When travelling I choose fast food from a big chain like McDonald's only because it carries the lowest probability of food poisoning as the first meal in a new place - I suppose many adopted the same approach.
Why do you think you risk food poisoning by eating at a local restaurant just because it is in another country? Do you think the locals are worried about food poisoning eating there?
Honestly I find this “I’m risking my safety unless it is a US chain” attitude both limiting and even a little ugly.
> Do you think the locals are worried about food poisoning eating there?
Locals have local gut bacteria and immune systems tuned to the local strains of pathogens. It's no revelation that if you travel far enough, there's going to be some level of incompatibility here.
> Honestly I find this “I’m risking my safety unless it is a US chain” attitude both limiting and even a little ugly.
No idea where you got this from, but I guess you assumed that I'm American and have a specific set of beliefs you observed in other Americans.
To be clear I'm not American and I don't prefer US chains. If I went to Saudi Arabia I would probably go to Hungry Bunny - even if only due to nostalgia.
> Why do you think you risk food poisoning by eating at a local restaurant just because it is in another country
I think you are investing too heavily in the 'poisoning' term. It wouldn't be per se, but it wouldn't help you if the next day you would feel extremely not good.
To be fair, the parent never mentioned traveling in another country. The strategy works equally well while traveling within one’s own country.
If your digestive system tends to have you issues when given unexpected inputs, as is the case for a lot of people, then this is just what you do to stay comfortable while away from home.
