Although free wifi isn’t too hard to find in some countries, in other places like Western Europe, Internet access sucks. Instead of wandering aimlessly around a city searching for a wireless signal by poking your head into every cafe along the way, save the frustration and look for some of these chains. Iconic locally and available globally, most of these restaurant, cafe, and other international retailers to offer free wifi at many of their locations.
1. McDonald’s
Despite what you may think of their food, most of us can agree that McDonald’s serves a decent cup of coffee. A beverage that goes great with the free wireless access the $32 billion company provides at many of their locations worldwide. McDonald’s policy also doesn’t require customers purchase anything to make use of the wifi.
2. Starbucks
Hit or miss and sometimes bundled with paid service, Starbucks has enough pull with local wireless operators to team up with them. The result being free wifi at their cafes in many countries around he world.
3. Costa Coffee
A major competitor of Starbucks, Costa Coffee is often found in more widely in the third-world and most have free wifi. Given a choice between the two mega-cafes, I’d bet on Costa Coffee to get online. As for a drink, well, that’s another debate.
4. Apple
They don’t really advertise it but many Apple stores have wireless access available. I’m pretty sure you won’t be able to sit at the Genius Bar for hours and Skype your mom but to quickly check your email it might not be a bad choice – especially if you’re using a Macbook.
5. IKEA
Maybe you’re very lost or simply want to buy some fyrkantig as a gift before your trip back home. Whatever reason you’re in IKEA, it’s hard to pass through the world’s largest furniture store chain without stopping by their restaurant. Want 15 Swedish meatballs with a side of Internet? You’ll probably find it there.
6. Burger King And Sometimes KFC
The former fills its customers with questionable cow meat and free Internet at over 2,200 of its locations in 12 countries. KFC recently expanded free wifi service to its restaurants (can we really call them that?) in the UK and other select locations mostly in Europe, South America, and Australia.
What’s The Chain With Free Wireless To Visit In Your Country?
To further extend your search before leaving your hostel, try using foursquare tips to get wireless passwords or extending your laptop’s wifi range to widen your net. None of the places listed above or below are sure bets but they can shorten a frantic search for the Internet by narrowing your options. I’m sure there are many similar local chains in various regions and am curious to find out the one you recommend? We started off with a good conversation on my Facebook page but would like to extend it here:
- Colombia: Juan Valdez Cafe
- Costa Rica: Rosti Pollo
- Egypt: Cilantro Cafe, Gad
- France: Quick
- Netherlands: La Place
- Turkey: Simit Sarayi
- [List updated: July 19, 2013]
Let me know in the comments below with words or a photo! (Simply copy and paste in a link to the picture.) I’ll keep updating the list by country so we’ll all know where to experience local fast food while downloading our emails.
I’ve sort of given up on Simit Sarayi, actually, because it seems to always be TTNET paid access or no network at all. I’ve tried Sirkeci and Aksaray tram stops as well as the one at Tunel. Am I missing something with these??
Many are switching to TTNET but I used the one near Tunel a few weeks ago to check email, their password is their phone number I believe.
Thanks, I’ll check them out again next time I pass through there!
As a warning – When I was in Rome, I tried to use McDonalds wifi twice. The first one didn’t have wifi at all. The second required you to submit a code and they would text you a password but only to a phone with an Italian area code. WHAT.
Dunkin Donuts has free wifi. What is interesting is that the one in my neighborhood doesn’t state this anywhere at all, not even anywhere inside. So they are always empty while the Starbucks a few doors down is jam packed with people waiting for tables to use wifi at.
This commenter helps explain why there isn’t free of code-free wifi in Italy:
http://foxnomad.com/2012/06/14/why-does-wireless-internet-access-suck-in-western-europe/comment-page-1/#comment-261979
Strange Dunkin Dounuts don’t advertise it with even a wifi-zone sticker on the door. Even if they did though, I guess Starbucks has the upper-hand on ambiance for online cafe work…
I wonder about the illegal part.
I had no problem at all using free wifi at my hotel in Naples. I also had no problem using my FLIP PHONE to access the internet in Rome. Of course, having a flip phone means I am limited to stuff that it can handle loading, which isn’t a lot since its really not designed to be used to access the internet. But I could check my email, get on Facebook, read several message boards….
