McDonald's, Paris

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Hold the tomates, folks - I have a good explanation for this!!!

We had gone to bed early the night before as we'd been up for something like 34 hours straight. Our internal alarms went off at 3:30 AM and rather than mucking about in our room until daylight, we went off in search of coffee.

Parisians are not early risers.

After rambling around in dark for some time, we stumbled on this McCafé on Rue de Rivoli somewhere and joined the line of other desperate earlybirds waiting for that first cuppa joe. Once inside? McMagnifique! This is not the McDonald's you know and loathe: it is sleek; it is spotless; there is no annoying clown in sight. No, this is fast food à la Paris and closer to a pâtisserie than burger joint.

This particular Mickey D's was split into two sections: McCafé for coffee and pastries in the front, and a separate McDonald's - for Big Macs and whatnot - tucked away in the back. It also had a second story with lots of cleverly designed seating areas and clean (free!) restrooms. It even had a bank of machines for ordering your McLunch and prepaying with McCredit - eliminating standing about in line. And macarons? At McD's? Extraordinaire!

OK, so I think I'd pass on the McMacarons but our pastries and coffee were dandy and just what we needed before heading off to the Louvre. This one opened around 6:00-6:30 AM, and they had free wi-fi too. Not all MD's have McCafés so you may have to keep your eyes open for this upscale branch. Here's a recent list of McDonald's in Paris:

http://www.theparisienexpat.com/2010/06/12/list-of-mcdonalds-in-paris-with-free-wifi-internet-access-map/

One more thing? You can get coffee to go - not always an easy thing to find in Paris!

The McDonald's chain is well know for children in the United States. There are slides and trampolines filled with balls, etc. where children can go and play while the parents are eating their food like cheese burger, french fries coupled with their large coke!

Well, that's not the case in Paris. The McDonald's restaurant in Paris is small as it is in the most expensive part of the city Champs Elysees. However, you can still get the food that you want: cheeseburger, french fries and Coke. However, since you are in France, you are now eating the real French fries!

Note: Why would you go to McDonald's when there are so many nice restaurants in Paris?

Favorite Dish: I am sorry. I didn't really go and eat here. I was trying some French restaurants!

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You'll find McDonald's locations in Paris by either going to their website (time-consuming) or looking up McDonald's on les Pages Jaunes. Note: search under "Mc Donald's" or "Mac Donald's".

Besides having something quick & familiar to eat, it's also cool to see the juxtaposition of American culture inside Paris & to note how the French do it differently (i.e. frites sauce instead of ketchup, healthier dessert options). Definitely a cultural experience.

It's perfectly okay to fall back on the familiar as long as you are willing to try the unfamiliar, so try out some different French foods! Some Americans like going to McDonald's for the breakfast coffee, some cannot function without their typical American cup, and that's fine. I've never tried the coffee there so I cannot make comparisons and I must admit to a love for good, hot, strong French coffee. One of the benefits, though, to getting coffee from here is getting it to go, something rare in a French cafe. Of course, the other alternative is to get a cuppa to go from Starbuck's (but that's another debate for another time, my darlings)!

Two of the best benefits is:
a) the use of easy-to-find bathrooms! My motto is to always use the bathroom in Paris whenever you get the opportunity. When I last visited (Nov '07) these were free, at least in Belleville.
b) free wi-fi

If you're an American you'll note the food is more expensive overseas but that's what you'd expect from a transplant of culture (yes, I'm not sure that that phrase connotes a "good" or "fair" exhange). And the fries are definitely better, much crispier, probably due to their use of animal fats (please note this, vegetarians).

Oh, and while we Americans refer to it as McD's or Mickey D's the French refer to it as McDo's! I love how the French put their spin on pop culture they've adopted/adapted.

Favorite Dish: Frites with frites sauce (aioli - a garlic mayo - had to bring LOTS back for friends)
Orangina - an orange soda with real orange & tangerine pulp - best shaken up! (definitely different yet better than the orange soda here in the states although you can buy Orangina in the US at places like Trader Joe's)

Trip before last I had a hankering for a chicken sandwich & it was faboo! This past November I had one of the "Best of" meals, a Filet-o-Fish with frites and 33 cl of Evian for 5.60€ ($8.18, at least twice what I'd pay in the States). I also stopped by the McDo's at CDG for breakfast: bacon McMuffin, yogurt, coffee and juice for 5€ ($7.30 about twice what I'd pay for that at home).

Photos: Feb 2006 & April 2003

While I rarely eat fast food in my native USA, McDonald's has been a staple for me in my last 20 or so years of budget minded backpacking. The Paris locations rock, and I recommend the Mickie D's one finds in Edinburgh as well.

What can I say it is McDonald's. It was just what you expect except the names of things are different. I loved ording a Royale with Cheese better known to us as a Quarter Pounder with Cheese.

Always a great place to use the washroom.

When I started traveling, I swore that I would never set foot into an American Restaurant or fast food chain. To me, it was the quintiscentual jingo-istic thing to do while traveling. But after two hours trudging through Paris in 95 degree heat (and by then it definitely seemed like trudging), all I wanted was the biggest Coke with ice in it that I could find - and at a fair price. And where was the ONLY place to find that one item of divine remedy? Mickey D's.

Everywhere else I searched for portable and affordable refreshment, I was met with extremely small and room temperature offerings at exhorbitant prices.

My advice before planning a trip to Paris. Take with you a portable water bottle to carry with you as you see the sights and locate the addresses of all the McDonald's (and Starbucks, for that matter) in the city to have ready, just in case. You can find those locations on their respective websites or by going to the French Yellow Pages at www.pagesjaunes.com.

And oh, yes. They offer free and clean bathrooms with easy access in most cases.

Favorite Dish: 32 oz. Coke brimming with ice

As fas as that was the only restaurant opened in the last week of the year we had to find in it all typical french stuff. But we didn''t. So, folk, if you go there - book some hotel where they have restaurant that doesn''t send their cook on vacations. In fact all "food" places are open, just they don;t serve food. Drinks, peanuts. that''s all.
So, take care of yourself.
Well, you still can find baked chestnuts on the streets and hot-dogs. That' was very-very-very tasty! (...or were we so hungry? ;-+)

Favorite Dish: Some french sort-of-donut. As far as I badly wanted to try french quisine. :) What I''ve got a chance to try - I liked! ;)

I never recommended a McDonalds here - and I promise I will never do it again - but have a look at the Red Light District McDonalds of Paris. It's dark inside with red lights - a very funny idea I think!!!

Favorite Dish: Strawberry Milkshakes and a 'Royal' ;-)