Beyond McDonald's: 10 international burger chains

During your travels around the world — whether you're visiting Beijing or spending a night in Stockholm — it is quite possible (if not certain) that you will run into the familiar golden arches of a McDonald's. With more than 33,000 McDonald's in 119 countries all over the world, filling your craving for a Big Mac is definitely not a hard task, even when far away from American soil. But if you're feeling the need for a new burger to satisfy your hunger in a hurry when you're abroad, a local international burger chain might be worth a visit.

In fact, there are several countries where other chains braved the risk of competing with the "burger giant" McDonald's, opening up burger locations to provide an alternative place for visitors to get their burger fix. Some international burger chains, like Belgian Quick, have branched out across borders, while others, like Indian Burgs, are located inside one nation only. In Finland, there are almost three times more local Hesburger restaurants than there are McDonald's.

While the basic burger in its different sizes and with various toppings is still a staple on the menu at most of these international burger chains, regional specialties revealing the local culture are what you would you should try if you're visiting one. How about a tandoori paneer burger at Indian Jumbo King, in which the patty is replaced with a thick slab of fried cheese, or a SPAM burger — a bun stuffed with a chunk of SPAM, topped with an fried egg — at Freshness Burger in Japan? Click through our slideshow of 10 international burger chains to see more global options where you can grab a burger in a hurry.

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JumboKing, India

Established in 2001, this Indian fast-food restaurant recently spread out to 18 different cities across the country. JumboKing's menu has no real burgers — in the sense of burger being made of beef — but offers a menu of vada pav, a popular vegetarian Indian sandwich, consisting of a spicy fried potato patty sandwiched between a bun. At JumboKing, the vada pav comes with different toppings like a slice of cheese or spicy sauce. You can also substitute the potato patty with fried cheese, paneer or a vegetable patty.

MOS Burger, Japan

MOS Burger has spread out to have locations in eight different countries besides Japan, including Singapore, Taiwan and Australia. Options like teriyaki chicken, ebi (shrimp) burgers with rice patties replacing the traditional bun, and butterflied prawns as a side, make the menu at MOS well-suited for people looking not to replace the traditional red-meat burgers.

Burger Ranch, Israel

The Israeli burger chain opened its first location in Tel Aviv in 1972, and has since expanded to even buy up Burger King, consolidating both chains under the Burger Ranch brand. According to their webpage, a popular item is the "Spanish ranch" burger. Other menu items are the grilled chicken burger and healthier meal combinations, in which a chopped salad works as a french fry substitution.

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Hesburger, Finland

In Finland, the local burger chain Hesburger is even more popular than McDonald's, with 227 locations around the country, and branches in Russia, Germany, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The menu features a list of classic burgers, fries and soft-serve ice cream. To add a Finnish twist, customers can choose a burger with organic rye bread as a bun substitution.

Quick, Belgium and France

Started in Belgium, and now with additional locations in France and Luxembourg, Quick is one of the biggest fast-food burger chains in Europe, ranked just after McDonald's and Burger King. In the summer of 2013, the chain launched a Homer Simpson-themed donut burger menu, with a donut-shaped bun for their burger, and sides like "cheesy donut rings."

Max Burgers, Sweden

Sweden's biggest burger chain, Max Burger, was established in 1968, and with recent expansions to Norway and Denmark, 96 restaurants are now open. The restaurant offers a "Deli Fresh" line of items with low glycemic index, such as a burger without a bun and a bean salad. Max also highlights the use of only Swedish beef in their patties.

Burgs, India

With several locations in Mumbai, Indian chain Burgs serves a gourmet version of the typical American burger menu, with burgers such as BBQ Lamb and the Mac n Cheese Bomb. Traditional menu combos, including a burger, french fries and a milkshake, are offered, and if you're looking for a healthy twist, the menu also mentions the option of a whole-wheat bun.

Gourmet Burger, United Kingdom

Burger chain Gourmet Burger was started in London in 2001 by three friends from New Zealand, and has since then become a popular burger destination around the U.K. The specialty Kiwiburger is an interesting combination of beetroot, egg, pineapple, aged Cheddar, salad, mayo and relish, and the buyer is suggested to donate an additional 25 cents to a charity for the kiwi bird. The menu also offers side snacks such as haloumi cheese bites and mixed olives.

Steers, South Africa

Steers is South Africa's leading burger brand, which, according to its website, has won the Leisure Options Award for the Best Burger for the past 17 years. The burgers, grouped into categories like "the royals" and "the kings," are 100% beef and flame-grilled, and served with a side of handmade "chips," or french fries. The biggest burger on the menu, the Mighty King Steer, consists of three 100-gram patties and three slices of cheese.

Freshness Burger, Japan

Operating in Japan since 1992, Freshness Burger's concept concentrates on fresh ingredients and handmade burgers. A bacon omelette burger, SPAM burger topped with a fried egg, and a traditional beef burger with sliced avocados are a few of the menu items. For a drink, customers can choose from homemade ginger ale and organic tea.