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I am intrigued about Australia (and New Zealand).
I have lived in regions around the US, Canada, and spent considerable time in the UK. I like comparing and contrasting the world's English-language nations. Just haven't had the opportunity to get down under .
How is shopping in Australia and New Zealand, compared to the US, or Canada, for that matter? All I've heard is that stores in Australia close early..?
I'd like to get perspectives from North Americans as well as those from Oceania who have visited the States, to make a comparison...regarding pricing, selection, service, abundance, etc.
Are there big chain stores and restaurants? Are there enclosed shopping malls or do ppl tend to favor street-shopping like in the UK?
Basically I'm curious to what is the equivalent (if at all) to:
Wal-Mart
Home Depot
Best Buy
Costco
LL Bean
Crate & Barrell
Department store (Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Macy's)
Family-style chain restaurants such as Cheesecake Factory, Ruby Tuesday, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, etc, etc.
(or do Australians tend to not eat at chain restaurants) (I am aware that Outback Steakhouse is an American creation!)
And to Australians who have never been to this side before, what do you guys think about US companies such as the ones above?
And if there are these chain companies, do they tend to operate in New Zealand too, or are there seperate companies in NZ? Thanks guys & gals.
Um, the US is the worlds shopping mall. We have everything that you can imagine.... even a floating pool BBQ. Seriously, if shopping is a priority for you, staying in the US would be the thing for you.
As I understand it the Target name is simply licensed by Coles and has nothing to do with the American stores.
I've had some Australian mates that have had a jolly good laugh at some of the Outback menu item names. However Outback I have to say do a consistent job and I've eaten at them hundreds of times.
yup they do a consistent job of providing fodder for giggles from visiting aussies!
I am intrigued about Australia (and New Zealand).
I have lived in regions around the US, Canada, and spent considerable time in the UK. I like comparing and contrasting the world's English-language nations. Just haven't had the opportunity to get down under .
How is shopping in Australia and New Zealand, compared to the US, or Canada, for that matter? All I've heard is that stores in Australia close early..?
I'd like to get perspectives from North Americans as well as those from Oceania who have visited the States, to make a comparison...regarding pricing, selection, service, abundance, etc.
Are there big chain stores and restaurants? Are there enclosed shopping malls or do ppl tend to favor street-shopping like in the UK?
Basically I'm curious to what is the equivalent (if at all) to:
Wal-Mart
Home Depot
Best Buy
Costco
LL Bean
Crate & Barrell
Department store (Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Macy's)
Family-style chain restaurants such as Cheesecake Factory, Ruby Tuesday, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, etc, etc.
(or do Australians tend to not eat at chain restaurants) (I am aware that Outback Steakhouse is an American creation!)
And to Australians who have never been to this side before, what do you guys think about US companies such as the ones above?
And if there are these chain companies, do they tend to operate in New Zealand too, or are there seperate companies in NZ? Thanks guys & gals.
Just based on what everyone else has said the thing about Australia/New Zealand is that there is a small section of what the US has. Australia has the kind of things you are asking about but just not as big a selection (other than electronics stores which I will get to later).
For the big box hardware like Home Depot and Lowes there is only one - Bunnings (although Woolies is trying to get into that sector). Mitre 10 and Thrifty Link are much more like the neighbourhood hardware stores. Australia is much more like a mix of England and the US with both a mix of high street shopping and mega shopping malls.
There's no real discount club shopping (although there used to be Campbell's cash and carry which have kind of disappeared). Supermarkets - Australia has Coles, Woolies and IGA) whereas the US and England have a larger selection (Albertsons, Ralphs, Associated, Tescos, etc.)
Family restaurants are not huge in Australia there was a large expansion in the late eighties early nineties but it was not successful - for instance Sizzler, Boston Market, LoneStar all tried but failed. Even the old staple Pizza Hut has now really ended up as take away or delivery only. I think the main thing is Aussies will tend to either have family meals at home or go to a local restaurant to eat something different. The other thing that US does not have but is huge in Australia is the local club scene (the RSL, the Leagues Club, etc). The bistro in the local club is where you will find families too.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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I would say you'd find it quite familiar, coming from the US.
