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Topic: "American" businesses?  (Read 2590 times)

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"American" businesses?
« on: February 13, 2017, 01:41:08 PM »
What types of food shops/restaurants/etc. that are not uncommon in America do you think people could really look to corner the market on over here?

For example, I would kill for a decent bagel place that offers variety of bagels! (I had one 10 minutes from my house in the US that I used to love going to to grab an iced coffee and a chocolate chip bagel with peanut butter - definitely not carb friendly, but DELICIOUS). Also, I miss having sub shops where you could just go and get a roast beef sandwich or something! I feel like kebab shops are the UK equivalent of those haha.

Curious to see what other people think as well! :) Doesn't matter if it's not practical (or something that would do well in a British economy due to personal food preferences).
My, how time flies....

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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #1 on: February 13, 2017, 02:16:54 PM »
When I lived in England (back in the olden days), I always wished there was a place where I could have breakfast that wasn't at a grocery store. Now, loads of places are open for breakfast. Now, if there was a place that has a daily breakfast buffet, I'd be all over it!

I don't know where you live currently but where I lived, Greater Manchester, Subway became popular in the early 2000's, everyone ditched the pizzas and kebabs for sandwich shops. There were more than enough sub places. I guess that's not the case now?


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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #2 on: February 13, 2017, 02:26:53 PM »
I live further down south (Berkshire area). There's Subway in tons of places around here, I just don't care for them that much :( I mean, I will definitely eat there but I don't consider them a "proper" sub shop or anything when I'm use to pizza places/sub shops back home that had the best subs! I don't know what it is, but I always feel like there's a weird smell in 95% of the Subways I go into and it makes me not trust it! haha

Breakfast in a grocery store?? That's a first! (for me anyways). Sounds interesting! As you could have breakfast than your weekly shop at one stop! hah
My, how time flies....

* Married in the US and applied for first spousal visa August 2013
* Moved to the UK on said visa October 2013
* FLR(M) applied for  May 2016. Biometrics requested June 2016. Approval given July 2016.
* ILR applied for January 2019 (using priority processing). Approved February 2019.
* Citizenship applied for May  2019
* Citizenship approved on July 4th 2019
* Ceremony conducted on August 28th 2019

'Mommy, Wow! I'm a legit Brit now!'


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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2017, 03:44:57 PM »
You'd need to be able to import Boar's head or similar before you could have a really good sub shop! The deli meat here just isn't great, I don't think. Unless you eat ham, which I do not. I know what you mean though...one of my favorite Subway stories is going into the one here by the Uni and seeing they had shredded cheese, mixed white and orange, so I was wondering if it was Colby-Jack (because YUM!) like they have in the US Subways, so I asked the guy, "um, what kind of cheese is that?" and he looked at me and said, "we call that 'grated'".  ::)

I too would kill for a really good bagel. When I lived in France, there was a shop in Paris called "Thanksgiving" (this was in the mid-90s) and they would fly in bagels from NYC once a week. Heavenly!

I also think a Cold Stone type ice cream place would go over well here, if it was in the right location.

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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #4 on: February 13, 2017, 03:59:14 PM »
UGH even just like hot subs! Like wanting a steak and cheese (I'm not from Philly so that is what I call it before anybody else says anything! haha) or a chicken parm sub! We had a "roast beef food place" (that is how I describe those types of takeaways hahaha) in my town that did a small "children's" roast beef sanwhich with a small "children's" portion of chicken fingers and some french fries. Loved those for my days when I felt totally crappy and just wanted to eat rubbish! To be fair, I've not actually tried proper deli meat in this country yet in the 3 1/2 years I've been here now if I'm honest! We usually just get the packaged stuff from the "deli meat" fridge in the grocery shop.

Like I know I can buy regular old bagels, but I miss having proper bagel shops where I can get different variety like "french toast" and "chocolate chip" and stuff. It just makes a nice weekend trip really!

You mentioning cold stone is killing me because it's reminding me of these videos a friend in the US kept posting! One was ice cream that had all these random fillings mixed in and another mixed with breakfast cereal and it was like a milk shake! haha Then there's a place that sells literally scoops of cookie dough. Yes I know it's incredibly unhealthy, but we can't be saints all the time! Sometimes we need a cheeky treat!

I would definitely love a proper liquor store now that I'm thinking about it...with lots of American craft beers! (obviously I'm biased as I'm American haha). There's an amazing liquor store close to my family home in the US and they are literally one of the best when it comes to microbrews and I'm always gutted I can't find the same beers over here even to order.
My, how time flies....

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* ILR applied for January 2019 (using priority processing). Approved February 2019.
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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #5 on: February 13, 2017, 04:08:09 PM »
Last time we were home we went to Cold Stone Creamery.  The kids were super excited and we all got one.  Waay too much food!  The kids were sick.


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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #6 on: February 13, 2017, 04:14:05 PM »
There's only one Cold Stone close enough to my family's house in the US that isn't a pain to get to (at least, there was only one years ago - that might've changed). It was so expensive though that I really only went once with my mum when it opened. The "birthday cake" ice scream was good because it had the fresh cake chunks in it and frosting mixed it, but I never really got the massive craze about it myself.
My, how time flies....

