McDonald’s restaurants have been putting smiles on the faces of the general public
for a whopping eighty-plus years!
And although they didn’t officially become a hamburger joint until 1948, after they renovated
their then drive-in BBQ stand, their success sure came in record time.
Much has changed since then but one spot has not.
So let’s take a look 10 facts about the oldest McDonald’s in the world.
The Location opened on August 18th, 1953
To say that McDonald’s restaurants have become quite the phenomenon would be a blatant
understatement.
McDonald’s is and has been for quite some time now, the quintessential fast food restaurant
the world over, and for very good reason.
The golden arches that are set high in the sky on many highways leading in and out of
America have enticed many to drive onto their lots set around the world, and the tummy rumblings
those arches have induced can clearly be heard from around the globe as well.
Their advertising campaigns alone have been some of the most successful, but it is perhaps
their long tenure that is the most impressive of feats for this once humble drive-in restaurant.
It was in 1937 that Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their first ever BBQ stand and it wouldn’t
be long for the public to tell them what they liked most at their Monrovia Airport location
… the succulent hamburgers, of course.
But before they expanded and opened up the location in question, they did a little revamp.
It was in 1948 that the McDonald brothers renovated and changed up the menu of their
restaurant, concentrating on their famed hamburgers.
At first, they offered orange juice and potato chips to go along with the burgers, but ultimately
they added fries and cola to go along.
The change definitely registered with many of their clientele, and they were on their
way to becoming a conglomerate worthy of attention.
So, it was no wonder that the third ever McDonald’s restaurant opened on August 18th, 1953, and
that location still stands to this day.
The Location is Located in California
That’s right … should one want to visit this historic landmark and authentic trip
to the past, a trip to sunny California would be necessary and who doesn’t want to go
to California?
The location is nestled at 10207 Lakewood Boulevard, Florence Avenue, Downey, California.
So jot it down and take note, as many prefer to visit this establishment as opposed to
the more modern locations set up around the state of California.
A trip down memory lane is always better than dwelling in the moment and current state of
fast food conglomerates.
Besides, it’s always good to go back and experience a piece of history, isn’t it?
And of course, California is known for some pretty epic places to eat.
After all, many of the great TV Chefs and personalities have set up shop there as well,
and if one can make it there in the food industry, they can pretty much make it anywhere.
The clientele there is quite picky and the public in the area have taken down their fair
share of restaurants in their day.
So to say the location has flourished is saying something indeed.
It was Only the Third McDonald’s Location
There were in fact two previous locations for McDonald’s, the first being the original
BBQ stand that Maurice and Richard opened in 1937.
But of course after the public let them know what they were after—the hamburgers—they
quickly changed direction and their outlook changed too.
So for the following decade, the brothers perfected their service standards, and it
wasn’t long before their restaurant was serving the absolute best burgers around,
and in record time, officially garnering them the merits that went along with the term “fast
food.”
After that time, they were more than ready to spread their wings, so to speak, and open
up other locations, the Downey, California location being the third overall.
And as is the general way of things, the success of these locations would bring the attention
of a very influential and important figure; one that would catapult the restaurant and
franchise to the moon and back.
The Oldest McDonald’s was the Last Location before Ray Kroc got Involved
And so, the Downey location would mark the last location to be opened by the McDonald
brothers, as their “little burger stand” had garnered itself quite the following and
reputation, and one man, a very influential man in particular, would come calling and
change the brothers’ lives forever.
Considered one of the one-hundred most influential people of the twentieth century by Time Magazine,
Kroc got his humble start as a milkshake mixer salesman.
The post-war era was a hotbed for salesmen everywhere, with the industrial revolution
sparking countless gadgets to be sold, and salesmen form all over the country were traveling
door to door peddling knick knacks made to make the public’s life that much easier.
Well, Kroc was one of these salesmen, and he did his job with a certain amount of gusto
that made him quite successful.
But from the beginning, he had an eye for what would work and what wouldn’t.
So when he came across a humble but successful burger stand, he no doubt saw dollar signs
floating somewhere up ahead, and he wasted no time in getting involved.
Had he not have gotten involved, many have wondered if the world would still be enjoying
as many McDonald’s locations as it has.
He opened his first location in 1955, located in Des Plaines, Illinois in partnership with
the McDonald brothers.
The Oldest McDonald’s Is Not Just a Museum
And just in case you were wondering, the third location that still stands today isn’t just
a museum, or rather a trip down memory lane.
It’s still operating and many that have flocked to its location have enjoyed countless
meals at the rustic stand, taking the world back to much simpler times and a classic way
of enjoying the McDonald’s experience.
But yes, the location is full of pieces of memorabilia and is a great way to get to know
a bit about the humble beginnings of the restaurant and furthermore see just how far the company
has come since its inception.
It’s always a marvel to stare upon the images of the past, or rather the infrastructure
of the past and see just how far society has come.
This location is a perfect spot for that, calling to mind a sense of nostalgia for those
who were there when it all began, and at the same time bringing a sense of wonder to those
who weren’t.
Who knew a restaurant could do all of that?
But that’s the power that comes from being around for so long.
Those Golden Arches
Perhaps there is no greater symbol in the food industry; no greater emblem to call flocks
of people forward.
