Venice > Food & drink > American fast food

American Fast Food in Venice

When you're in Venice and you crave mass-market food from the U.S., you have three options at four locations: McDonald's, Burger King, and KFC.

ABOVE: Venice's solitary outpost of the world's biggest burger chain attracts an international and multigenerational audience.

By Durant Imboden

There's no shortage of locally sourced fast food in Venice: Think pizza, or panini, or takeway pasta. And if you want to draw from  beyond Italy's borders, there's always döner kebab, which originated in Turkey but is now a staple of European quickie cuisine.

Yet for many visitors (especially Americans who need a familiar gustatory fix), there comes a time when only a burger or fried chicken from a multinational chain will do. Not to worry: When that point arrives, you can choose from three fast-food brands at four locations in Venice's historic center.

McDonald's

A couple of decades ago, McDonald's had three outlets in central Venice. That number has dwindled to one, but the remaining store still does a lively business with turisti and residenti of all ages.

You'll find McDonald's on Strada Nova, along the main pedestrian route from Venezia Santa Lucia railroad station and the Piazza San Marco. The store is open daily from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. See official page.

BELOW: My wife Cheryl snapped this photo during a pigeon invasion at one of Mickey's outside tables. The birds had descended in a frenzy of flapping wings, causing several customers to retreat.

Burger King Rialto

ABOVE: The Rialto branch of Burger King is on the Salizzada San Giovanni Chrisóstomo, a minute or two away from San Marco side of the the Rialto Bridge.

For sheer tourist convenience, the Burger King Rialto is hard to beat: It's on the main walking route from the Venezia Santa Lucia railroad station to the Rialto Bridge, facing the small San Giovanni Chrisóstomo church.

The shop is open daily, with hours of 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. (11:55 p.m. on Saturdays).

BELOW: BK Rialto has a few tables on the ground floor, as shown here, but most seating is in the dining room upstairs.

Burger King Venezia (Santa Croce)

ABOVE: The Santa Croce branch of Burger King is across the Grand Canal from Venezia Santa Lucia railroad station. The entrance is through an arched gate on the fondamenta or pavement facing the canal.

The Home of the Whopper's flagship location in Venice is in Santa Croce, across the Scalzi Bridge (also known as the Ponte dei Scalzi or Ponte degli Scalzi) from Venezia Santa Lucia railroad station.

After you've crossed the bridge, bear right. BK's main entrance is just to the right of a souvenir stand. The gate leads into a small courtyard with outdoor seating. Go into the building to order your meal or head upstairs to the main dining room.

Burger King Venezia is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9;30 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends.

BELOW: Signs on the outside of Santa Croce's Burger King are subtle, but at night, you can see the illuminated Burger King logo through a window of the upstairs dining room.

KFC

ABOVE: KFC occupies a modern building alongside the Venezia Santa Lucia railroad station, facing the Grand Canal. Outdoor tables overlook the water.

KFC, a.k.a. Kentucky Fried Chicken, is unquestionably the best of the American-style fast-food outlets in Venice. The store is in a modern building next to Venezia Santa Lucia railroad station, facing the western end of the Grand Canal. We recommend sitting at one of the outside tables where you can enjoy views of boat traffic.

KFC is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (except on December 24, when it closes at 8 p.m.) To see the store's official page, click here and select "KFC Venezia - Stazione Santa Lucia" from the list of locations.

Tip: KFC is next to a pier where an Alilaguna water bus connects the station area with the Piazza San Marco. This boat is quicker and less crowded than the public vaporetto.

BELOW: Cheryl Imboden enjoys a taste of home while a baggage porter hauls a load of suitcases in the background.

About the author:

Durant Imboden has written about Venice, Italy since 1996. He covered Venice and European travel at About.com for 4-1/2 years before launching Europe for Visitors (including Venice for Visitors) with Cheryl Imboden in 2001.

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