Sure, when someone says they just ate at “the most beautiful restaurant,” you’re probably picturing something with Michelin stars, not Golden Arches. But when it comes to photogenic places to eat, don’t count quick service restaurants out. Even though most chains have set standards for color schemes, logos and other iconography, some lucky locations are allowed to break out of the mold and show a little personality. Whether it’s taking over unusually scenic spaces or simply upgrading their exterior to match the local aesthetic, here are 10 fast food and chain restaurants that are, at the very least, Instagram-worthy and — dare we say — beautiful.

This isn’t your average corner burger joint. For McDonald’s first restaurant in Spain, the all-American burger joint went with a decidedly European motif. The baroque, columned exterior of its location on the Gran Via in Madrid gives way to an equally elegant interior with marble floors and gilded molding, perfect for enjoying an espresso and pastry — or a McCrispy and fries, whatever your vibe may be.

The fried chicken chain Popeyes is officially known as Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, so you know that the brand had to do something special for its French Quarter-adjacent location in New Orleans. True to the Creole Townhome architectural style of the surrounding area, the Canal Street restaurant sits at the bottom of a three-story townhouse with bright Popeyes-orange balcony railings and teal blue accents. The interior has been recently updated with modern kiosks and chic stools and tables matching the exterior palette.

Sure, you might hit your local Starbucks to cozy up to a cup of coffee, but one location in Japan might have the ultimate cozy experience on lock. The Starbucks store along the Ninenzaka pedestrian road in the Higashiyama-ku ward of Kyoto occupies a preserved, traditional, two-story Japanese townhouse that’s over 100 years old. Surrounded by serene gardens of trees, moss and stones, the interior features rooms with original tatami mat floors, silk cushions for sitting, and locally-produced kimono fabric accents and wall art. So yes, Starbucks may be literally everywhere, but this is one Starbucks experience you won’t find anywhere else.

As ubiquitous as Starbucks has become, it’s not surprising that there are locations on corners all over the globe. But while Starbucks has brought its coffee to transit hub kiosks, massive urban roasteries and everything in between, its Costa Rican destination brings that coffee back to its origins — literally. Nestled in the rolling volcanic hills of a working coffee farm, Hacienda Alsacia opened in 2018 as a visitors center to let customers experience the company’s research into sustainable agricultural practices. The wood-accented, open-air design of the coffee shop portion, dotted with indoor palms and expansive views of the surrounding valley, is truly a Starbucks unlike anywhere else in the world.

The town of Watford, about 15 miles northwest of London, was first granted a market charter in the 12th century — and it’s safe to say as the high street started to grow all those years ago, nobody was thinking about how to squeeze in a Taco Bell. But the American chain has found a home behind a black-and-white, timber-framed facade with a few modern additions. The restaurant occupies a building dating back to 1750, and which previously housed another eatery called The Old Bell pub, coincidentally enough. While the new dining area has expanded into a decidedly 21st-century glass and steel structure, much of the original Tudor-revival building remains intact. Who knew a Mexican-inspired fast-food restaurant could look so British?

Taco Bell has deep California roots dating back to its founding in Downey in 1962 and its present-day headquarters in Irvine. So it should be no surprise that when the chain re-opened its Pacifica, CA location as a Taco Bell Cantina back in 2019, the design would nail those retro, Pacific coast surf shack vibes inside and out. Though the 1960s-built structure has been a Taco Bell since the 1980s (and an A&W restaurant before that), it now sports an enclosed fireplace, street art-inspired mural, exposed timber beams, picture window views of the patio and the ocean, and, importantly, beer, wine and frozen cocktails on-tap.

If kitschy, vintage-style restaurants are your idea of beauty and you prefer your fried chicken to be the finger-lickin’ kind, then KFC’s Sanders Cafe in Corbin, Kentucky should be on your bucket (of chicken) list. The gas station restaurant where the Colonel’s storied history began in 1940 has been lovingly turned into both a quaint, cottagecore eatery as well as a museum dedicated to all things KFC.

If you were living under a rock until KFC shortened its name from Kentucky Fried Chicken back in 1991, you might be excused from not knowing what kind of food they serve. But not if you drove by the chain’s location in Marietta, Georgia, which features a 56-foot tall animated chicken. Originally constructed in the early 1960s as part of a previous restaurant, the location had been tied to Colonel Sanders since 1966 when it started serving his 11 original herbs and spices recipe, which was licensed out to individual restaurants before becoming the brand we know today. In the 1970s, the location officially became a KFC franchise, but its iconic/kitschy clucking and eye-rolling bird has remained, and we think that’s a beautiful story.

America may run on Dunkin’ these days, but back when the chain was founded in 1950, the coffee and doughnut chain was fueling folks around Quincy, Massachusetts. So if you’re a true Dunkin’ devotee, you’ll want to make a pilgrimage to this recently renovated location that maintains its retro feel and which, despite the brand chopping its name to just “Dunkin’” back in 2018, still sports a cursive neon sign proudly spelling out both Dunkin’ and “Donuts.”