16 foreign fast-food chains that should come to the US

Country: Japan

Why it's great: Lotteria is always inventing new menu items, like the ramen burger, the five-patty burger and the latest "Everything Burger," which includes lettuce, cabbage, egg, a slice of cheese, a cheeseburger, a rib patty, a fried shrimp patty, and a beef patty.

Signature menu item: The shrimp

Country: China

Why it's great: Even though most people in the U.S. have never heard of Dicos, it actually has roughly the number of franchises as McDonald's. The food is American-style with an Asian twist.

Signature menu item: Spicy "Good Luck" Chicken Sandwich

Country: Europe/Middle East

Why it's great: What makes Ichiran's ramen so good is its "Original Red Sauce," a red-pepper-based sauce mixed with 30 spices and cooked slowly over the course of several days.

Signature menu item: Classic tonkotsu ramen with Ichiran's "Original Red Sauce."

Country: India

Why it's great: Kaati offers more than a dozen types of rolls for meat-eaters and vegetarians alike.

Signature menu item: The Chicken Shami Kebab Roll with minced chicken and chick peas.

Country: China

Why it's great: Kung Fu has a variety of meat and vegetable dishes. It also sells exotic juices.

Signature menu item: Mushroom chicken with steamed rice.

Country: Singapore

Why it's great: Toast is largely considered a side dish in the Western world but Toast Box turns it into the main attraction by slathering it with crunchy peanut butter, milk, and garlic, among other things.

Signature menu item: For dessert, Toast Box offers offers a thick slice of its signature bread topped with three scoops of peanut butter ice cream.

Country: Finland

Why it's great: Hesburger is best known for its sauces and salad dressings, including a cucumber-and-paprika mayonnaise that tastes best with its hamburger.

Signature menu item: The falafel burger.

Country: Japan

Why it's great: This pizza chain offers out-of-the-box selections that are far more creative than anything at Pizza Hut.

Signature menu item: Pizza with scallops in a butter-soy sauce.

Country: United Kingdom

Why it's great: Chicken Cottage offers a flavorful alternative to Nando, the U.K.'s other favorite chicken eatery.

Signature menu item: Whole peri peri grilled chicken.

Country: United Kingdom

Why it's great: Nando's, with its spicy Portuguese peri-peri chicken, has become one of the most loved restaurant chains in the U.K. in recent years.

Signature menu item: Flame-grilled chicken breast marinated in Nando's peri-peri sauce.

Country: Asia and Australia

Why it's great: MOS Burger offers more than 30 hamburger and sandwich combinations with beef, chicken, seafood and vegetables.

Signature menu item: Either the MOS burger (beef) or the kaisen kakiage rice burger (shrimp fritter between two rice patties).

Country: Russia

Why it's great: This fast food chain makes Russian crepes, called blini, for every meal, including dessert.

Signature menu item: Blin filled with red caviar or salmon roe.

Why it's great: Founded in 1955, Wienerwald has been perfecting its rotisserie chicken recipe for nearly 60 years.

Signature menu item: Rotisserie chicken meal.

Country: South Africa/Botswana

Why it's great: Chicken Licken is the biggest non-American fried chicken franchise in the world.

Signature menu item: Love Me Hot burger with a chicken filet and signature sauce in a toasted bun.

Country: Spain

Why it's great: Telepizza puts a spicy twist on a traditionally Italian dish by adding jalapeno peppers to a number of signature pies.

Signature menu item: The "Mexican" with chili, beef, onions and jalapeno peppers.