And very much like the bell calling workers in for “quitting time,” or lunch time,
the now famous golden arches of McDonald’s restaurants have called many off of the highways
and roads the world over.
And it’s very much like the infamous Pavlov experiment of yore … ring a bell and they
will salivate.
And the American public has indeed salivated and been called forth to dine, time and time
again.
But interestingly enough, the McDonald brothers weren’t the first to use the arches at one
of their locations, and furthermore, neither was Ray Kroc!
It was actually a franchisee by the name of Neil Fox.
The arches were designed by architect Stanley Clark Meston and Charles Fish.
The McDonald brothers and Kroc would subsequently use the arches at all following locations
and for very good reason, as the arches did appeal to the public and yes they did seem
to act as a beacon to motorists and passersby.
A stroke of genius one might say.
The Location Was Not Subject To Modernization
Well, it wouldn’t be long before Ray Kroc would buy out the McDonald brothers and if
there was heartache on their part, it didn’t last long, as A) their restaurant was in good
hands and B)
Kroc had surely made it worth their while.
By doing so, Kroc was able to unify all locations, making a chain and franchise out of them,
thus being able to modernize each location, giving them all similar looks and styles.
By doing this, the public was made aware that the restaurants were in fact a conglomerate
and no longer a mom and pop joint operating as best as it could.
No … now with the modern designs and the golden arches as a powerful emblem, the McDonald’s
franchise was set to grow, and to heights that were probably not expected at the time.
Interestingly enough, however, the third location in Downey, California was not subject to these
changes and modernization.
It was allowed to stay as it was and this fact rang true with the public and even Kroc
himself.
The decision seems to have paid off, as many appreciate this location because of its look
and old school style.
For this particular location, keeping up with the status quo seemed to be the right way
to go.
Why mess up a good thing, right?
But why was this location left out of the mix?
Why had they been singled out as the one McDonald’s restaurant not to have to change with the
rest of them?
The Third Location Was an Independent Franchise until 1990
This probably remains a shock for many, as the location survived as an independent franchise
as long as it did.
It can definitely be seen as a testament to the standard of keeping things as they were
and America’s appreciation for history and heritage.
The location stuck to its standards of operation and service no matter how fast things were
moving by the eighties, and when Kroc’s locations were changing up their menus and
offering the conglomerate heavyweight burger, known now as the famous Big Mac, they stuck
to their old standard and simple menu, going as far as not even offering the burger of
all burgers that all other locations were offering.
It was unfortunately because of this that the Downey location started to suffer, as
a new location was opened a few blocks away and yes, it offered all the modernizations
available at that time.
The public was finally pulled away from heritage and all in favor of the ultimate Big Mac and
the euphoria it promised in the form of succulent taste and the now famous third piece of bread
at the center of the sandwich.
So, it was unwilling, but the independent franchise was finally made to give in after
suffering some low sales and was made to be part of the conglomerate chain officially
and this meant that a modernization was in order, which also came with an expansion of
the menu.
Essentially, the Big Mac was now in the house!
The Historic Mickey D’s Was Almost Lost
In 1994, only a few short years after joining the McDonald’s Corporation in full, the
location was almost lost completely, and we ask what would the world be without this single
most authentic McDonald’s location?
Well, the world being what it is, it probably would have moved forward, but there’s a
small fraction, or on a better day, perhaps a larger portion of people that would have
missed this location had it gone the way of all the other pieces of the rich McDonald’s
history.
But thankfully, the world will never have to know, as it still stands where it was built
today.
So why did the location almost perish?
Well, as it turned out, the restaurant in Downey had suffered considerable damage after
an earthquake and the place was declared unsafe to stay open, thus it was destined to be demolished
soon after.
But when this was discovered by the National Trust of Historic Preservation, the plans
to demolish the building and restaurant were thwarted and rightfully so.
The location was declared one of the eleven most historic buildings in the area and was
said to be a major part of the area’s rich history.
So instead of being destroyed, it was restored and made safe again.
It was also regarded as one of America’s most endangered buildings and since all this
went down, it has become one of the most sought after tourist attractions.
Just goes to show that sometimes a bad thing can turn into a positive.
So here’s to looking at the glass as half full, folks.
With Great History Comes Great Responsibility
So in looking at this location, we see a restaurant with a storied past, a deep-rooted part of
the McDonald’s franchise history, and we recognize what an important part of history
it is.
The fact that it’s still here for people of this generation and future generations
to enjoy is quite a marvel indeed and one that hasn’t escaped many who’ve walked
through its doors.
To be able to eat the food and enjoy the memories that the site represents is something that
should be cherished and shared with one and all.
And of course, that’s exactly what it does.
It’s a piece of history in the form of a restaurant, and a fast food restaurant of
all things, but perhaps this location alone takes it a step further, rendering it an experience
all its own, and at the end of the day, how many restaurants can guarantee that?
Not that many.
But for those men and women that work at this location, the weight of responsibility is
that much more severe.
And of course, we don’t mean that in a bad way, as it’s normal to assume that the responsibility
here is far more of an honor than say working at the local McDonald’s that just opened
just last month.
This is in fact obvious to most, but to be able to go into work and put on a uniform
that was once worn by the McDonald brothers themselves, and serve the food they once served,
and in the same building - that’s quite special indeed, wouldn’t you say?
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