Listomania
Lama Hajj

Six Franchises We Desperately Need in Lebanon

Admittedly, I had to rewrite this list after I realized the first draft was comprised solely of restaurants and burger chains in an effort to appear as though I care about things other than food and giant cheeseburgers.

(I don’t.)

Goodwill Thrift Store

(Image via Horizon Goodwill)

Goodwill is an incredible non-profit organization through which people can donate things like clothes, mattresses, electrical equipment, children’s toys, the list goes on. The only requirement is that they be in good condition. Goodwill then resells all donations at insanely low prices and then donates the money to charity. But wait – it gets better. Goodwill often employs disadvantaged and disabled citizens who might not otherwise be able to find a job. Really, this is a wonderful service to humanity.

In-n-Out Burger

(Image via Thrillist)

I’ve spent endless hours drooling over Instagram pictures of these burgers. The California-based restaurant chain is famous for having a “secret” menu, as well as several ways to order custom-made fries. Somebody bring them home to me. On a side note: In-n-Out also has a line of Uggs for all you hungry fashionistas out there!

Sephora Cosmetics

(Image via Stuck in Transit)

This is arguably the best chain of cosmetic stores in the world. Sephora sells virtually every brand of make-up, skin-care and hair product you could ever want. Have the CEO’s of this company never seen Lebanese women? They’re missing out on the biggest eyeliner market in the world.

Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream

(Image via Daily Mail)

Ben & Jerry’s actually used to be open on Bliss Street in Hamra, but it closed many years ago. It offered some of the best American desserts in Beirut. Please re-open it in honor of everyone who has ever had to PMS a day in their life.

IKEA

(Image via Home Interior Designs)

IKEA is a great place for finding affordable, high quality home furnishings. It is often the go-to place for students furnishing their dorms and new home buyers looking to save a few bucks. And this is something we simply don’t have in the Lebanese market. Everything is either poor quality and reasonably priced or decent quality at astronomical prices.

Hooters

(Image via Resto nnow)

This would offer an appropriate environment for our sexually frustrated men to go eat chicken wings and stare at non-chicken breasts. Having said that, I’m not looking forward to the way most people will pronounce Hooters; I foresee lots of Hutters? Heuters? Hotters?!