Authentic Travelers Don’t Eat McDonalds
Posted by Dan on October 10, 2009 in WorldviewYou seek out the most westernized mall you can find, order a burger and fries, buy a ticket to the latest Hollywood blockbuster and completely zone out to all the things far more exotic around you. Just don’t tell anyone or you will be labeled a bad traveler who may as well have stayed at home.
The thing is this isn’t at all uncommon; in fact those who only eat local food in local haunts and only experience local entertainment are the exception, not the rule. For long term travelers indulging in an occasional western meal and things more familiar is not even something they really think about, does it really do any harm? Unless you are continually isolating yourself from the culture around you it is pretty insignificant, hardly something to get defensive or aggressive about.
Maybe some people are actually trying too hard to be an authentic traveler; the thing is if you are “trying” to be any sort of traveler you are kind of missing the point. Lets admit it, it’s backpackers who like to distinguish between travelers and tourists, but I see backpackers who never leave the backpacker crowd, only getting to know other travelers, is that really travel? I thought they wanted to experience new cultures, does a cursory trek to a hill tribe really cover that? Maybe there is a certain level of participation as a traveler you need to take part in to earn your stripes, the problem is it will be different with each new person you ask.
We all have our own prejudices and just because I don’t think munching down a Big Mac in Asia is a crime doesn’t mean other things don’t bug me.
Why do women get around beaches in bikinis or sunbath topless in places where you don’t see a local girl with less than shorts and a t-shirt bathing? Complaining about eating rice three days in a row on a Thai tour won’t win you many hearts either. And my pet hate, missionaries. All of these examples are essentially people traveling without showing respect or a willingness to see a country beyond the aesthetically pleasing sights it has to offer.
Yep maybe I am a hypocrite. By now most of us realize we can’t convince people to change their ways (except missionaries), some people are completely set regardless of what their experiences are, and still experience is the most common catalyst in someone changing their viewpoint.
For some travel is about sightseeing and luxury hotels. Different people want different things from it, not everyone is after a life changing experience and a new perspective on the world. The problem is we all have a different ideas about what makes a good traveler but sometimes it’s like comparing chalk and cheese. I’m not trying to be diplomatic, if you want to see the world not just for it’s sights, you have to be involved in what you find around you, otherwise what is the point? Who cares if you eat at Macca’s, the question is are you really getting what you want out of your travels?
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Maybe I shouldn’t eat McDonald’s, but I’ll never stop using their toilets!
I think it really just comes down to YOU. I find myself sometimes passing judgment on people who think a cruise is exotic travel. It’s dumb of me to do that, because who am I to judge? Really good post, Dan.
When I travel with my aunts they always insist on finding a chain restaurant, which pretty much boggles my mind. Why not just stay home in that case? At the same time, eating some Mickey D’s fries in London after three months without them was pretty much heaven. sometimes you just need some comfort food. I think it’s all about balance and, as you say, figuring out what YOU want from a trip.
I agree with you in part, unless you travel to London, Tokyo or somewhere else similarly expensive. Tourists might be able to pay for a local meal, but travelers typically cannot in these locations. I eat McDonald’s because I challenge you to find me an 80p meal anywhere else in the city!
I have been traveling for 2 months and have gone to one McDonald’s so far. I am sure I will visit more over a year, but I do find it interesting to see how a McDonald’s varies from country to country. You can find local cultural influence in their menus, store designs and customer service. In Antigua, the McDonald’s was packed with locals and the restaurant was very nice. Yes, I called it restaurant, because that is what it looked like.
We have been debating what a ‘real’ traveler is and what hard core backpackers do for quite some time now. There is no need to categorize, we should all just be doing what we each desire, whether that means visiting island resorts or backpacking in El Salvador.
Hey Dan!
Personally I think McDonalds tastes like plastic so hardly every eat it anyways. I totally agree that when going to another country, it is awesome to get a feel for its customs and traditions by eating local food and joining in the local activities,festivals,sports or routines.
Don’t get too mad at others who don’t travel this way, just ignore them and do your thing
Cheers
Diggy
Thanks for the comments guys. I’m glad you read I think there were are few tweets from some who didn’t bother and given the title…
I think the problem lies more with the idea of an “authentic traveler” than in eating McDonalds.
I have to say that I went to Paris with some girlfriends and had done nothing but eat fine French cuisine all week but on the last day as we were packing up our adventure we all looked at McDonalds and just decided it needed to be done. It was possibly the best McDonald’s I’d ever had; some familiarity is often a source of comfort but we just had a craving
It’s like when Italians abroad frantically look for pizza or spaghetti, just because in Italy we have nice food, it doesn’t mean other countries don’t.
Yeah, I think when we travel we need to “assume” the host country’s customs for a while, it’s always an enriching experience that can help us living better also once back home.
Greetings Dan,
I definitely agree.
I think the problem is more systemic. Centuries ago, you had to be born to higher classes to get respect. Great wars allowed soldiers to socially climb. Then entrepreneurship propelled people to the higher stratus of society.
Now anyone can buy any luxury good or travel to any country so it is more difficult for people to socially differentiate themselves.
The last device available is feigning sophistication. People try to feel more superior by being knowledgeable about culture, food, and wine. They feel better if they pretend to dislike all mass market goods like Starbucks and McDonald’s.
Some like to measure the quality of a person by how many stamps are in their passport or how exotic the food they are willing to eat.
There is a word for all this and it is, “pretentious.”
A little authenticity goes a long way. If eating a big mac is what you want, then do it. At least you know you will be doing what you want and not following the crowds like all those pointing fingers at you.
i love mcdonalds!