Someone mentioned street shopping is dying out here. I think there has been a recent revival of CBD shopping and shopping in fashionable suburban precincts here (more so in Sydney and Melbourne) which is a good thing.
Opening hours here in WA are slowly improving but are still ridiculous. I still don't see what is the problem with shops opening past 6pm. It works well in other parts of the world and the country. I for one am glad that Bunnings now opens til 9pm every night.
As for eating, I think the variety is improving. As recently as 25 years ago eating options were largely confined to lunch bars, pubs, chippers, and the odd Italian and Chinese joint. Today there are more cuisines and more modern restaurants, although I think there are a dearth of some (e.g. French or Mexican), and an excess of others (Italian, Chinese, Thai, Japanese). Not being to the US not sure how much an average restaurant meal is in the US, but Oz is cheaper than say Europe or Japan.
As you can guess we love fast food as much as you yanks! WA misses out on quite a few, such as Oporto (which I wish we had) but we have Chicken Treat, best known for its BBQ chicken and chips. Interestingly both Chicken Treat and Red Rooster began within a year of each other (1971 and 1972) both in the Southeastern suburbs of Perth. What can I say, chicken tends to be particularly popular in the West.
Family restaurants are not huge in Australia there was a large expansion in the late eighties early nineties but it was not successful - for instance Sizzler, Boston Market, LoneStar all tried but failed. Even the old staple Pizza Hut has now really ended up as take away or delivery only. I think the main thing is Aussies will tend to either have family meals at home or go to a local restaurant to eat something different. The other thing that US does not have but is huge in Australia is the local club scene (the RSL, the Leagues Club, etc). The bistro in the local club is where you will find families too.
That is one thing I have found in both Australia and NZ is a lack of family dining or mid range price wise sit down restaurants. It seems to be tilted either towards fast food and takeaway or more expensive formal restaurants.
Not much in the middle where I can have a hearty meal at a reasonable price.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wanneroo
That is one thing I have found in both Australia and NZ is a lack of family dining or mid range price wise sit down restaurants. It seems to be tilted either towards fast food and takeaway or more expensive formal restaurants.
Not much in the middle where I can have a hearty meal at a reasonable price.
I'm wondering what would be considered 'mid range' price wise these days? These days most meals at fast food joints are at least $8-10, with Nandos verging on the ridiculous. As tasty as their flame-grilled peri-peri chicken is, paying nearly $20 for a combo? I don't think they can call themselves fast food!
I agree though...it's either fast food or more expensive restaurants. I actually like both Fasta Pasta and La Porchetta's, better than some expensive Italian restaurants I've been to. Sizzler is kinda mid-range, seeing as it's such good value for money, but that's a more buffet-focused format. To me there does seem to be a gap in the $12-20 range. It's hard to find a decent steak for say $15, unless they're having specials.
As you can guess we love fast food as much as you yanks! WA misses out on quite a few, such as Oporto (which I wish we had) but we have Chicken Treat, best known for its BBQ chicken and chips. Interestingly both Chicken Treat and Red Rooster began within a year of each other (1971 and 1972) both in the Southeastern suburbs of Perth. What can I say, chicken tends to be particularly popular in the West.
So Australians like roast and bbq chicken huh!
KFC in the US has started to introduce grilled chicken...I still prefer the fried chicken from the grocery store though.
They introduced grilled chicken here too. Their quality has gone downhill, imo. Do you mean frozen? Or like already cooked from the deli section?
The charcoal chicken is something that is difficult to find in the US. They do however, have the good old rotisserie chicken just like the ones found in Coles and Woolies which are also found in their supermarkets.
As for the hearty reasonably priced meal I have found that the best place to find this is in the local pub (anywhere other than the CBDs). You can get a roast and vegies for around $5-$10. Of course they now have those gastropubs which mean that your paying for the yuppy factor. Its really the best place to get that kind of food. The local chinese restaurant is also where one would usually go in Oz for an inexpensive hearty meal.
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Maybe we should tell those folk at Alice Springs they should be eating Mexican food. Perhaps a widgety grub tortilla next?
