The Oldest McDonald's Still Standing

McDonald's started in California, not far from Hollywood in San Bernadino...and the oldest existing McDonald's restaurant left in the world is at 10207 Lakewood Boulevard at Florence Avenue in Downey, CA, which is only about a 15-minute drive southeast of Downtown Los Angeles.  Funny how all roads lead back to Hollywood (or Hollywood adjacent) somehow.

The Downey location, the third McDonald's restaurant EVER...opened its doors on August 18, 1953, was the second restaurant franchised by Richard and Maurice McDonald....and all this was before the involvement of Ray Kroc in the company.

Now since we all ❤️Hollywood, I assume that everyone reading this has seen "The Founder" which tells the story of Ray Kroc and the takeover of McDonald's from the brothers....right???  The movie was OK and interesting...and it all started with the milkshake machine:

The fact that this store remains is wonderful.  I remember in the early 90's there was an old McDonalds building on Sunset Blvd across the street from Rock and Roll Ralphs that was turned into a taco stand, but they have since torn that down and put in a dog food shop.  Typical.  Well, at least we still have the Downey store to visit, a building rich with history because Ray Kroc' didn't touch it.

If you go to the location, or just view the pics here, you can see how different the look and feel of the shops used to be.  The fonts are different; the sign features one massive yellow parabola coming out of the ground instead of Stanley Clark Meston's iconic "Golden Arches." There's no mansard roof. And there's the Speedee mascot on top of the sign....the guy before the clown and Mayer McCheese (maybe our President's inspiration) as seen on the old McDonalds on Sunset and Highland that is also now gone....even at the original walk-up hamburger stand in San Bernardino only has the original sign remaining...making this place UNIQUE.  I wonder if any movie stars ever at here?

We ❤️Mayer McCheese

Of course, if you schlep all the way to Downey to get a Big Mac that you can get anywhere there better be incentive...and there is....a little museum filled with toys, artifacts, old advertisements a typewriter, and a video about Ray Kroc running on a loop...OH...and it's the ONLY location you can still get the ORGINAL FRIED apple pies..all other stores in the world sell them baked.

So if you are into history, food history, Hollywood history or want to see what McDonald's look like before the Founder took over.....check it out.

Historic Restaurants...we ❤️you!!!  McDonald's....eh not so much, but hey it's a good story.

Sidebar:  If you are really into McDonald's weird history...you can also visit the McDonaldland Museum at 6309 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA.  

                              

Here you will find the strangest of all McDonald’s museums since this one is dedicated to the psychedelic world of McDonaldland, a universe of characters first seen in a series of wonderfully bizarre TV commercials beginning in 1971. 

         

The magical universe of talking French fry bushes and apple pie trees strongly resembled Sid and Marty Krofft’s H.R. Pufnstuf.  So much so that the creators of that show won a lawsuit in 1977.

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