McDonald’s is full of surprises! 🍟From a McDonald’s owned by the Queen of England to the very first McDonald’s store that’s still around, there’s a lot to learn. And did you know that Coke tastes extra good at McDonald’s? Yes, it’s true. Plus, McDonald’s sells a ton of toys with their Happy Meals, making them the biggest toy seller in the world! And did you know that Ray Kroc, the guy who helped make McDonald’s famous, was friends with Walt Disney?
There’s so much more to discover about McDonald’s, so let’s dive in and uncover all the fun and interesting facts!
12. The Queen of England owned a McDonald’s
Let’s start off with something royal. If you thought the McDonald’s mansions were fancy, check this out: In 2015, a McDonald’s was opened by the Queen of England. Well, not precisely by her personally (though that would have been quite a sight!), but the fancy restaurant at the Banbury Gateway Shopping Park in Oxfordshire sits on land that’s part of the $34 billion Crown Estate. This means, technically, it was owned by the late Queen Elizabeth II. With her passing, we can assume Charles III is now the proprietor, making him the Burger King, so to speak.
11. The first McDonald’s store still exists
Ronald and Maurice McDonald’s original restaurant stood at 1398 North E Street at West 14th Street in San Bernardino. Thirteen years after opening in 1953, the building was torn down to make way for a new one that matched McDonald’s style better. Since the brothers had sold the name to Ray Kroc, the new building had to be called “The Big M.” It closed down in less than 20 years, but the sign remains outside what is now a privately-owned McDonald’s museum.
10. They are the top toy contributor
About 20% of meals sold at McDonald’s include a toy—around 5,000 Happy Meals every minute, as estimated. This means roughly 1.5 billion toys are sold by McDonald’s worldwide every year. Surprisingly, this makes McDonald’s the biggest toy seller in the world, even outselling toy giants like Hasbro and Mattel!
9. Ray Kroc had a very famous friend
When Ray Kroc started offering McDonald’s franchises, he approached a well-known friend with a business proposal. This friend was already wealthy, but Kroc knew him from their teenage years in the ambulance corps during World War II. Back then, Kroc remembered him as the guy who loved to doodle in his spare time. Later, the world would recognize him as the founder of Disney, Walt Disney. Kroc wanted to open a McDonald’s in Disneyland, but the deal didn’t happen because Disney wanted to charge more than Kroc was okay with.
8. Coke really tastes better at McDonald’s
It’s true: Coca-Cola really does taste better at McDonald’s. It’s not just because of the syrup and carbonated water mix in the restaurant, which is common at any place with a soda fountain. The secret lies in how the syrup is delivered to McDonald’s. Unlike the traditional plastic bags used elsewhere, McDonald’s receives its syrup in stainless steel containers, which helps maintain its freshness and taste.
7. McDonald’s is the biggest restaurant chain as of today
It’s probably not surprising to hear that McDonald’s is the biggest restaurant chain globally. Their website claims “more than 36,000 locations in over 100 countries,” but some estimates suggest it’s closer to 40,000. If you’re curious about who’s in second place, that would be Subway.
6. Over 70 million people eat at McDonald’s each day
McDonald’s is incredibly popular and can be found everywhere. Around 69 million people eat at McDonald’s every day, which is more than the populations of countries like Italy, France, and England combined! In the United States alone, 45 million people eat at McDonald’s every day. According to the company’s research, 90% of Americans will eat there at least once a year, and 33% will eat there once a month.
5. Mcdonald’s has over 13,000+ Stores in the US
Have you ever wondered where the closest McDonald’s is? If you’re in the U.S., you won’t have to travel more than 115 miles to find one. There are over 13,000 McDonald’s across all 50 states, so if you’re craving a Big Mac, you can usually get one in under two hours.
4. There are different colored arches exist
Sometimes, you might spot McDonald’s with arches that aren’t gold. For example, there are white arches at a location in Paris, turquoise arches in Sedona, Arizona, black arches in Monterey, California, and red arches in Rockland, California. It’s rare, but it adds a unique touch to those places!
3. Some McDonald’s only have a single arch
Once upon a time, the McDonald’s logo had just one arch. However, in 1961, Ray Kroc trademarked the name “McDonald’s” and introduced a new logo with not one but two golden arches. Interestingly, around a dozen locations in the U.S. still use the old single-arch logo!
2. McDonald’s stores come in all shapes & sizes
You’ve likely spotted McDonald’s in malls, airports, standalone restaurants, and storefronts, but there are some pretty unique locations out there, too. For example, in Freeport, Maine, there’s a McDonald’s in a colonial mansion that’s over 170 years old. Another McDonald’s in Hyde Park, New York, is even older, over 200 years old, and also in a mansion. Then, there’s the McDonald’s in Roswell, New Mexico, which is in a building shaped like a UFO! But perhaps the most exciting one is in New Zealand, where you can dine inside an actual airplane!
1. McDonald’s is not the oldest burger chain
The first McDonald’s restaurant started by the McDonald Brothers opened in San Bernardino, California, in 1940. But there are even older burger places! White Castle, which began in 1921, is known as the first hamburger chain. And A&W, which started serving root beer and burgers in 1923, actually began four years earlier as a stand.