Why is US fastfood chain so boring while in US?

[Xellos2099]

I got a question, how come the fastfood chain in US so boring? The reason I ask this is that US chain that are located in other country got so many more different kind of food it is not funny.

For example, in Hong Kong, their MacDonald serve a LOT more than just same old burger and fries and while Pizza Hut there serve many kind of different pizza and pasta. They actually serve seafood pizza that taste very good and their seafood pasta blow anything they serve in Olive Garden out of the water. While in US, Pizza is reduce to a extreme fastfood fair with only processed meat on the menu. Why is that?

 

[FallenHero]

Because different cultures have different tastes? No one here wants seafood pizza, so why would they sell it?

 

[Dr. Zaus]

Because being "american" isn't something special here; it's crap we eat because we are lazy and hungry. So the competition is over price, not quality.

You go out to a Chinese pizza hut like it's a freaking night out on the town, because it's "American" and america is the center of all science and culture and economic wealth in the world; so you want to be just like us...

We just take that for granted and think you're disgusting/self loathing for even going to a pizza hut in the first place... 'cause that's sure as hell how we feel about people here that eat at fast food places.

 

[CPA]

McDonald's has salads, parfaits, chicken, breakfast, McRibs, even McPizza for a while. You can get much more than a burger.

And have you seen an Arby's menu?

 

[darkxshade]

Because US fastfood chains are so well established in the US<what a shocker> that they don't need to add anything special to the menu to get their foot in the door so to speak.

 

[waffleironhead]

Because it is generally accepted that mcdonalds and pizza hut have pretty shitty food regardless of what they offer.

 

[gaidensensei]

It is relevant to the sociology of the two cultures you're comparing.

American culture is rooted in standards and conformity. Ever since the industrial era the past was built on base standards, not diversification. The food choice is standardized and that has been passed down for generations.

Compare that asia, it is obvious asians adopted an incorporated approach

McDonald's has salads, parfaits, chicken, breakfast, McRibs, even McPizza for a while. You can get much more than a burger.

And have you seen an Arby's menu?

It's not exactly the selection choice he's talking about, OP's lamenting on the ineptness of Americans to explore outside the food bubble.

 

[Xellos2099]

That is a bit insulting, I am not being anti-amereican; I am just trying to find opinion on the matter. The only reason I ask is that my brother just come back from his trip from HK and he told me about the wonderful pizza he had at pizza hut. That got me thinking... the pizza making process for chain restaurant is around the same in the world, so just being in HK doesn't made the pizza better, it is the ingredient that made it good. People also love shrimp in US, then how come I almost never notice it on a pizza menu...

I mean just look at the hk pizza hut link... things look so good already

http://www.pizzahut.com.hk/en/restaurant.html

Another thing was that before I from to US from HK 15 years or so ago, I loved pizza hut pasta and when I see the pizza hut in US I was shock to see all they got is pizza back then and its wasn't until recent years they start selling pasta...

 

[Exterous]

That is a bit insulting, I am not being anti-amereican; I am just trying to find opinion on the matter. The only reason I ask is that my brother just come back from his trip from HK and he told me about the wonderful pizza he had at pizza hut. That got me thinking... the pizza making process for chain restaurant is around the same in the world, so just being in HK doesn't made the pizza better, it is the ingredient that made it good. People also love shrimp in US, then how come I almost never notice it on a pizza menu...

Its because we don't expect much out of fast food but we want it cheap. Getting fancy costs $

 

[sunzt]

That is a bit insulting, I am not being anti-amereican; I am just trying to find opinion on the matter. The only reason I ask is that my brother just come back from his trip from HK and he told me about the wonderful pizza he had at pizza hut. That got me thinking... the pizza making process for chain restaurant is around the same in the world, so just being in HK doesn't made the pizza better, it is the ingredient that made it good. People also love shrimp in US, then how come I almost never notice it on a pizza menu...

I mean just look at the hk pizza hut link... things look so good already

http://www.pizzahut.com.hk/en/restaurant.html

Another thing was that before I from to US from HK 15 years or so ago, I loved pizza hut pasta and when I see the pizza hut in US I was shock to see all they got is pizza back then and its wasn't until recent years they start selling pasta...

A pizza there can cost near 20-50 USD... it's pretty obvious why they have more selection.

 

[gaidensensei]

That is a bit insulting, I am not being anti-amereican; I am just trying to find opinion on the matter. The only reason I ask is that my brother just come back from his trip from HK and he told me about the wonderful pizza he had at pizza hut. That got me thinking... the pizza making process for chain restaurant is around the same in the world, so just being in HK doesn't made the pizza better, it is the ingredient that made it good. People also love shrimp in US, then how come I almost never notice it on a pizza menu...

I mean just look at the hk pizza hut link... things look so good already

http://www.pizzahut.com.hk/en/restaurant.html

Another thing was that before I from to US from HK 15 years or so ago, I loved pizza hut pasta and when I see the pizza hut in US I was shock to see all they got is pizza back then and its wasn't until recent years they start selling pasta...

