Are most of the businesses in the larger cities such as Cairo locally
based or set up there from other areas of the world?

I've seen a bit of both in Cairo. There are major international corporations who have joint ventures or offices there, but there are many independent Egyptian owned businesses as well ...and they've been great to do business with!

That sounds like a successful mix. I know there are some countries that simply won't allow foreign influence, but it seems much wiser this way to me. I'm sure it's a plus for tourists, too, to see familiar names in the city.

I don't know how I feel about seeing certain chain names like McDonald's and KFC in exotic places, but joint ventures with big American manufacturers can certainly help economies and provide more jobs.

Those big yellow arches just stick out like a sore thumb in some
locations, don't they?! I think it would be comforting to me whether or not
I'd actually ever stop there. (Chances are that I wouldn't.)

I'll admit to having stopped into both chains in foreign countries but only when I was there for a prolonged period, and got a little homesick for American food. But that was after weeks and weeks too! LOL.

I really don't like seeing fast food places in really historical and exotic places. I wouldn't mind it so much if they would atleast try to blend in and build something with the same architecture as the other buildings but they refuse to and throw up big yellow arches which ruin the area.

I'm sure I'd get to hankering for McD's burger after that long, too! My vacations are relatively short and there aren't business trips overseas, so I never have enough time to try all of the local places I want to use. After weeks I'd be popping in for a burger, too, most likely.

That brings up a question. Just because it's the same arches and the same franchise, do the burgers taste the same as in America no matter in which country they're being prepared?

There is definitely something out of whack to see those arches sticking up at certain sites, yes. I don't know how close any are to Cairo, for instance, but I wouldn't want to see them in person or on pictures sticking up behind the pyramids or in the middle of a desert.

I will say that I don't mind seeing them in the more busier cities. But I don't like seeing them in the historical areas. Now like the above poster suggested it might be different if the would agree to blend in more with the surrounding areas but once they put up that bright yellow sign it is way to noticable for some areas.