The funny thing is that we hate McDonalds and never eat it at home. But, in Australia, we went to McDonalds three times. Why? Free and fast wi-fi. We are so tired of paying $5 per hour for lousy internet that shelling out a couple of bucks for a McDonalds coffee and bottled water seems like a fine alternative.
We have also been amazed by how crowded the McDonalds in Australia are. They are way more popular amongst the Aussies than in the States.
Oh, good title, you drew me right in.
I agree with you, I also hate the way people want to label their own travel as ‘authentic’ at the expense of others. I lived for three years in China, so my views of what it means to live an ‘authentic’ life abroad has changed drastically.
Cheap plug: I wrote about the “curse of authenticity” on my blog, here:
http://www.backpackfoodie.com/2009/09/19/lost-for-authenticity
As a rule, I try not to judge others for wanting something different out of travel. I’d hate to spend my time traveling just talking to other travelers in hostels, but I understand that’s what other people want.
One thing I DO try to do, through my writings and through example, is to educate people on the real costs of travel. This is where McDonald’s is firmly off my list. I’m a big believer in spending every dime I can on small, local businesses – something I do both at home and abroad. For me, McD is off-limits due to 1) being a giant multinational, 2) treating their animals unethically, 3) being less healthy than cat food, and 4) tasting like crap.
Same goes for big all-inclusive tours in resorts where every dollar spent leaks out of the country. That’s a huge problem, and the tourism industry works hard to keep their image of ‘improving local conditions by stimulating the economy’ – when in truth there is a clear exploitation mechanism at play the poorer the country visited.
These are huge issues I care about, not out of a sense of superiority, but as an ethical traveler trying to make sure my impact on this world is a positive one.
Sorry, McDonalds doesn’t do it for me. But I remember when I was in Beijing for ten days about a dozen years ago. I felt so guilty when, sick of rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner, I headed for The Hard Rock Cafe one day. Still, there’s a proper burger for you!
I have to raise my hand and cop to this myself – I have been traveling for 9 months and in that time I have made use of McDonald’s a number of times, and also ordered the “Westerner”/”Farang”/”Lao Wai” meals on occasion too.
Agreed – a simple meal now and then, or a taste of home in a less culinary fashion (a movie, or a nice room, or something like that) does not make you any less of a traveler.
In fact, in my personal (and possibly contradictory) opinion – the only thing which is a valid magnet for criticism when traveling is criticising the travel tastes, methods and nuances of another traveler.
The trip is in the traveler, and that is the only place it should ever be weighed or measured.
I agree Dan.
I think people should just focus on having fun and do what they want to do, not caring if it’s ‘authentic’, ‘hardcore’, ‘real’ or whatever.
Take my case, when in Asia I eat local food (cause it’s cheap and good) but I can’t take eating rice every single day, so once in a while I have a Pizza or some chips (fries) as it’s the ‘Western’ food most readily available. Back home I rarely eat those, and I often eat food from different cultures, the variety makes me feel good and healthy, I don’t care if it’s not ‘authentic’ travel.
Btw, what do you say to the local Thai and Malaysians that visit Western fast-food places? Are they betraying their culture (As well as their health? None of the other SE Asian countries have obese and acne ridden people, only those with fast-food places)
Whenever I travel I always seek out something I can’t get at home. That’s what makes traveling fun for me.
That being said whenever I leave the United States I always visit a McDonalds so I can get one of those deep fride apple pies they no longer have in the US.
After 3 months in Nepal and India I challenge any ‘Westerner’ not to be lured by the familiarity of McDonalds; not for what it is but because of what it represents – a small piece of home.
I am all for eating local wherever possible but I have to admit that after spending 24 hours with a stomach bug and reliving everything I had consumed over and over again – I never wanted to look at another curry in my life!
Did I feel a bit guilty about ‘copping out’ on the local culture? Of course. But that is because I had unrealstic expectations of what an ‘authentic’ traveller would do.
And anyway, it is only food. Who cares what it is. Most of us are spoilt for choice in our respective home countries anyway – Rice is freely available anywhere so why is it still considered ‘Asian food’? And If I want pizza I dont have to go to Italy; I just go down to my local italian place!
PS. That said, I did eat Pizza for EVERY meal in Italy – it was to die for!
Great post! I always think it’s funny when eating at Mickey D’s isn’t considered an authentic experience when the locals indeed eat there too therefore despite being western is still part of the local culture!
Couldn’t agree with you more on “if you want to see the world not just for it’s sights, you have to be involved in what you find around you, otherwise what is the point? Who cares if you eat at Macca’s, the question is are you really getting what you want out of your travels?”
Anyone who says
“a travel is this”
or
“a real traveller wouldn’t do that”
Deserves a swift kick in the teeth.
A traveller is anyone who leaves their home town, whether that be for inspiration, adventure, to find themselves, to run away from something or simply to find (or keep) a job.
I don’t believe that “travel is a mindset” or that to be a traveller you have to lug a backpack, or come home with some wrap around pants, a ‘tiger beer’ tshirt and an STD.
It’s not about what other people think. It’s about how YOU feel. And if you want to eat the same damn thing every day no matter if you’re in Sydney or Shanghai, fill your boots.
[...] few weeks ago, I came across a blog post titled “Authentic Travelers Don’t Eat McDonald’s.” At first, I was ready to post a comment of my disagreement. But as I read further, I [...]
[...] “The problem is we all have a different ideas about what makes a good traveler but sometimes it’s like comparing chalk and cheese. I’m not trying to be diplomatic, if you want to see the world not just for it’s sights, you have to be involved in what you find around you, otherwise what is the point? Who cares if you eat at Mc Donald’s, the question is are you really getting what you want out of your travels?”. Written by Dan at his blog. [...]