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That’s a completely different perspective to the German one, by the way. There just aren’t any sandwich shops in Germany (this is obviously hyperbole so don’t y

by arrrg 11y ago

That’s a completely different perspective to the German one, by the way. There just aren’t any sandwich shops in Germany (this is obviously hyperbole so don’t you dare correct me on this one) and Subway actually is pretty much unique in that regard. (I don’t think bakeries count, cause their selection sandwiches, besides being much, much smaller, is usually not their main focus and also quite different from what you get in a Subway, though that might be a valid counterpoint depending on your perspective.) Obviously there are other fast food options with similar parts, most notably probably Döner Kebab, which is very sandwich-like (grilled meat, often pita bread, salad, cabbage, tomatoes, onions, etc., white and red sauce of some description). I would guess it’s Subway’s main competitor in Germany. Not a chain, since Germany apparently doesn’t do fast food chains. Some cities might have a couple restaurants with the same owner and that’s about it. Now that I think about it that’s actually really weird, but probably not. There are all these chain restaurants in the US and Germany for some weird reason doesn’t really have that at all. It’s either imported (McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut) or the odd exception (Maredo, Block House, Joey’s), I guess. It would be interesting to see whether you could build a national Döner chain in Germany.

douche 11y ago
One of the things I miss most from the semester I spent in Berlin in college is the little hole-in-the-wall doner stores on seemingly every street. Here in the States, I can find Greek gyros in places, but I really enjoy the Turkish variant better.
- m_mueller 11y ago
  I'm a Swiss German who mostly stays abroad nowadays and the three things I miss most is decent sausage[1], decent bread[2] and Doner Kebab. [1] What is everyone doing with their spare meat parts? [2] Is bread something that you noticed in Berlin? Or is it just personnal taste? I never had anything that didn't come out of a bakery in a German speaking country that was (a) satisfying and (b) not baguette. Hmm too many negations here. Let me try again - 'The only bread I like abroad is Baguette (sometimes)'. ;-)
  - douche 11y ago
    On the whole, the food in Berlin was consistently better than what I have found elsewhere. I was there in 2009, and so the dollar was in the tank compared to the euro, but even so, prices were also pretty good. I do really miss the small corner bakeries and all the different varieties of brotchens. Also the coldcuts - its very difficult to find ham, for instance, that is anywhere near as good as I found in Germany; 95% of what is in U.S. supermarkets is basic boiled Virginia or Polish ham.
    - m_mueller 11y ago
      Coldcuts is exactly what I mean, but not just ham, also the ones made like sausages we call 'Aufschnitt' - not sure whether it's German or French in origin.
      - joss82 11y ago
        'Aufschnitt' sounds German.
        m_mueller 11y ago
        Most typical to what I mean is probably Lyoner (which in English Wikipedia is translated as Bologna/Baloney, however at least the picture doesn't look like Lyoner to me) and Leberkäse. First one originated in Lyon, France, second one in Bavaria. If you get the chance, try some pan fried Leberkäse once. [1] http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyoner http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyoner [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leberk%C3%A4se http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leberk%C3%A4se
  - go1979 11y ago
    As someone who doesn't eat pork or drink beer, I almost starved in Germany. I survived on Doner and Chinese food the whole time I was there. But hey .. to each their own :D
    - m_mueller 11y ago
thesimon 11y ago
>It would be interesting to see whether you could build a national Döner chain in Germany. Uneducated guess: Not easy, because Döner is a quite homogeneous good in comparison to pizza or Burger (as long as you don't change the current offerings). At least that has been my experience. You can grab a Döner everywhere and it's usually good. The same can't be said about burgers (Kochlöffel ugh).
astrange 11y ago
Aren't fast food places in northern Europe really expensive compared to the local kebab stands too? > Not a chain, since Germany apparently doesn’t do fast food chains. Most countries don't, I think it's pretty unique to America. In Asia there are many chains but there's also small family-run restaurants and local coffee shops everywhere. Was going to say something about supply chains in the Midwest, but it's probably just American highway culture and the zoning system making it too hard to run a local place… Out here in California where there's a lot of immigrants and walkable city cores, there are very many independent Taiwanese cafes, all strangely popular enough to have eight of them in the same block.
- arrrg 11y ago
  3.70–3.80 for a Döner, that’s about on par with a Big Mac, though it will probably leave you feeling less hungry (a single Döner probably has less calories than a Big Mac and fries but more than a Big Mac).

by arrrg 11y ago

douche 11y ago

One of the things I miss most from the semester I spent in Berlin in college is the little hole-in-the-wall doner stores on seemingly every street. Here in the States, I can find Greek gyros in places, but I really enjoy the Turkish variant better.

m_mueller 11y ago
I'm a Swiss German who mostly stays abroad nowadays and the three things I miss most is decent sausage[1], decent bread[2] and Doner Kebab. [1] What is everyone doing with their spare meat parts? [2] Is bread something that you noticed in Berlin? Or is it just personnal taste? I never had anything that didn't come out of a bakery in a German speaking country that was (a) satisfying and (b) not baguette. Hmm too many negations here. Let me try again - 'The only bread I like abroad is Baguette (sometimes)'. ;-)
- douche 11y ago
  On the whole, the food in Berlin was consistently better than what I have found elsewhere. I was there in 2009, and so the dollar was in the tank compared to the euro, but even so, prices were also pretty good. I do really miss the small corner bakeries and all the different varieties of brotchens. Also the coldcuts - its very difficult to find ham, for instance, that is anywhere near as good as I found in Germany; 95% of what is in U.S. supermarkets is basic boiled Virginia or Polish ham.
  - m_mueller 11y ago
    Coldcuts is exactly what I mean, but not just ham, also the ones made like sausages we call 'Aufschnitt' - not sure whether it's German or French in origin.
    - joss82 11y ago
      'Aufschnitt' sounds German.
      - m_mueller 11y ago
        Most typical to what I mean is probably Lyoner (which in English Wikipedia is translated as Bologna/Baloney, however at least the picture doesn't look like Lyoner to me) and Leberkäse. First one originated in Lyon, France, second one in Bavaria. If you get the chance, try some pan fried Leberkäse once. [1] http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyoner http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyoner [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leberk%C3%A4se http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leberk%C3%A4se
- go1979 11y ago
  As someone who doesn't eat pork or drink beer, I almost starved in Germany. I survived on Doner and Chinese food the whole time I was there. But hey .. to each their own :D
  - m_mueller 11y ago

thesimon 11y ago

>It would be interesting to see whether you could build a national Döner chain in Germany. Uneducated guess: Not easy, because Döner is a quite homogeneous good in comparison to pizza or Burger (as long as you don't change the current offerings). At least that has been my experience. You can grab a Döner everywhere and it's usually good. The same can't be said about burgers (Kochlöffel ugh).

astrange 11y ago

Aren't fast food places in northern Europe really expensive compared to the local kebab stands too? > Not a chain, since Germany apparently doesn’t do fast food chains. Most countries don't, I think it's pretty unique to America. In Asia there are many chains but there's also small family-run restaurants and local coffee shops everywhere. Was going to say something about supply chains in the Midwest, but it's probably just American highway culture and the zoning system making it too hard to run a local place… Out here in California where there's a lot of immigrants and walkable city cores, there are very many independent Taiwanese cafes, all strangely popular enough to have eight of them in the same block.

arrrg 11y ago
3.70–3.80 for a Döner, that’s about on par with a Big Mac, though it will probably leave you feeling less hungry (a single Döner probably has less calories than a Big Mac and fries but more than a Big Mac).