* Married in the US and applied for first spousal visa August 2013
* Moved to the UK on said visa October 2013
* FLR(M) applied for  May 2016. Biometrics requested June 2016. Approval given July 2016.
* ILR applied for January 2019 (using priority processing). Approved February 2019.
* Citizenship applied for May  2019
* Citizenship approved on July 4th 2019
* Ceremony conducted on August 28th 2019

'Mommy, Wow! I'm a legit Brit now!'


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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2017, 04:44:56 PM »
I grew up in AZ. The original Cold Stone was about 2 miles from my house.

Their corporate headquarters was in Scottsdale, about 10 miles away. My friend was their web designer for years and when she had meetings with them, she said they had an ice cream freezer in the front you could help yourself to - like a coffee or soda machine.
Met at Disneyland Paris: spring 1995
Dated long distance: off & on 2008-2014
Our twin boys were born: Sep 2009
Engaged: Oct 10 2014
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Visa Received: Jan 14 2015
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No biometrics needed email: July 23


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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #8 on: February 13, 2017, 06:12:51 PM »
I grew up in AZ. The original Cold Stone was about 2 miles from my house.

Their corporate headquarters was in Scottsdale, about 10 miles away. My friend was their web designer for years and when she had meetings with them, she said they had an ice cream freezer in the front you could help yourself to - like a coffee or soda machine.

You probably would not hear me complain if I had free ice cream on tap in my offic hahah
My, how time flies....

* Married in the US and applied for first spousal visa August 2013
* Moved to the UK on said visa October 2013
* FLR(M) applied for  May 2016. Biometrics requested June 2016. Approval given July 2016.
* ILR applied for January 2019 (using priority processing). Approved February 2019.
* Citizenship applied for May  2019
* Citizenship approved on July 4th 2019
* Ceremony conducted on August 28th 2019

'Mommy, Wow! I'm a legit Brit now!'


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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #9 on: February 13, 2017, 07:02:23 PM »
I've had Subway twice here and I didn't care for it. Just didn't taste very fresh. I used to work at Subway in the US as a teenager, and even years after I quit I'd still get a Subway as an occasional treat. Grilled chicken breast, pepper jack cheese, toasted and hot- yum! Blimpie was another decent sub place, but they closed nearly all their locations in Ohio.

Once a foreign man with a fairly strong accent came in, and he asked for "heart salami" on his sub. I must have had a brain freeze, as it didn't translate immediately that he meant "hard salami." I was like, "do you mean... regular salami?"  :P

Besides that, I'd love to have a Panera Bread here. And my husband looooves Wendy's so I'm sure he'd enjoy that too.
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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #10 on: February 13, 2017, 07:13:12 PM »
Haven't eaten Panera a massive amount, but I'd still be pleased if there was one here (although I do feel it's quite similar to Pret or something)
My, how time flies....

* Married in the US and applied for first spousal visa August 2013
* Moved to the UK on said visa October 2013
* FLR(M) applied for  May 2016. Biometrics requested June 2016. Approval given July 2016.
* ILR applied for January 2019 (using priority processing). Approved February 2019.
* Citizenship applied for May  2019
* Citizenship approved on July 4th 2019
* Ceremony conducted on August 28th 2019

'Mommy, Wow! I'm a legit Brit now!'


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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #11 on: February 13, 2017, 07:19:14 PM »
UGH even just like hot subs! Like wanting a steak and cheese

 ;D  you'd have liked to be at my house on Boxing Day... I made beef & cheese 'French Dip' sandwiches from the leftover Christmas prime rib!  It was lush!


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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #12 on: February 13, 2017, 07:21:33 PM »
Oh man! That sounds heavenly! Saw a recipe for something like that on Pinterest that you can make using a slow cooker but I never got around to making it (yet).
My, how time flies....

* Married in the US and applied for first spousal visa August 2013
* Moved to the UK on said visa October 2013
* FLR(M) applied for  May 2016. Biometrics requested June 2016. Approval given July 2016.
* ILR applied for January 2019 (using priority processing). Approved February 2019.
* Citizenship applied for May  2019
* Citizenship approved on July 4th 2019
* Ceremony conducted on August 28th 2019

'Mommy, Wow! I'm a legit Brit now!'


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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2017, 07:34:06 PM »
It's all Fun and games until you marry a Coeliac and have a kid with a dairy allergy.  Just home from 2 weeks in Florida.  No bagels, no Panera, no Cold Stone, no Dairy Queen...  <sigh>

But I have an independent Italian deli right by my house (literally the closest shop to my house).  I'm FINALLY going for lunch there this week.  Rumour has it they have a "now serving paninis" sign up now!!  I have high hopes!!!


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Re: "American" businesses?
« Reply #14 on: February 13, 2017, 07:38:51 PM »
No fun!! Only worse thing I can think of is a peanut allergy (I literally don't know what I'd do if I couldn't have peanut butter!). Your poor husband and child!

Oh! Where is this Italian deli?
My, how time flies....

* Married in the US and applied for first spousal visa August 2013
* Moved to the UK on said visa October 2013
* FLR(M) applied for  May 2016. Biometrics requested June 2016. Approval given July 2016.
* ILR applied for January 2019 (using priority processing). Approved February 2019.
* Citizenship applied for May  2019
* Citizenship approved on July 4th 2019
* Ceremony conducted on August 28th 2019

'Mommy, Wow! I'm a legit Brit now!'


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