Recently, a friend of mine was visiting from Israel and extolling the virtues of American fast food as the most divine dining experience on God's green earth. I would argue that the most divine dining experience is an al pastor taco from a truck at 2am, but that's a debate for another time.
Either way, I started thinking about American fast food worldwide. It's been the subject of many anthropological studies like Melissa Caldwell's Domesticating the French Fry (an article I'd highly recommend reading if you're interested in “Americanization” of other cultures.)
One thing I've always found fascinating while traveling is the local take on American fast food. On one hand, I find it rather disconcerting to, say, march into a Pizza Hut in the Costa Rican jungle, but I also find it culinarily exciting to see how local cultures adapt “American” cuisine to make it, well, not as American—semi-defeating the “Americanization” issue.
I decided to see how Israel turns three American fast food staples into local fare:
Restaurant: McDonalds
, McShawarma (same idea, but made with turkey), corn schnitzel sticks and Israeli salad (as optional sides.) For half of 2011, they also served a McFalafel, but it never took off.</p>
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It should also be noted that no pork products are served in Israeli McD's, and it's one of two countries where the burgers are barbecued on charcoal rather than fried (the other is Argentina.)</p>
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Not all Israeli McD's are kosher, but the ones that stay kashrut are closed on Shabbat and Jewish holidays, sell no dairy products (or sell them in a separate part of the restaurant) and have special Passover buns for the holiday.</p>
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<strong>Restaurant:</strong> Burger King</p>
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