Never tried Gad’s wifi in EGypt, but Cilantro cafe (http://www.cilantro-cafe.com/) does have free wifi (though it needs an Egyptian phone number to be activated – waiter will happily give you his phone number if you don’t have a phone)
Sweet, thanks! I’ll add it to the list now…
There aren’t any Burger Kings in Australia. They call them Hungry Jack. Something about a copyright infringement but it’s the same chain with the same logo and the same food. Not sure if they have WiFi since Internet access is so limited in Oz.
Good point and appreciate you mentioning it. Many Hungry Jack’s do have wifi and can be found on their store locator here:
http://www.hungryjacks.com.au/stores
Nice post, Forgot to also mention in the Netherlands many of the NS trains has on board Wifi too, which is perfect for working on the go, all you need to do is look out for a WIFI logo on the door to ensure your carriage has on-board Wifi.
Bonus!
I found out the hard way that Starbucks in Thailand (especially the one on Khao San Road, right next door to Burger King) do not have free WiFi. Instead you have to buy a WiFi card, which provides 24 hours of WiFi at certain “hot spot” locations. I believe it was around 100 Baht (around $3. 33 USD).
On the flip side, McDonalds in Germany had free WiFi, which helped me out tremendously when I arrived at 4AM.
Either way, this post was very informative…..Thanks!
…and you’ve helped make it more informative, thanks!
You can add Juan Valdez Cafes in Colombia to the list. They’re the Colombian version of Starbucks.
Thanks Dave, I’ll add it to the list!
In Costa Rica, Subway and Rosti Pollo all have free wi-fi. Most of the local parks have free wi-fi too. In Taiwan, they have recently launched over 4,000 Wi-fi hotspots throughout the country at all the tourist destinations, cities and transportation centers like the MRT. All for free!
Great tips – I’ll add Costa Rica to the list…
As much as I try not to go to chains, I can see how this list is going to be helpful once I leave for long term travel. Even now as I disconnect from more and more to save funds, it will be helpful. Thanks for this.
Free wifi is hard to resist!
no idea ikea had free wifi…great post!
…and no assembly required!
These are some good tips, but from my experience the quality of the signal in these locations is often shabby and makes you waste time. Plus, it also puts you in danger because that’s exactly where people that want to steal your login data are waiting – there have been hundreds of cases because the networks are unsecured and they also didn’t use an antivirus..Last thing you want when on holidays is to have your bank account cleaned 🙂
Instead, you have a lot of companies that rent portable wifi devices (MiFi)at decent prices (4-10 $/day), it’s secure, fast and you can share the connection with 4-5 other people. I’ve built a MiFi directory to help travelers find the best deals [EDIT: on his site] Hope it’s useful for you guys!
Sometimes though, shabby wifi is the only one you’ve got access to. As for security, there are a number of ways to protect your connection:
http://foxnomad.com/2013/07/23/how-to-protect-your-communications-from-the-nsa-and-other-spy-agencies-when-traveling/
Lol, Ikea? Ha ha ha, aren’t they always like miles away from the centre!?
For those travelers who get really, really lost.
I’ve had good luck with the free wifi at La Place in the Netherlands. Appreciate knowing about these other locations for future travels. Thanks!
You can never have too many wifi options, happy to hear this helps!
Great tips! Thanks!!
It’s funny, while traveling, I always looked for McDonald’s, or in some places, KFC. But now that I am back in the US, I only look for Starbucks, even though both McDonald’s and KFC are everywhere.
The only McDonald’s I’ve encountered that doesn’t have free wifi is in Minsk, Belarus.
Starbucks has less greasy tables 🙂 I’m not surprised there wasn’t wifi in Minsk McDonald’s but surprised there is a McDonald’s there.
Ha! I think it’s more of a perception thing – here, everyone hangs out at Starbucks, no one hangs out at McDonalds. 🙂
And yeah, wasn’t surprised I couldn’t get wifi at McDonalds there – at the hotels I stayed at, I had to register with the front desk to get a wifi access code. I wouldn’t be surprised if the government tracked my use. 🙂
Without a doubt:
http://www.dailydot.com/news/belarus-internet-tracking-system/