MALAYSIA may be thousands of kilometres away from the United States, but apparently there is one thing that brings the two countries surprisingly close together. It is a deep appreciation for fast food and sugary drinks.
An American recently made this interesting discovery after landing on Malaysian shores and discovering the many A&W outlets here.
In a post on X, netizen @dohertytjp said, “A&W Root Beer is maybe more popular in Malaysia than in USA. I had a root beer for the first time in years, brought back childhood.”
And honestly, Malaysians might have to give him that one, because for us, A&W is not merely fast food. It is childhood in a frosty mug.
A&W Root Beer is maybe more popular in Malaysia than in USA.
I had a root beer for the first time in years, brought back childhood. pic.twitter.com/rJa09t14Nt— Thomas Doherty (@dohertytjp) September 14, 2026
We may have nasi lemak, char kuey teow, roti canai, fried chicken and an impressive collection of mamak dishes, but give Malaysians a burger, fries and a gigantic mug of root beer and suddenly we are united under one culinary philosophy: worry about the calories tomorrow.
Netizen @FER44Rl in the comment section further suggested that he try out the oldest A&W branch in Malaysia.
The comment section is beginning to transform into a competition, with some netizens pointing out that A&W is popular in Indonesia and Singapore too.
Then there was a sceptical @JUSTMESURI who observed that A&W might be struggling in Malaysia now.
@dohertytjp‘s post has since prompted a few Americans to reminisce about their past.
Netizen @SonicHacki further observed the unique configuration of an A&W restaurant in the US.
Away from all that talk about the love for fast food, the World Health Organisation reported in 2025 that Malaysia had the highest rate of childhood overweight or obesity in ASEAN, with more than 30% of children aged five to 17 classified as overweight or obese in 2022.
So perhaps the American visitor accidentally stumbled upon something deeper than a nostalgic beverage.
Could Malaysia be the America of Southeast Asia? At this rate, the real Malaysian-American friendship may not be diplomatic relations. It may be diabetes.—Sept 16, 2026
Main image:@dohertytjp
