American Restaurants in the UK??

I like a few American Chains- Cheesecake Factory, In-N-Out, Chipotle, Taco Bell, Noah's Bagels, Peet's Coffee, Togo's Sandwiches and Whole Foods spring to mind.  When I go home I usually hit a few of them if I can, but more likely I'm at my favorite local eateries.  I go home tomorrow and sure I'll grab some In-N-Out or Taco Bell, but I most look forward to my favorite local hole-in-wall sushi place and a sandwich from the mom and pop next to my mom's house. 

Sometimes, I miss the American-y taste of things and so I hit Burger King or TGIFridays or Subway I nom nom over my food and go about my business.  I like Britain the way it is and I'm glad I live in a place that isn't a never-ending strip mall like many places in America have become. 

There's wonderful diverse food to be found here, I don't find myself missing mediocre chain food very often. 

I will, however, enjoy my Animal Style Burger from In-N-Out tomorrow night. 

I like a few American Chains- Cheesecake Factory, In-N-Out, Chipotle, Taco Bell, Noah's Bagels, Peet's Coffee, Togo's Sandwiches and Whole Foods spring to mind.  When I go home I usually hit a few of them if I can, but more likely I'm at my favorite local eateries.  I go home tomorrow and sure I'll grab some In-N-Out or Taco Bell, but I most look forward to my favorite local hole-in-wall sushi place and a sandwich from the mom and pop next to my mom's house. 

Sometimes, I miss the American-y taste of things and so I hit Burger King or TGIFridays or Subway I nom nom over my food and go about my business.  I like Britain the way it is and I'm glad I live in a place that isn't a never-ending strip mall like many places in America have become. 

There's wonderful diverse food to be found here, I don't find myself missing mediocre chain food very often. 

I will, however, enjoy my Animal Style Burger from In-N-Out tomorrow night. 

Have a Peet's for me when you hit the homeland! They're nummy 

I'm not a food snob either, I work on the rule of the right food for the right occasion, so a mid week dinner, or a random lunch would not be on the same level as a Saturday night out or special occasion.

Chains for me have their place in certain situations, lunches, when in unfamiliar towns or travelling, mid-week, they often offer good value and a "safe" experience, you know what you're going to get and that's reassuring. I wouldn't outlaw chains by any means
I also think they offer a lot to families on tight budgets, especially as they often offer 50% off or 2 for 1.

Exactly!  If you are travelling and tired and HEY there is a Cracker Barrel and I'd kill for some biscuits. 

I was AMAZED when I moved to St. Louis and everyone there was raving about a 24 hour Diner.  We have to go there; it is sooooo awesome. 

I am from PA and in high school there were four 24 hour diners just within walking distance of my house.  Let alone in the city.  I went to the diner in St. Louis because all my friends were going but they weren't as good as Ham Fam.  Even the president thinks so.  Snerk.

http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/allentown/index.ssf/2009/12/diners_at_hamilton_family_rest.html

I just hate seeing Pizza Express packed out when you could be at http://www.santamariapizzeria.com/ or http://francomanca.co.uk/, but if it was my only option, I'd be happy to go because it's a known quantity (except I'm boycotting Pizza Express because I've tried to have lunch there twice in recent years and they've been so terrible both times to the point of having to walk out) but again, I'm lucky because those restaurants are near me.

Franco Manca is AMAZING! 

And, yeah, I am definitely not an across the board chain boycotter (other than Red Lobster  ).  Hell, even Franco Manca has 2 locations now! 

I go home tomorrow and sure I'll grab some In-N-Out or Taco Bell, but I most look forward to my favorite local hole-in-wall sushi place and a sandwich from the mom and pop next to my mom's house. 

Are you going to Mr. Pickle's?  I didn't even realize how much I missed him!

I will, however, enjoy my Animal Style Burger from In-N-Out tomorrow night. 

Now I am jealous.  That and the Peets.  Have a good trip home.

Some chain restaurants are fine, it depends on your tastes.  I'm not a food snob, I like pub grub here in the UK and I like diner food in the US.  Soup & bread is my favorite and I can find that in lots of eateries.  What I miss is a plate of hotcakes/pancakes or fat french toast.  I'll have some the next time I'm back home.

