Introduction
Welcome to Eat This Not That, the ultimate guide to international fast food knockoff restaurants. We’ve scoured the globe to bring you the best of the best in fast food knockoffs. From the United States to Europe, Asia, and beyond, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re looking for a healthier alternative to your favorite fast food joint or just want to try something new, we’ve got you covered. From vegan-friendly options to classic American favorites, we’ve got something for everyone. So, let’s get started and explore the world of international fast food knockoffs!
13 International Fast Food Knockoff Restaurants — Eat This Not That
If you’re looking for a unique twist on your favorite fast food, you’re in luck. International fast food knockoff restaurants are popping up all over the world, offering delicious takes on classic dishes. From Mexican-style tacos to Italian-style pizza, these restaurants are sure to satisfy your cravings. Here are 13 international fast food knockoff restaurants you should try.
1. Taco Bell
Taco Bell is a Mexican-style fast food restaurant that offers tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and more. The menu is filled with delicious options, including the classic Crunchwrap Supreme and the new Nacho Fries. Taco Bell also offers vegetarian and vegan options, making it a great choice for everyone.
2. KFC
KFC is a popular fast food chain that specializes in fried chicken. The menu includes classic favorites like the Original Recipe Chicken and the Extra Crispy Chicken. KFC also offers sides like mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and biscuits. For a healthier option, try the grilled chicken.
3. Pizza Hut
Pizza Hut is an Italian-style fast food restaurant that offers pizza, pasta, and more. The menu includes classic favorites like the Meat Lover’s Pizza and the Veggie Lover’s Pizza. Pizza Hut also offers a variety of sides, including garlic breadsticks and wings. For a healthier option, try the thin-crust pizza.
4. Burger King
Burger King is an American-style fast food restaurant that offers burgers, fries, and more. The menu includes classic favorites like the Whopper and the Big King. Burger King also offers a variety of sides, including onion rings and mozzarella sticks. For a healthier option, try the veggie burger.
5. Subway
Subway is a sandwich shop that offers a variety of subs, salads, and more. The menu includes classic favorites like the Italian BMT and the Veggie Delite. Subway also offers a variety of sides, including chips and cookies. For a healthier option, try the veggie sub.
6. McDonald’s
McDonald’s is an American-style fast food restaurant that offers burgers, fries, and more. The menu includes classic favorites like the Big Mac and the Quarter Pounder. McDonald’s also offers a variety of sides, including chicken nuggets and apple pies. For a healthier option, try the grilled chicken sandwich.
7. Wendy’s
Wendy’s is an American-style fast food restaurant that offers burgers, fries, and more. The menu includes classic favorites like the Baconator and the Dave’s Single. Wendy’s also offers a variety of sides, including chili and baked potatoes. For a healthier option, try the grilled chicken sandwich.
8. Domino’s
Domino’s is an Italian-style fast food restaurant that offers pizza, pasta, and more. The menu includes classic favorites like the Pepperoni Pizza and the Cheese Pizza. Domino’s also offers a variety of sides, including garlic bread and wings. For a healthier option, try the thin-crust pizza.
9. Arby’s
Arby’s is an American-style fast food restaurant that offers sandwiches, salads, and more. The menu includes classic favorites like the Roast Beef Sandwich and the Chicken Cordon Bleu Sandwich. Arby’s also offers a variety of sides, including curly fries and mozzarella sticks. For a healthier option, try the Market Fresh Sandwich.
10. Popeyes
Popeyes is a Louisiana-style fast food restaurant that offers fried chicken, biscuits, and more. The menu includes classic favorites like the Chicken Sandwich and the Spicy Chicken Sandwich. Popeyes also offers a variety of sides, including mashed potatoes and coleslaw. For a healthier option, try the grilled chicken.
11. Jack in the Box
Jack in the Box is an American-style fast food restaurant that offers burgers, tacos, and more. The menu includes classic favorites like the Jumbo Jack and the Sourdough Jack. Jack in the Box also offers a variety of sides, including onion rings and mozzarella sticks. For a healthier option, try the veggie burger.
12. Hardee’s
Hardee’s is an American-style fast food restaurant that offers burgers, fries, and more. The menu includes classic favorites like the Thickburger and the Monster Thickburger. Hardee’s also offers a variety of sides, including onion rings and mozzarella sticks. For a healthier option, try the charbroiled chicken sandwich.
13. Five Guys
Five Guys is an American-style fast food restaurant that offers burgers, fries, and more. The menu includes classic favorites like the Bacon Cheeseburger and the Little Bacon Burger. Five Guys also offers a variety of sides, including onion rings and jalapeno poppers. For a healthier option, try the veggie burger.
