wifi. 
The problem is that "fast" food just does not exist. We have waited 20 minutes for our food at the counter before - after we place our order. And the lines crawl at a snail's pace. Today - New Years Day- we are in France and absolutely everything is closed. Every tourist site, grocery store, every convenience shop, every tabac. So we had lunch at McDonald's and then shamefully we returned to the drivethru for dinner. And wouldn't you know we returned to our hotel to find that half of our order was missing?!?All I can say is it is a good thing McDonald's has added healthy items to their menu and that Connor doesn't really care about eating the french fries. She gets a kick out of the toys and free balloons and the bathrooms are always clean. Plus it is cute to see her make McD's friends with all the little international children. McDonald's truly speaks to children of every nationality.
And thus, my love-hate relationship with European McDonalds...
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2 comments:
ha ha - we felt the same way about MCD in Europe. It was, though, kind of neat trying out the country-specific items, like gazpacho in the Spanish MCD :) Italy's MCD had something cool too, I just can't remember.
Oh my god, I totally understand!! I have never eaten as much McDonald's as I did in Prague - and I am not a fast food person at all. There's something really comforting about an American place where everything is the same. And is it just me, or does the food taste better at European McDonald's??
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