Why is US fastfood chain so boring while in US?

[tynopik]

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...

Must have just been your Pizza Hut that sucked, because mine was serving 'cavatini' over 20 years ago.

 

[Broheim]

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.

wat?

 

[Wanescotting]

This is EASY..."chains" have to appeal to everyone, in doing so they are mediocre

 

[Dr. Zaus]

wat?

I said:
The US is the center of all SCIENCE, WEALTH and ECONOMIC POWER, so everyone wants to be just like us!


Sorry, didn't say it loud enough... I kind-of assumed the OP was from some looser country not god the United GOD BLESSED STATES of AMERICA! ... in retrospect he may just be illiterate.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Because you sell into your market.

/thread

 

[makken]

One very important reason for this has gone unmentioned. In the USA fast food restaurants face a ton of competition, including everything from newer struggling franchises to mom & pop local fast food restaurants.

I'm going to disagree with this; if anything, fast food restaurants face very little competition in the US compared to some cities in Asia. I know in HK, if I wanted a meal for the same amount of money I would spend at McD, I would have a TON of options.

I seriously doubt that any countries other than the US consider US chains to be 'fast food' the way we do. Their street food fills that need for them.

This is another part of it; in the US we don't really have street food to the same extent as places in Asia, so places like McD have to step up their game if they want to actually be competitive. No one is going to eat at McD regularly when there's a street stall a few seconds away that serves better food for less.

 

[Fingolfin269]

If you want a fast food joint with some variety...

http://www.culvers.com/menu/

 

[DrPizza]

Okay, I saw this thread again and have another explanation:

We *do* have a huge variety of food at fast food restaurants. Friday's, Applebees, Red Lobster, etc., ARE fast food restaurants. But we Americans have it so ingrained that a fast food restaurant = cheap crappy hamburgers and french fries, that many don't recognize this other mass produced crap as being fast food.

 

[Deeko]

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?

Seafood pizza sounds like the most disgusting thing on the planet. That's probably why they don't serve it.

 

[DrPizza]

Seafood pizza sounds like the most disgusting thing on the planet. That's probably why they don't serve it.

<---- look at the name

A well made seafood pizza is incredible.

I wish there was a place that sold them around here. Last time I had a slice was at a pizza expo (trade show for the pizza industry.)

 

[tboo]

I like my fast food like I like my women: hot, cheap, fast, and easy!

 

[sao123]

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...

there are 2 types of restaurants in the US... fast and home style.

fast food by definition is FAST and CHEAP and by the constraints of those 2 requirements, are always chain restaurants with limited but consistent menu selection.

if you want better food with more selection, you choose a home style.
Home style restaurants are usually dine-in with authentic cuisine, a cook personally prepares each meal. There are wider selections, better ingredients and better preparation.

Everyone knows for the best pizza... you go to the ma & pa shop. Never a chain shop such as pizza hut.

 

[IGBT]

the goobers that eat that crap will eat anything the FF industry plops down in front of them. It's the power of advertising on the lemmings that are mesmerized by the TV culture.

 

[Gerand]

One thing that I don't think was really mentioned -- someone noted a higher price -- the prices on this menu are in the $100+ range for a large pizza.
$126 for a single large Bacon, Corn, and Pepperoni pizza ... I would expect that to be about the size of a dinner table if I was paying $126 for a single large pizza.

Different market segments are obviously being targeted here.

 

[Xellos2099]

The price in the menu I posted is in hk dollar, so a $126 is roughly 17-18 usd.

 

[gaidensensei]

OP is attempting to niggle the discussion by continued persistence in believing the US should have such commodities available for the customers. God hope someone can make him understand that we don't all have the same food preferences as asians.

Xellos, have you ever bothered to explore the USA?
The food they have outside of the coast states are often 'traditional' for family meals. It's been passed down from generations since the later 1800's.
Hamburgers, hotdogs, corn, fast food and BBQ is simple and straightforward. Offer them some seafood pizza and people will wonder 'WTF' you were thinking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_the_Midwestern_United_States

 

[hanoverphist]

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...

my younger years were spent working in italian restaurants and pizzerias, i very much enjoy cooking. we had a shrimp pizza on the menu at the place i worked for the longest, and it was by far the worst seller. even tho it was by far one of my fave toppers, it sold the least. there were tons of other things available that people just wouldnt try as well, and it was a shame. i think people are just used to getting the standard toppings on pizza and dont really veer from that.

 

[TraumaRN]

Okay, I saw this thread again and have another explanation:

We *do* have a huge variety of food at fast food restaurants. Friday's, Applebees, Red Lobster, etc., ARE fast food restaurants. But we Americans have it so ingrained that a fast food restaurant = cheap crappy hamburgers and french fries, that many don't recognize this other mass produced crap as being fast food.

This x 1000. While I honestly really like Taco Bell and Arby's I tend to avoid most fast food places. And that includes Red Lobster, Applebees etc. There are plenty of local restaurant that do just as good of a job. We have a great local seafood place, a great place for sliders and REAL french fries(as in cut and fried, twice, while you wait.)

And Dr too bad you didn't live out here, there is a pizza place by me, I know the owner quite well and if he has the ingredient in the store he'll put it on your pizza. So you could easily get a seafood pizza no problem

Heck the local coney island/greasy spoon which to me is fast food but better in the sense that I know they make their own soup, own chili, own gyro meat etc every day. Plus it's cheaper. Me + wife + sister in law had dinner their 2 days ago, was $17 dollars after tip and we all took home leftovers.