Businesses/shops/services in other countries that are not in Ireland yet

Grandeeod wrote: »

Carrefour and Dunkin Donuts.

Honestly can't believe Carrefour never tried the Irish market. Puts Tescos to shame. Everything from a spanner to cheese.

Dunkin Donuts? No idea why they pulled out of Ireland. An easy spot for a coffee and donut for biz meetings, social etc. Did Ireland get too posh?

Anyway, my offering is Jamiacan food. Not much of it about in Ireland. Considering we tend to have our heads up our arses regarding food, I'm surprised some enterprising person hasn't tried to establish this, because its great grub and actually very well suited to an above average takeaway setting.

There was a Jamaican restaurant in Galway for about six months about a year and a half ago called Jamaica Joe's which served lovely food, goat curry, japatis and loads of other stuff but I think the rates were too high to make it viable in the city. The same fellah now just does the Irish festivals, you will see him at Body & Soul festival selling Jamaican food at Port Royal and at Trenchtown at Electric Picnic festival.

Kids' soft play areas in fast food restaurants, like in France.
Parents end up spending longer in there, drinking coffees and eating pastries, and the kids get to use some of these calories !

Another thing that seems to have really taken off in France, and I'd love here, is the Drive and Collect supermarket.
I'm down in the South East, maybe there's some in Dublin, not sure ?

In France you see them all over, even rural areas. They're basically a big shed with all your groceries, minimal staff (no shop there). You do your shopping online from work, and after work, drive through this petrol station type stop outside the depot, where a member of staff brings your bags of shopping out to the car, all set to go home.
I'D LOVE THAT.

Also, why on earth are there no drive through chemists ? If you're a busy Mum, find out kids are sick on return from school on a rainy evening, you don't necessarily want to load up your car with kids, head out again after work, have to unpack sick kids and buggies and walk (possibly out in the rain and cold) into the chemist to collect some cough mixture or some such.
Even if it's yourself actually, coming down with something, or with an injury, you want the chemist stop to be as effortless and comfortable as possible.

Manitoban wrote: »

Drive through chemists and drive through coffee shops. It's a pain in the backside dragging 3 kids out of the car just to grab a cup of coffee, McDonalds takes too long, just literally a drive through coffee shop.

Drive thru coffee may be here sooner than you think as Belfast already is getting one.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/starbucks-to-open-its-first-ever-drivethrough-coffee-shop-in-northern-ireland-34936070.html

Having traveled abroad a fair bit, I can honestly say I can't think of any shop or restaurant that Ireland is lacking in that I've seen in other countries or else most of them have eventually set up shop here. I do love eating at Panera Bread in the US and it would be nice to see it here but Ireland has so many other equally tasty alternatives.

There's a drive through chemist near my house in Waterford. Sounds handy although have never used it!
SuperValu do an online shop and collect service. I think you've to go into the shop to collect it but at least the shop is done for you!

sillysocks wrote: »

There's a drive through chemist near my house in Waterford. Sounds handy although have never used it!
SuperValu do an online shop and collect service. I think you've to go into the shop to collect it but at least the shop is done for you!

Snap, sillysocks

There used to be a drive through ATM in south dublin somewhere..Stillorgan if I remember correctly?

The tesco near me has a drive through collection, you shop online and then drive up and dont even have to get out of your car. Pretty sure M&S in Jervis Centre has the same thing

bodhrandude wrote: »

There was a Jamaican restaurant in Galway for about six months about a year and a half ago called Jamaica Joe's which served lovely food, goat curry, japatis and loads of other stuff but I think the rates were too high to make it viable in the city. The same fellah now just does the Irish festivals, you will see him at Body & Soul festival selling Jamaican food at Port Royal and at Trenchtown at Electric Picnic festival.

I read about it online a few years ago. Didn't realise it had closed. A pity. I reckon there's a gap in the market somewhere and probably in fast food terms. Even Goat Curry can be done the fast food way. Once prepped, Jamaican food can be served up very quickly and still taste extremely good, right down to rice and peas.

Grandeeod wrote: »

The drivethrough ATM was originally in Cabinteely, Dublin. Opened by AIB many moons ago and long before ATMs were rolled out in every nook and cranny.

It was Cornelscourt. Cabinteely still doesn't have a regular ATM, let alone a fancy drive thru.

Deleted User wrote: »

Victoria's Secret is opening on Grafton Street this year.

It ain't gonna fly... Someone will paint over Victoria.:pac:

Deleted User wrote: »

Erm?? I'm a bit slow tonight

This.

GROUP PAINT OVER VICTORIA’S NAME ON CORK STREET SIGNS

Delacent wrote: »

And upper baggot Street - that was there a long time before cornelscourt drivethrough.

First ATM was in BoI in Stillorgan. First drivethru bank was AIB in Cornelscourt and Baggot Street was second.

Grayson wrote: »

I was thinking of that place. But I'd also add decent street food. Nearly every city in Europe has food stalls around the place where you can grab a snack but not Ireland.

The place in the Ilac was called Grab n Go. The food was pretty sick but you couldn't fault the efficiency of the system.