These days it seems like you can’t go anywhere in the world without being greeted by those familiar Golden Arches. Most McDonald's are comfortingly identical: red and yellow color scheme, beige floors, plastic tables, cardboard cutouts of Ronald McDonald, and ball pits for the kids. Around the world, though, there are some pretty innovative examples of how creative franchise owners blend into (or stand out from) their surroundings.
1. New York City
(flickr/edenpictures,flickr/JPH---Juleskills)
So black you could miss it on a dark night, the McDonald's on New York City’s Canal Street is also one of the skinniest restaurants around, fitting right in with the rest of Canal Street's businesses and yet standing out due to its color. The dark building frame is made of cast iron and houses your typical McD’s fare for hungry shoppers.
2. Tokyo
(quarter-pounder.net)
The Quarter Pounder locations were McDonald’s experiment to see if they could offer Tokyo residents a classier burger experience. "Classy McDonald’s?" you say. No... just "Quarter Pounder" — no mention of McDonald's here. The only options on the menu were a Quarter Pounder with cheese or a Double Quarter Pounder with cheese. Compared to a normal restaurant’s overwhelming amount of choices, there’s something to be said for the simplicity offered here.
3. Roswell, N.M.
(McDonald's)
Roswell has had its fair share of strange UFO sightings, but this one might be the strangest of them all. Downtown Roswell’s "Unofficial crash site" McDonald’s location boasts a UFO-shaped exterior complete with nighttime florescent lights. (Insert spooky UFO noise here.) The restaurant also features flying rockets with Ronald McDonalds in the Playroom. Might be time for a road trip out West!
4. Sydney
(interiorarcade.com)
The Strand location on George Street looks more like a study in modern architecture than a fast-food joint. Design firm Juicy integrated printed graphic wall art, bold pops of orange, pink, white, and black, and cool lounge-like furniture. The glass and steel exterior is beautiful, reflecting the interior light. So the clear agenda for our next trip to Australia will be surf, see sharks, sunbathe, and visit McDonald’s!
5. Ulsan, South Korea
(damncoolpictures.com)
In Ulsan you’ll find a fairly small McDonald’s drive-thru/gas station. The feature that makes it so special, though, is the huge wing-like covering over the restaurant. Apparently, the drive-thru was a very unusual sight in the area as of the time of the original blog posting in 2010. Any Ulsan readers know if there are any more drive-thru McDonald's there now?
6. Dallas, Texas
(McDonald's)
Driving down Montfort Drive in Dallas, Texas, you’ll see something you’d probably only see in Texas: the World’s Biggest Happy Meal. In the state where bigger is better, this massive meal of a building includes a playroom in the Happy Meal box, as well as huge hamburgers, towering french fries ,and massive cups of Coke. The inside of the restaurant sports Austrian crystal chandeliers, Ralph Lauren wallpaper, granite floors, and mahogany booths. Fancy digs for burgers and fries!
7. Taupo, New Zealand
(flickr/ turnerw82)
Taupo, New Zealand, has the honor of being home to the only McDonald’s location that includes a decommissioned DC3 plane as part of the store. There are seats inside the plane for your dining enjoyment, and you can view the cockpit as well! Maybe they hand out wings to first-time customers.
See all 10 of the coolest McDonald's here
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