Loving Those Golden Arches

No matter where we are when we see those large golden arches we know we have found a McDonald’s. With no matter to all the plastic around us we give our order and wait for the delicious food to arrive. Then find a table and throw ourselves onto a plastic seat and start enjoying our meal. McDonald’s food is enjoyed by many each and every day, but imagine how much more we would enjoy the experience if the atmosphere around us was different.

Europe

Norway

In Kristiansand, Norway you can find a McDonald’s in an old bank with giant marble columns. The original door is closed but the entrance to the restaurant is now on the side. This Mcdonald’s serves not only their usual food but also McLaks, freshly caught salmon sandwiches.

France

Au Roi de la Biere or The King of Beer was built in 1892 in Paris, France. A popular Asatian brasserie it is now a fancy McDonald’s. The building has timber slats, a gabled roof, and ornate brick work. This is where you can get Le Big Mac avec pommes frites for your dining pleasure. In 1997 it was deemed a historic national monument and many of its original features remain on the McDonald’s. You can see a large statue of Gambrinus, a legendary European folk hero, the eponymous King of Beers.

Georgia

Batumi, a Georgian seaport is also known as the “Las Vegas of the Black Sea.” It is also known for its very elegant McDonald’s which was designed by architect Giorgi Khmaladze. This McDonald’s is housed in a futuristic glass structure jutting out into the sky. In 2014 it was awarded the Best Commercial Building award.

This McDonald’s is built on top of a gas station. There is a sloping garden for dining making you feel like you are experiencing fine dining and making your fast food experience more enjoyable.

Italy

Visiting Italy you might be surprised to find a McDonald’s in Rome. There in the heart of city at the Roma Termini Station are two McDonald’s, one on the ground floor and one on the basement floor. What makes this experience different is that you could have your meal sitting by the ruins of an ancient Roman wall.

The Servian Wall was constructed around Rome in the 4th century BC. The wall stood strong in defence against the Gauls and Carthaginians. When the wall was superseded by the Aurelian Wall it fell into ruins. The remains of the Servian Wall can be seen in many locations all over Rome. One of the most notable and largest section can be found outside the Termini station and has been integrated into the dining area of McDonald’s.

Also in Rome, Italy you can find the Piazza di Spagna with nearly 300-year-old Spanish Steps. Next door to this tourist attraction is a McDonald’s that is thought to be one of the fanciest in the world. This restaurant has granite, marble, fountains, statues, mosaic walls, and seats for more than 800 customers.

Not only can you get the usual delicious McDonald’s fare but there is also a salad bar, fresh pastries, and chicken cordon bleu sandwiches.

Portugal

You can dine in artistic décor at the McDonald’s in Porto, Portugal. The fast food restaurant is located in the former Imperial Café. It opened in 1995 with the building retaining many of its original Art Deco features including ornate ceilings, chandeliers, and a large stained glass wall behind the counter. Outside you’ll find a large eagle which was the symbol of the old Imperial.

New Zealand

The town of Taupo, New Zealand has an amazing McDonald’s experience for everyone. Their McDonald’s is house in a 20-seater airplane, decorated with the company’s signature red, right outside the main building. This Douglas DC-3 became a promotional feature in the parking lot of the Aeroplane Car Company in Taupo.

In 1990 the dealership location was purchased and became a McDonald’s franchise, locally known as “Maccas” with the airplane included. The interior of the plane has additional seating for diners. The original cockpit can be seen behind a clear screen.

North America

The US

Maine

McDonald’s was scouting for a location to build a restaurant in Freeport, Maine in 1984. They ran up against design restrictions and the town felt a regular McDonald’s would not fit into the community. Therefore McDonald’s chose to go with a structure already standing. They picked the Gore House which had been built by a wealthy local merchant, William Gore. They opened up in December of 1984.

The house is a mix of Greek Revival and Italianate architecture and looks like a posh tavern. It serves McDonald’s meals with style in a fine restaurant dining atmosphere.

New York

New Hyde Park, New York has a McDonald’s housed in Denton House, an 18th century farmhouse converted into a Georgian-style mansion in the 1860s. In 1985 McDonald’s purchased the property and wanted to demolish the building. Preservationists stopped them and they agreed to restore the house.

It became the Denton House McDonald’s with a veranda serving as a dining area sealed in with glass paneling. The drive-through has been built to blend in with appearance of this home.

In Ashville, North Carolina you can find a different kind of dining experience at McDonald’s. The Biltmore Estate was built in 1895 and is the largest private home in the US. It is open to the public and the closest McDonald’s has become the fanciest.

The Biltmore McDonald’s has an octagonal dining room with tables of red oak, wrought iron railings, and chandeliers. It makes your dining experience quite different from any other you have experienced at a McDonald’s. It also makes the food seem to be almost gourmet yet, it is the same high quality food as at any other restaurant.

There is a baby grand player piano providing you with music to dine by. There is also a gold-leaf mantled fireplace forming the base of a giant stone chimney. Even the McDonald’s staff has a strict dress code of slacks and bow ties.

Arizona

Sedona, Arizona is the only town in the world where you’ll be greeted by teal colored McDonald’s arches. This was done to preserve the surrounding natural beauty of the red rocks area. Sedona representatives figured that the golden arches would clash with the natural tones of the surrounding landscape.

New Mexico

Roswell, New Mexico is known for an extraterrestrial incident. Now the city has a McDonald’s at a UFO-shaped location. The restaurant is located not far from the supposed UFO crash site. It has a UFO-shaped exterior and in the interior of this “ship” is a large play area based on the space theme with mascots in space suits. You’ll feel like your dining in a space ship which makes this fast food restaurant like no other.

Texas

Even the McDonald’s in Dallas, Texas is bigger and better. It is shaped like a Happy Meal with a colorful façade of a hamburger, French fries, and a soft drink. What also makes this McDonald’s different is that the dining area has Austrian crystal chandeliers, mahogany booths, and Ralph Lauren designed wallpaper.

Florida

Orlando, Florida has the world’s largest McDonald’s. The restaurant has three-stories and is known as an “Entertainment McDonald’s” giving it the nickname of Epic McD. It has an extensive menu with customized omelettes, brick-oven pizza, Belgian waffles, and pastas. There is a huge PlayPlace and an arcade where you can play more than 100 games. Don’t miss the 30-foot Ronald McDonald, the tallest in the world, lined with LED lighting.