In honor of the opening of the “Seven Eleven” branch, aka the American Yelo, we compiled a list for you of all the successful American junk food companies that visited us and ran away as long as they wanted.
Let’s start with a disclaimer, when you point out that there was a “Starbucks” here but it didn’t succeed, it didn’t “fail” because of the nature of the chain, it didn’t succeed because it came to Israel. It’s a fact that every second hottie who flies abroad “takes a selfie” with a mug of Starbucks while proudly holding it with sharpened palms smeared with black gel at least was the soccer world cup.
Also, the main diet of many Israelis is based on Frappuccino and Zava chips and glazed carrot cake. Therefore, there is no reason in the world that even in the Holy Land, Frappuccino and reasonable minus coffee should not be a pilgrimage center. So there really is nothing to look for underground excuses for “why are food chains failing in Israel?” except for the simple fact that we are destroying them. For example, the wings of the KFC chain that replaced the milk powder mixture that was part of the recipe for kosher reasons, thus ruining the taste and losing potential customers.
Even big fast food giants like “Burger King” and “McDonald’s” that still somehow survive here (God knows how) taste like the sole of a shoe and cost an astronomical price as if you at least sat down for business at “Topolopompo”. So purely for nostalgia’s sake, let’s remember together the beautiful moments when we still thought we were a small America and innocent and naïve franchisees believed that there was something to work with here.
״דאנקן דונאטס״
In Israel, a Duncan Donuts franchise was operated starting in 1996, when the first branch was opened on Ibn Gvirol Street, Tel Aviv. At its peak, the chain operated nine branches in Israel. So yes, once upon a time many years ago there was a “Duncan Donuts” stand in Azrieli Mall where people flocked from all over Gush Dan. While we were waiting for line 63 to make a circuit in all of Greater Givatayim, we used to imagine ourselves living in the Upper East State with this miracle of creation in our hands – a glazed sponge with a hole in the middle, an American creation at its best, beautiful days that are no more.
״סטארבקס״
Starbucks Israel was a subsidiary of the Starbucks chain of coffee shops and was mainly owned by the Delek Delek company. The company had six branches throughout Tel Aviv, but was closed two years after it was established. The children of the 1980s still dimly remember that there used to be a branch of “Starbucks” here near Rabin Square, for all that is dear to us. You could buy a blue and white Starbucks immediately in Yisrael and sip it comfortably next to the “Monument to the Holocaust and Resurrection”, Israeli nostalgia at its best.
״מובן פיק״
It is true that “Moufu Peak” is a Swiss network and not an American one, but it was the most amazing thing that happened here. A verdant and magical forest with soap bubbles and fairies, within which are scattered countless stalls of food from all over the world in an unprecedented buffet, as a child I thought I was going to pass out from the abundance, usually it amounted to pizza, but still. Just seeing the yellow ball at the Alonim Kiryat Tivon intersection gave us convulsions. So bye bye “of course peak” we probably didn’t deserve you, thanks for giving us a chance.
״וונדיס״
It is no longer in my time, but it turns out that in 1988 there was a “Wendys” here. Yes yes, the American chain arrived in the Holy Land through a franchise of the Blue Square Co-op chain and the first branch was opened in Dizengoff Square and gained popularity thanks to the American look and the winning location, reminds you of something mmm… but alas, in the early 90’s the chain closed due to huge losses. We told you we destroy everything.
״ווימפי״
In 1966, the British “Wimpy” hamburger chain arrived in Israel. The first branch was opened at a gas station near Zichron Yaakov, and the second at Paris Square in Haifa. But the short affair with the British network ended in the mid-1970s, when the network collapsed in on itself like a white dwarf creating a black hole and finally went bankrupt. Well, at least we were given a chance.
״סאבווי״
You may not believe it, but there used to be a “Subway” here. It all started in 1992, when the businessman Hagi Harizman and other partners received the chain’s franchise in Israel and in a short time 15 branches were opened, unfortunately it was closed in 2003, it turns out that we can’t even make sandwiches produce properly.
״סינבון״
Some argue that Israelis don’t like a place that sells one product because we like innovations, so be it. Cinnabon was a breath of fresh air. It wasn’t that long ago that you could walk into Evan Gvirol (before it was a scaffolding site) and smell the scent of cinnamon wafting through the air as you bite into this heavenly thing. But Cinnabon is also closed, we’ll probably have to make do with Kryotosh. Or just eat cinnamon, whatever makes you do it.
״סבארו״
In 1994, the Carden Israel group, in partnership with businessman Yohai Peleg, received the franchise to establish the chain in Israel. The first branch was opened in 1995, inside the new central station of Tel Aviv once, when there were still people in it and it was not an Aztec burial site terrifying with the smell of urine, in any case, within two years the chain opened seven branches. But guess what? At the beginning of 2010, a dispute broke out between the global Subaru chain and the owners of the franchise in Israel and the Subaru chain was closed.
Luckily we still have Domino’s and Pizza Hut to take solace in.