These international fast food knockoff restaurants are sure to satisfy your cravings. Whether you’re looking for Mexican-style tacos or Italian-style pizza, these restaurants have something for everyone. So the next time you’re in the mood for something different, give one of these restaurants a try.
Trying cuisines in other countries can be one of the best parts of traveling, and it’s a great way to get a better feel for the country’s culture. But Americans who’ve traveled abroad for an extended period of time will likely be able to relate to the feeling of homesickness, especially when it comes to food. So, it can be comforting to turn to more recognizable meal options, like American chain restaurants.
If you’re craving something familiar–like a McRib or a Frappuccino—you might find solace at any of these fast food knock-off restaurants. They might look like the real thing at first glance, but after a quick inspection, you’ll see that there’s something slightly off about many of these American imposters abroad, like Mash Donald’s or Sunbucks Coffee.
Here are some of the funniest knock-off fast-food restaurants that you never knew existed. And next, don’t miss the 8 Worst Fast-Food Burgers to Stay Away From Right Now.
China is home to plenty of knock-off restaurants modeled after famous U.S. chains. The logo for KFD, for example, features someone who looks a lot like Colonel Sanders, except that he’s missing the goatee and his bowtie is a bit more pronounced. Based on photos fans have shared on social media, it looks like KFD serves KFC’s signature dish: fried chicken. It may not be the original—and we’re still not sure what the D stands for—but KFD looks pretty “finger-lickin’ good” anyway.
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This Spanish chain takes serious inspiration from Dunkin’ Donuts both with the “DD” logos and the pink and orange color scheme. And while Duffin Dagels offers plenty of doughnut options, there are other items on the menu, too. One photo from a Duffin Dagels location shows a couple of extremely decadent-looking milkshakes, complete with doughnuts on top.
The logo for this Chinese coffee shop is certainly reminiscent of the Starbucks logo, but it features a dragon, rather than the signature Starbucks siren. Another China-based Starbucks knock-off restaurant has an even more interesting name—Sffcccks Coffee—and exists in a knock-off-heavy locale near H&N, Zare, and Appla stores.
At first glance, the yellow and red logo of this Kazakhstan restaurant could easily be mistaken for McDonald’s Golden Arches. It isn’t the real deal, even if the burger and fries in the window look strikingly similar. And it’s also not to be confused with the similarly named fellow restaurant knock-off in the United Kingdom, McDoner’s, which serves pizza, burgers, wraps, and chocolate cake, to name a few.
The red and white design of these KKFC buckets will look more than a little familiar. Instead of faking a Colonel Sanders lookalike a la KFD, though, this Nepal-based restaurant—KKFC stands for Krispy Krunchy Fried Chicken—went with a bird logo on their food containers. Real smooth.
The upside-down “M” looks just like the one in the McDonald’s logo, but the name of this Chinese restaurant has an interesting background. According to a Reddit user, the movie Home Alone is translated into 小鬼当家 in Chinese, which literally means “Little boy, the head of household.” And “麦” is a common phonetic transcription of “Michael” in China. McDonald’s is 麦当劳 in China and this Chinese knock-off changed its characters to make it look authentic to locals, which became 麦当家. Translated back, it becomes “Michael, the head of household,” which can be related back to the movie and thus, “Michael Alone” was born.
Unfortunately, there don’t seem to be photos of the menu from this Mexican establishment. But the mascot’s red-and-white striped shirt bears a striking resemblance to Ronald McDonald’s signature look—not to mention the red and yellow logo with a replica of the McDonald’s “M.”
This McDonald’s knock-off in Iraqi Kurdistan is so popular that it has its own Wikipedia page. According to the Wiki entry, MaDonal serves “Big Macks,” which definitely doesn’t sound like the name of McDonald’s signature item of anything. Apparently, he sells 1,000 burgers a day on average!
Why settle for 7-Eleven when you can upgrade to 7-Twelve instead? Based on this photo of what seems to be a Fiji-based establishment, it looks like the convenience store sells quick to-go sandwiches and whatever egg sausage is.
If you put an ampersand in the name, is it still copyright infringement? This Palestinian coffee house definitely seems inspired by Starbucks—even the circular green logo is similar to Starbucks’.
At least this location chose to go with a pink and blue color scheme, rather than directly imitating the pink and orange one Dunkin’ Donuts is recognized for. The Nuremberg, Germany, shop eventually changed its name to Crazy Donuts and has since closed. Maybe they should’ve gone with the orange.
Iranian restaurant Mash Donald’s certain looks very similar to its American counterpart, doesn’t it? There are no McDonald’s in Iran, so this is as close as people can get to the “real” thing.
This Tehran knock-off just changed one letter in the original restaurant’s title, but they did add a very sleek red fedora in the logo to match. We have to admit, the pizza does look a lot like Pizza Hut’s, just with a whole lot more dill, it appears.
Meghan De Maria