I'll have a slightly different take on this -- I suspect quite a bit of this might be a form of a "when in Rome" effect. I'm an immigrant myself, and the number of family members for whom going to a "original" McDonald's (and by original all that is meant is a mcdonalds in the land of where mcdonalds is from) is actually a thing. I suspect a significant portion of the folks who do go in as tourists are either in the "well this is just a quick bite that i know what I'll get cause we need to get to X place on time" or the "OMG A REAL* MCDONALDS" types for whom going to one in the US is an experience itself. Whereas we locals might recognize that perhaps the wealth of coming to somewhere like NYC is the incredible offerings available, I know for quite a few folks that the blander fast food experience actually may be the "novelty" they are seeking out!