When you travel to a foreign place, it’s always nice to see a little reminder of home, even if it does just take the form of an American chain business you don’t usually go to like McDonalds. The same goes for tourists visiting our country, whose homesickness might ebb at the sight of the following places.
1. Aroma Espresso Bar
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In terms of street ubiquity, Aroma is the Israeli equivalent of Starbucks. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the country boasts 123 branches of the popular chain. For a nation with a population smaller than that of New York City, it’s not a figure to scoff at. In addition to coffee and other beverages, the espresso bar serves salads, sandwiches and traditional Israeli items such as shakshuka, a tomato-based egg dish, or mint-infused lemonade called limonana.
2. Prêt a Manger
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Though its name is French, Prêt a Manger is a British business that opened up its first location in London. The founder’s wife came up with the name, which translates to “ready to eat” — inspired by the phrase “prêt a porter” (ready to wear), the Food & Drink Innovation Network reported. Prêt boasts that from the beginning the company has always focused on serving food made with “natural, preservative-free ingredients,” their website says.
3. Tim Hortons
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Though not as widespread in the U.S. as our Dunkin’ Donuts, Tim Hortons is extremely popular up in Canada, its native country. Originally just a coffee and donut place, their menu has expanded since its 1964 opening and now offers a variety of breakfast items. In 1995, Tim Hortons and Wendy’s International joined in a partnership that ended 11 years later when, according to their website, Tim Hortons went public and became a stand-alone company, with shares now trading on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges.
4. Pie Face
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Pie Face is one of the most recent franchises to hit New York, but it is well established down under in Australia. Like its name suggests, the bakery’s menu includes a wide selection of pies, both sweet and savory, as well as baked goods and beverages, such as “Kick My Arse” super strong coffee. The first of its six New York locations is near the set of David Letterman’s show, which prompted Letterman to feature Pie Face during one of his segments — ”the largest driver of any of the PR [they] did,” CEO Wayne Homschek told the New York Daily News.
5. Paris Baguette
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Paris Baguette calls South Korea home, where it opened its first store in 1988 and has since become a household name. Here in the U.S., the chain has expanded to house stores on both coasts, making up a sizable share of their 1,800 locations worldwide, their website reports. Paris Baguette offers breads, pastries and desserts in addition to sandwiches and beverages, and includes traditional Korean baked goods.
6. Trader Joe’s
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Grocery store Trader Joe’s was founded by an American (named, you guessed it, Joe), started in the U.S. and only has locations within the nation’s borders. However, the all-American supermarket now belongs to a German family trust that also owns Aldi, a popular supermarket in Germany that also has locations in the U.S., Businessweek Magazine wrote. The brothers to whom Trader Joe’s and Aldi belonged until recently became two of the richest men in Germany, Forbes reported; the two have since passed away though their family retains ownership of the trust.
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