The transfer of fried chicken from Egypt to Gaza took three hours, not exactly fast food, but good enough for a territory where there are no Western fast-food franchises, according to the Monitor report.

CNN: Buckets of KFC smuggled under border

Japan's Mos Burger, local Western-style fast-food chains, Japanese fast-food chains, and Yum!

FORBES: Fat In China

In the text book Emotional Geographies, geographer Joyce Davidson (Queen's University), sociologist Liz Bondi (Edinburgh University) and environmental ethicist Mick Smith (Queen's University) dedicate an entire chapter to this complicated mix of emotions that Western travellers experience when they encounter fast food abroad.

BBC: Would you like fries with that Maharaja Mac?

Contrary to its typical fast-food incarnation, Mexican and south-western cuisine is not necessarily spicy or greasy.

ECONOMIST: A brief history of chile cuisine