It shows from your spelling and grammar that you weren't american born, I have noticed only the first generation immigrants that spell Mcdonald's with the a and without the contraction ('s). This is why you don't understand american culture, you haven't spent time understanding why it is this way.

 

[Blackjack200]

http://www.pizzahut.com.hk/en/restaurant.html

lol, that reminds me of the Taco Bell in Demolition man. But we have the same type of stuff here anyway. If you want to be all pretentious but still eat at a chain, go to Macaroni Grill or something. No different. Pizza Hut is just serving a different market segment here.

 

[Soundmanred]

You and Braznor should write a book together, it would be an awesome!

 

[Xellos2099]

Well, look like I won't get any meaningful answer here since I am being surrounded by mostly grammar nazi, or self serving utter bastard. For those who has something meaningful to say, thanks. Guess I will just try to discuss this on a food forum instead...

 

[Soundmanred]

Well, looks like I won't get any meaningful answers here since I am being surrounded by mostly grammar nazis, or self serving utter bastards. For those who have something meaningful to say, thanks. I guess I will just try to discuss this on a food forum instead and get flamed by foodies who will tell me the same thing.

 

[Soundmanred]

Well, look like I won't get any meaningful answer here since I am being surrounded by mostly grammar nazi, or self serving utter bastard. For those who has something meaningful to say, thanks. Guess I will just try to discuss this on a food forum instead...

See ya.
You got your answer - the market dictates the menu.
"Self serving utter bastard." LOL

 

[DrPizza]

Because different cultures have different tastes? No one here wants seafood pizza, so why would they sell it?

I've had hundreds of different combinations of pizza toppings. To date, I think that one particular seafood pizza that I had reins supreme as the tastiest slice of pizza I've eaten. The big problem is cost - Americans expect their fast food to be dirt cheap. They'd eat garbage if it was priced at 79 cents and delude themselves into thinking it was a good meal. Hence the success of Taco Bell. In my area, a 16" seafood pizza of the quality that I ate would have to cost at least $30. A 16" cheese pizza is typically $10ish. Poor sales (as a result of cost) are the primary reason for the lack of selection - you just can't have that many ingredients on hand if there's little demand.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

cause the us is giving less for more money, yes even including food and 99&#37; of the food chains in the US server shit food - it's not even funny

 

[gaidensensei]

I honestly doubt most of the midwest and the confederate states (some) to prefer seafood in their pizza, or on any other food for that matter. I can see it happening in NYC or LA.
But for other areas, I think it's the same reason I can't picture John Doe trying burgers with scallops or octopus in them. I feel like it's much related to some kind of behavior mentality than it is about the price. But maybe they go hand in hand, though.

 

[Tsaico]

The main reason is their fast food is more of a restaurant and the social aspect of eating is much more of an emphasis, whereas here eating is more necessity than a social event. When I travel to see family in Taiwan, the first they do is make a huge dinner, and the same when they come here. If I were to visit more Western friends or family, the issue is more of what we want to do or go, rather than what we want to eat.

Western societies do not put as much emphasis on the food itself, rather it's conveniences, speed, cost, or availability. That being said, there are plenty of good choices here in the states. Fast Food chains in the states are not a a good representative. While over seas, I can tell you, there would be plenty of times I wish I had a local steak restaurants, a basic meat and potato meal, good Mexican restaurant, or in fact, any decent restaurant that is not Chinese food.

Here in the states, I have a choice of nearly every culture of food, and have it be a decent representative of that particular culture.

 

[blinky8225]

Pizza Hut and McDonald's go after a completely different market internationally. In the US, they go after the cheap food market, which while lucrative is not nearly as lucrative at the high-end market. How much money can you really make when you sell a cheeseburger for $1? Unfortunately, the brands are so synonymous with cheap food, they wouldn't dare try change their target market. (However, even in the US, we're now seeing some strides in that direction with Premium Roast Coffee and WiFi in some McDonald's.)

So, when it was time to go international, they reinvented their brands and went after the high-end market. In many Asian countries, it would be acceptable to take your date to McDonald's.

 

[Spikesoldier]

because they operate in two distinct price brackets.

asia: trip to pizza hut is an 'attraction' and not casual dining. food as described in OP. expect the bill to be 40 bucks for two.

america: trip to pizza hut is an easy and lazy out of having to make dinner, super processed, but but i can feeds my family fo only 10 dolla.

 

[insect9]

http://www.theonion.com/video/dominos-scientists-test-limits-of-what-humans-will,14252/

 

[poopaskoopa]

Speaking of boring choices, I couldn't help but notice that you went to McD & Pizza Hut while in HK. Just sayin'

I don't remember anything particularly special about McD in HK(other than that one delivered, but I'm told that happens in other big cities too) but it's been more than a decade since I went there.

It was about the same in Japan, as far as McD and KFC's concerned.

Gotta give props to seafood pizza, though. I do order something like that whenever I find it on the menu somewhere.

 

[Schadenfroh]

We like cheap and fast, if you have a large menu, that increases cost and slows down service.