Oh yeah, pub grub and diner food. Both are yummy!!!! Defintiely not a food snob, I love a good bacon buttie or hamburger or chicken 'n' biscuits...  And thanks, now I have a huge craving for a big pile of fat french toast  loaded with sryup and butter and yumminess!!!  And actually, that now leads me to having a big craving for grits loaded up with butter now, speaking of diner food.    

You will occassionally find me at chain resturants as well. It's inevitable, it happens, and I won't feel bad about that- especially when travelling for work and just needing to eat somewhere, now, kind of thing, or stuck in Gatwick airport, or just wanting decent pizza (ala Pizza Express, since there's nothing else around here that really compares), or you just want to go somewhere that you know what works!!   I can also be found at Costa Coffee or Starbucks as well- as they're easy to get a cup of decent coffee.  

However, as has been debated a gazillion times on here before, I am of the "I don't want American chains here" camp.  If I wanted to be in America, I would have stayed.  That doesn't mean that I don't occasionally have a craving for something from a chain, or when I go home I don't enjoy PF Changs or Dippin Donuts (yum, yum, yum for their coffee!).    

But I also value good food, good service, and yummy food, which are almost always found in smaller/local places (but there are plenty of crap places as well!!!).  Given a choice and unlimited money and time, I know what I prefer!!    

You can't beat diner grub - especially if you're hungover! But I don't consider diners to be chains; at least the ones near where I lived certainly weren't.

I haven't tried most of the chain restaurants people are mentioning here (I always make an effort to avoid them), but have tried Olive Garden, Cracker Barrel, Cheesecake Factory and Taco Bell once each. Once is all it took to make me vow never to return.  

P.S.  I am a food snob, and make no apologies for it. 

Oh, what I wouldn't give for a Dunkin Donuts. 

But for the rest, I really don't mind.  I wasn't a big chain restaurant person, and anytime anyone from the office was going to visit NY, I gave them a list of restaurants I would recommend, and a scolding if I found out they dined at Applebee's, or something.

I miss having a 24 hour diner, but it's probably best for waistline to not have a bacon egg and cheese sandwich at 3am. 

And I miss good mexican, of course.  Actually, I will say this - Wahaca, for a chain, isn't bad. 

I must be one of the few people, if not the only person, who doesn't care that much about Mexican food. I like it, but it's not a big deal for me.

On the other hand, I wish there was a proper sushi restaurant - the kind where they prepare the sushi in front of you.  Not that prepackaged sushi that comes in a plastic container.

On the other hand, I wish there was a proper sushi restaurant - the kind where they prepare the sushi in front of you.  Not that prepackaged sushi that comes in a plastic container.

We're very lucky in that we have a local Japanese woman who makes her own sushi from locally caught sushi-grade fish. She sells it at the farmers' market and has both pre-packaged (which she prepared that morning) sushi and the stuff she makes in front of you. It's delish!

I must be one of the few people, if not the only person, who doesn't care that much about Mexican food. I like it, but it's not a big deal for me.

On the other hand, I wish there was a proper sushi restaurant - the kind where they prepare the sushi in front of you.  Not that prepackaged sushi that comes in a plastic container.

I have to say I'm with you on the Mexican front I like but don't love it.      I think I'm one of the few who doesn't like sushi though    like I always say to each there own!!  

Ohh, I don't even remember when I last had real sushi.   
I must get some when I'm in the US at the end of the month... 

Isn't there one of those posh sushi bar things where the plates go around on a little conveyor belt thingy and you pick up the plate you want and then pay by the color of the plate (can't remember the name of it to save my soul) somewhere in the UK?

Isn't there one of those posh sushi bar things where the plates go around on a little conveyor belt thingy and you pick up the plate you want and then pay by the color of the plate (can't remember the name of it to save my soul) somewhere in the UK?

There are places like yo sushi...but they're not posh or very good...okay for a quick lunch but not really proper sushi and not really worth your money imo.

Yeah, Yo adds up if you aren't careful, and it's just not that good. 

I really like sushi, but I don't really miss it.  I'm sure if I hunted it down  I could find something good. 

I'm in NY next week, and I will say that my first stops will be the aforementioned Dunkin and probably my bagel place.  Now, I know good bagels are somewhere in London, but they are not within walking distance for me, and I was very much a Sunday morning bagel and coffee gal.

Oh...and big foldy slices of pizza.  I actually don't mind Pizza Express, but I really do miss a big old slice of Ray's or something.