One of the many perks of fast food is that it tastes the same no matter where you park your car. The thousands of McDonald’s around the world may have different owners with varying agendas, but one McDouble always tastes just as delicious as the last. With the steadfast food quality, it’s not so easy to stand out from the other golden arches.
Folks typically pull up to the burger joint because it just happens to be right there, but rarely would someone go out of their way to hit a specific McDonald’s — that is, unless the location was one-of-a-kind and half the fun. There are unique locations all over the world, but the U.S. houses a few extra special sites. Whether it be architectural creativity, cultural significance, or a menu unlike any other, these five McDonald’s locations are by far the country’s coolest.
Roswell, New Mexico, is home to a UFO-themed McDonald’s
Roswell is known for one thing and one thing only: aliens. With dozens of unexplained sightings and reports dating back to 1947, this quaint New Mexico town is UFO conspiracy central. The whole region is a haven for the alien obsessed, and even the McDonald’s is a full-blown extraterrestrial experience. Located right on N Main St., Roswell’s golden arches resemble a spacecraft more than a fast food chain.
Shaped like a flying saucer, the UFO-themed structure is made of metal, which catches the sun during the day. At night, an alien rave commences once neon lights illuminate the rounded exterior of the building. Shades of blue, purple, and turquoise light up the tall glass windows. The interior is just as impressive, with incredibly high metal ceilings that make you feel like you’re en route to space. The theme extends past the front doors, with space-themed decor lining the walls. Grimace is geared up for space in a Coca Cola astronaut suit alongside a life-size Ronald McDonald and a host of other retro McDonald’s characters. The extraterrestrial burger joint opened in 1976 and remains the only one of its kind in the entire world.
Downey, California, has the oldest McDonald’s
If you’ve ever wondered what McDonald’s was like in the 1950s, you can skip over to the oldest operating location in Downey, California. The nostalgic 50s-era decor is Americana to a tee. The unique building looks just as it did when it first opened as McDonald’s in 1953, with red and white striped tiles and the iconic golden arches hovering on either side of the walk up counter. This McDonald’s is the last in the contiguous U.S. that still fries apple pies, a coveted preparation.
The restaurant’s huge sign has all the pieces of McDonald’s branding, but it’s missing some modern components, like the familiar yellow hues and Ronald McDonald. Rather than the beloved clown, the sign features the former mascot, Speedee. The whole experience is a little time capsule into fast food history, making it way more exciting than a typical Mickey D’s run. The very first McDonald’s restaurant, which opened in 1940, didn’t stand past 1972, but the address still lives as a San Bernardino landmark, now with a dedicated McDonald’s museum. This old-school Downey location has a mini museum of its own, with a section dedicated to the restaurant’s history. It may have been the third franchise to open, but it’s the only one still slinging burgers.
Barstow, California, has a McDonald’s in a train car
Gas stations are great for a quick coffee pick me up, but pulling off the highway is more fun in Barstow. When driving to Las Vegas from the west coast, the quiet desert town is a popular pit stop along the way, and not just for its proximity. Folks commonly pull off Route 66 to stop at Barstow Station, home to another 1950s inspired McDonald’s location that’s unlike any other. This road stop McDonald’s is housed inside refurbished train cars, which are traditional in style but with the McDonald’s logo showcased along the side.
The red and yellow painted entrances keep them on brand, and they blend in perfectly with the railroad theme of Barstow Station. The highway stop hosts a slew of other fast food chains, like Dunkin’ and Subway, but nothing as cool as the McDonald’s railroad cars. In true rest stop fashion, the drive-thru is open 24/7, and it’s impossible to miss the ginormous water tower holding up the McDonald’s sign.
Orlando, Florida, has the world’s largest McDonald’s
Orlando’s most famous McDonald’s, Epic McD, is quite the contrast from the quaint train cars of Barstow. The 19,000 square foot restaurant wins as the world’s largest McDonald’s, and it fully lives up to the hype. It’s hard to come by a McDonald’s PlayPlace these days, but Epic McD has the world’s largest at 22 feet tall with multiple floors of entertainment, including an arcade and even an aquarium. After taking down a happy meal, kiddos can slide down swirling tubes, climb the rock wall, and play hundreds of arcade games. Even better, it literally never closes; Epic McD is open 24 hours, every day of the year..
This isn’t your average McDonald’s: In addition to the classic burger combos and McNuggets, there’s an entire pasta department, and it serves wood fired pizzas out of brick ovens. The dessert menu also has much more variety than a usual McDonald’s, with specialties like cheesecake and peanut butter cake.
Chicago, Illinois, serves up international McDonald’s menu items
Epic McD might have a bigger menu than the typical McDonald’s, but this Chicago location has something to offer from every part of the world. From the outside, it looks like any modern renovated McDonald’s, but once you walk through the glowing red entryway and take a look at the menu, you’ll be overwhelmed with options at the McDonald’s Global Menu Restaurant.
As the U.S. headquarters, this McDonald’s honors all of the unique cuisines from around the globe by offering a rotating international menu. Every few months, it releases a new menu that highlights a different region of the world, which keeps customers eagerly lined up for more. Past menus have reportedly included Belgium’s Biscoff McFlurry, China’s Kung Pao chicken sandwich, and Malaysia’s mango sundaes. Some more recent favorites in rotation have been the Japanese Ebi Filet-O Burger, a Danish lemony McFlurry made with crushed cookies known as the Koldskal McFlurry, and the French 280 Dijon sandwich, a cheesy beef sandwich served on ciabatta. McDonald’s is serious about its burger education, so on top of the unique fusion menu, it also runs Hamburger University right next door. The cleverly named training center is the company’s commitment to employee development, with other campuses in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dubai, and dozens of others.
