Great Harvest is a national bakery franchise known for its fresh, whole grain breads and simple, high-quality ingredients. Founded in 1976 in Great Falls, Montana, the business began with a focus on using freshly milled wheat and baking from scratch daily. It started franchising in 1983 and now includes more than 150 independently owned locations across the U.S. Each bakery sources wheat from family farms and mills it on-site to ensure freshness.



In West Virginia, the company has two locations: Elkins and Bridgeport. The menu includes classic and signature sandwiches like turkey and roast beef, hot options like spicy apple bacon grilled cheese, fresh salads including Cobb and Yard Bird, and breakfast items such as egg sandwiches and biscuits with sausage gravy. They also bake a variety of daily breads, cookies, muffins, scones, and seasonal pies.



I ordered a "Savannah Bar" - an oatmeal cookie crust topped with pieces of fruit, wholesome rolled oats, and shaved coconut. Topped with cookie crumbles, this bar is perfect for breakfast on the go or warmed up with ice cream for dessert.



Plus a bacon, egg & cheese breakfast sandwich on a bacon, cheddar & chive biscuit. Yum.



Grade: A

Jolly Joes are chewy, grape-flavored candies made by Mike and Ike that I snagged.



But more importantly, the UK is home to a variety of iconic snacks, especially when it comes to chocolate. Cadbury leads the way with a lineup of deliciousness. The Wispa is known for its light, bubbly milk chocolate that melts smoothly in your mouth, while the Twirl features two flaky, aerated chocolate fingers coated in more chocolate. Crunchie has a crisp honeycomb center wrapped in chocolate. The Boost bar is denser, filled with caramel and biscuit pieces surrounded by rich milk chocolate.



And a long-haul European flight calls for some plane food. This was a chicken and vegetable gratin or casserole. Creamy, with chunks of chicken, peas, and potatoes, all topped with crispy breadcrumbs. Plus tea.

Koya is a Japanese udon noodle bar that first opened in Soho in 2010, specializing in freshly made udon noodles and dashi with simple, paired back interiors. Koya serves Head Chef Shuko’s udon, donburi and authentic Japanese small plates from breakfast through to dinner at three London locations.



I ordered some vegetable tempura - or yasai ten mori. Never had a whole tempura pepper. Overall, though, the veggies were light and crisp.



I also did a cold udon with hot broth. I loved how firm the cold noodles were, and the chewiness of udon is my favorite.



Plus a few extra toppings to customize the udon to your liking.



Grade: A

Dutch Bros Coffee is a drive-thru coffee chain founded in 1992 in Oregon, known for its coffee & energy drinks. With over 800 locations across the U.S., it also has limited sweet bites. I went for a seasonal drink: Mochi Berry Lemonade - strawberry, passionfruit, sweet cream with soft top and mochi berry pieces. This was tart, but also very sweet. The mochi pieces fell to the bottom and by the time I made my way to them, the texture was not ideal. Grade: B

McDonald’s tailors its menu to reflect the tastes of its location. So, various countries offer unique items that you won’t find anywhere else. For example, in Japan, they have a Teriyaki Burger or Ebi Filet-O (a shrimp burger). In India, where beef is not commonly consumed, McDonald’s offers the McAloo Tikki, a spiced potato patty sandwich. In France, you might find macarons and croissants on the menu, and in South Korea, the Bulgogi Burger is made with marinated beef.



So, I was curious to see what a London McDonald's might offer. Many of the sandwiches are the same - burgers, chicken, fish. I ordered the Big N Tasty - beef patty, cheese made with emmental, onions, tomatoes, smoky sauce on a sesame seed bun. It was fine.



For a side, I got Mozzarella Dippers - Three sticks of mozzarella cheese, coated in breadcrumbs and served with salsa dip. I enjoyed this, but the salsa dip was a bit sweet. I wasn't expecting that.



This Mars McFlurry though. The Mars McFlurry uses soft vanilla ice cream as its base, with Mars bar pieces (chocolate-covered nougat) and a caramel sauce mixed in. So good.