(1)   The development of fast food at present in Beijing

Western-style, have sprung up all over Beijing in the past few years, as they have done in most other large Chinese cities.

Fast food outlets seem to be opening as quickly as you can blink in Beijing. If you feel like listening to country music, you can have BBQ ribs and rotisserie chicken at one of the several Kenny Rogers about town. The side dishes are especially good here -- baked beans, macaroni salad, corn-on-the-cob, and many more. Dunkin' Donuts has four locations at the moment, but there are plans for several more. Or if you would rather have a mug of root beer, there is an A & W in the Haidian District (opposite People's University), with three more restaurants in the works. There are also two Subway franchises where you can have a 6 inch or 12 inch sub, on wheat or white, just like you would at home -- a Ham and Cheese sub, just to give you an idea, will set you back 12 yuan for the small, and 19 for the large.

So no one need starve in Beijing. Personally I prefer the local Chinese food for my steady fare -- it is fresher, tastier, healthier, and vastly less expensive. But for those moments of culinary homesickness, it is nice to know that empty calories are so close at hand.

(2)   Coming straight to the vital point

After tasting so many kinds of Chinese food, you might miss cuisine of your own country. Don't worry, you can find any type you want in Beijing. If you like fast food you can find that big yellow M in many places, or maybe you like KFC or Pizza, or whatever famous fast food restaurants in your country, such as DICOS, Dunkin' Donuts, Pizza Huts, A&W Root Beer and Kenny Rogers' Roasters, the only fast food place where smoking is allowed and beer is served, they are available here.

Since Beijing is a charming city, it has attracted many foreign restaurants. You can find all kinds of cuisine from France, USA, Italy, Russia, Japan, Korea, and many other countries. So it is also a good chance to come to Beijing and enjoy the food from all over the world.

French cuisine has always been favored by the world. It is thought to be the best cuisine in European and many chefs are proud of being able to cook French cuisine. In all dishes, raw materials are widely selected and finely cooked. Goose's liver and snail are the best ones of French dainties. Meat like beefsteak and gigot are usually half done and oyster is always eaten uncooked. Different wines are used as seasonings in different dishes to bring various tastes.

If you cannot resist the temptation, go and find Justine at Jianguo Hotel, the best French restaurant here.

If you are an American or if you like American food, go and find the best American restaurant Louisiana at Beijing Hilton Hotel.

If you prefer Italian food, go to Pinocchio Pizzeria in Holiday Inn Lido Beijing (Beijing Lidu Jiari Fandian) or go to Seasons in Kempinski Hotel (Kaibinsiji Fandian) in Beijing. Kempinski Hotel is also the most popular one where people enjoy German beer.

In recent years Korea barbecue has become one of Beijingers' favorite. You can find traditional Korea restaurants at Beijing Landmark Towers (Beijing Liangmahe Dasha), Lufthansa Center Sorabol Restaurant (Salaboer Canting).

There are many other hotels that are famous for their foreign cuisines, such as China World Hotel (Zhongguo Dafandian), Kunlun Hotel (Kunlun Fandian), and the Great Wall Sheraton Hotel (Xilaideng Changcheng Fandian) etc. You have many choices.