11 European Fast-Food Chains You Won’t Find in America
Updated: Mar. 19, 2024
If you want to eat at any of these fast-food chains, you're going to have to travel pretty far.
Fast food in America
Fast food and America tend to be synonymous: McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s, Taco Bell, KFC, Chick-fil-A, Popeyes—the list of popular American fast-food chains goes on and on. But there are some fast-food restaurants that you can only find in Europe. These are the secrets fast-food workers aren’t telling you.
Ditsch
Germany is known for its pretzels, so if you find yourself there in the future, you’ll have to make a stop at Ditsch. This pretzel bar chain serves up some of the best soft pretzels (with a side of mustard of course) and beer in Germany. They also sell pizza snacks and croissants. Check out the first locations of 8 famous fast-food restaurants.
Quick
The perfect name for a fast-food joint, Quick is located in France and is basically the French version of McDonald’s or Burger King (though they have those there, too!). Quick’s Giant sandwich is similar to a McDonald’s Big Mac.
Supermac’s
Supermac’s can only be found in Ireland. The first store opened in 1978 on Main Street, Ballinasloe, Co. Galway. They are best known for their hamburgers and chicken sandwiches as well as their curry fries (fries covered in their signature curry sauce). Make sure you don’t fall for these fast-food “facts” that are actually false.
O’Briens
O’Briens Irish Sandwich Cafe originated in Ireland but now has locations in many countries (but not the United States). If you ever find yourself at one, make sure to try one of their Irish ham sandwiches.
Nordsee
A German fast-food chain, Nordsee knows how to do fast fish right. The company was founded in 1896Â with a goal of getting fish from the ocean to the table as quickly as possible and Nordsee has been doing that ever since. You’ll never believe these scandals that rocked the fast-food industry.
Telepizza
Telepizza started in Spain, but it now has stores across Europe, South America, and the United Arab Emirates. Sadly, they still don’t have any locations in the United States, but America has a surplus of pizza chains already. The chain is known for its homemade pizza dough and unique pizza flavors such as Wok, Carnivora Gourmet, and their Pizzalada (or salad in a pizza crust bowl).
Abrakebabra
Ireland’s Abrakebabra has your traditional fast-food burgers, but they also have kebabs, falafels, baguettes, and pitas. Besides delicious fries, other sides you can get include beer-battered onion rings, hummus and pita, and cocktail sausages. Can you guess which state in America has the most fast-food restaurants?
Wimpy
Based in the United Kingdom, Wimpy’s name originates from J. Wellington Wimpy, a character from Popeye. In addition to the U.K., they have locations in Ireland, Japan, India, and Scandanavia.
Hesburger
This fast-food chain originated in Finland. It’s pretty similar to McDonald’s and Burger King except for a few unique items such as the Soy Tortilla (a wrap made with soy fingers instead of chicken fingers).
Max Burgers
If you’re in Sweden and want a quick and delicious burger, stop by a Max Burgers. They were one of the first burger chains in Europe and their stores continue to outperform both McDonald’s and Burger King in Sweden.
Chicken Cottage
You probably already guessed it from the name, but Chicken Cottage is a fast-food chain that started in North London that specializes in chicken. One unique item on their menu is the Lamb Burger, a quarter pound of lamb topped with cheese, a slice of gherkin, onion, lettuce, and burger sauce all on a sesame seed bun. Before heading to the drive-through, make sure you avoid these fast-food items you should never order.
Originally Published: March 19, 2024
