Well Amanda we could just avoid visiting these chains. I have to say that McDonalds etc are often very handy for their public bathrooms , easy to find and open long hours, when you’re in cities.

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It’s a very head vs heart issue. The heart says keep big brands away, but the head accuses me of sentimentalism and hypocrisy – if I object to a Starbucks in Cusco, why is it acceptable to frequent the one round the corner? They are both, when it comes down to it, coffee outlets in busy towns. It would be interesting to know how Cusco residents feel about it.

Hopefully when they do descend the big brands will pay some heed to local architecture, or better still convert existing buildings. I was in Ghent a few weeks ago and noticed Marriott has made a half-decent fist of fitting in on the Korenmarkt.

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@Karen, I’m already doing my bit by not visiting those chains, but unfortunately that alone doesn’t stop them popping up where I don’t want them

@Nathan, yes, it is definitely more tolerable when they fit in with the local architecture better, hopefully that will be the case in Cusco.

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wow! amanda! congrats on the guest blog!

I’m agree with Nathan, not because he has my middle name, but because he makes a good point. I hate the big brands but business is business. The problem lies in how the design it. If they design it to blend in, then its not so bad but if im walking in the old town, surrounded by historic buildings and the golden arches jump out at me, i’ll be sick….and not only cause mcdonalds is gross!

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I was not happy to read this. I agree with you Amanda, KFC and McDonald’s do not fit in a town like Cusco. If I could decide, these brands wouldn’t even exist.

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@Erica, you’re a girl after my own heart =)

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The wife will be livid when I tell her this!!!

She didn’t speak to me for 24 hours when I went into McDonalds for our lunch, during our trip to Hong Kong a few years ago.

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I don’t even visit the big fast food chains in the U.S., so I would never even think of doing so in another country. It’s really sad to see beautiful towns and cities change to accommodate tourists. It makes sense, but I wish it wasn’t that way. One thing is for sure — you will never find things like Starbucks or McDonald’s at Macchu Pichu…so I’m glad at least some historical/cultural/architectural marvels can preserve their identity and worth. Regrettably I have also not been to Macchu Pichu, but I am determined to visit it soon. Hopefully by then Cusco will not have changed too drastically!

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As a peruvian guy who lives in cusco more than 3 years i have seen these changes coming since the beginning i came to this wonderfull place.
I m pretty sure that to many people they dont like the idea of opening these fast foods, but there is one already there a peruvian fast food “bembos” which looks with a low profile and fits with the main square and is great to have it here.
cusco deserves that people from cusco taste different flavors and also that kind of food , we have to be open to everybody..
i prefer good food but of course when i wanna try some greace staff i go to those places and its good to have them now in Cusco.

Just we have to be carefull to be without big merchandise as its already doing a peruvian fast food here.

To all of you folks thank you to come to my country

Cheers

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Amanda — you are right to be sickened about fast food chains invading the Plaza de Armas in Cusco. The problem is not that they are coming to Cusco — yes, there are hamburger places like Bembos there, as Enrique points out. The problem is that the American franchises are taking over the city’s prime real estate on the historic Plaza de Armas — the former center of the Inca Empire and home to some remarkable colonial churches and buildings. And they’re kicking out venerable local businesses that are beloved by Cusquenos and travellers.

There are many streets in Cusco for McD’s and Starbucks to set up shop in and to do a great business. They don’t need to be in the Plaza, but they are literally branding themselves onto Cusco’s cultural patrimony. That cheapens the Plaza de Armas.

The case of Starbucks on the Plaza de Armas is especially troubling. The franchise will be ousting Cusco’s oldest and most historic coffee house — the Ayllu Cafe. The Ayllu Cafe serves great, reasonably priced coffee and has nurtured the city’s social and cultural life for 35 years. Its doors were open during the years when tourists were scared to come to Cusco because of Shining Path activity. It literally kept Cusco going. But now the owners of the Ayllu can’t pay the $10,000/month that the archbishop of Cusco can get from Starbucks, so the archbishop is telling them, “Leave.” It’s pure greed on his part.

It’s not too late for people to protest the building of Starbucks there. I urge people who care about this issue to do so.

McD’s is already on the Plaza. Myself, I avoid the place. They don’t even use Peruvian potatoes (the best in the world) to make their fries. They import frozen spuds from Idaho. Yeah, it’s standardized, which is what McDonald’s customers want. I prefer to eat at other restaurants around there.

See my blog post, http://americaninlima.com/2008/09/24/totally-offensive-mcdonalds-opens-at-cusco-plaza-de-armas/

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Years ago I did one in South America where I tried different types of meals. I ate the best dishes in Peru that offers an incredible variety of foods, I tried the guinea pig and was very good but its presentation is not pleasing to the eyes. The best thing is that prices are not high and you can eat everything. I hope to repeat this experience and make this adventure with the travel agency I hired, Turperu that organized my gastronomic tour and the tours to visit the attractions of Peru.

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I spend about 3 months a year in cusco for work and I was little sad to finally see a Mcdonalds on the main plaza, but it didn’t surprise me in the least. the problem did not start with fast food it started with noisy clubs and fancy restaurants that totally exclude the local peruvians. When we stop expecting our usual comforts while traveling, then things may get back to normal, however i don’t see that happening anytime soon.

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