The McDonald's Museum in Chicago is a recreated replica of the chain's first restaurant, which was built in Des Plaines in 1955 and demolished in 1984. Admission is free for visitors, and small and large companies often come here. It is believed that it was from this fast food restaurant that the history of one of the largest and most successful franchises in the world began.
History of creation
The company calls the McDonald's, opened in Des Plaines under the leadership of the owner of the restaurant chain Ray Kroc, "The original McDonald's," although in fact it was the ninth restaurant of the chain. The McDonald's Museum in Chicago was created on the initiative of McDonald's, the corporation's employees insisted that the decor fully match the corporate identity of the original institution.
The building with golden arches above the glass and red-and-white tiles on the outside was built according to the drawings of the McDonald brothers, which they presented in 1953. The same equipment was installed here that was used to prepare fast food and pour drinks into glasses. The decoration of the premises and the uniforms of the staff have remained unchanged, and this immerses visitors in the atmosphere of the XX century. At that time, there were no tables or chairs in the room, and the customers took their purchased food and drinks with them.
Short description
Employees of the McDonald's Museum in Chicago say some visitors are surprised when they look at the Speedee logo, under which the chain operated for the first decade, because many people think that the image of Ronald the clown has been used since the very beginning of business, but this is not the case, it appeared in 1963. Below the logo is the inscription "We have sold over a million hamburgers." The advertising information is outdated, but it used to be considered a great achievement.
The exhibition is located on 2 levels of the McDonald's Museum in Chicago:
- Roasting conveyors, cocktail mixers and soda machines are installed on the ground floor. Here you can see mannequins in company uniforms from the 50s of the XX century.
- In the basement there are booklets with advertisements, posters, announcements, photographs and video clips related to the development of the McDonald's chain. Visitors can look at copies of workshops and workplaces. If desired, museum guests can try on the image of a fast food restaurant employee working behind the counter.
Please note that the McDonald's Museum in Chicago welcomes visitors only from May to September, and it is closed in autumn and winter. When planning a visit, it is recommended to study the schedule, while you can focus on 10.30 to 14.30, but the schedule may change. Guided tours are available by appointment.
How to get
The museum complex is located in Des Plaines, a suburb of Chicago. The distance between them is 35 kilometers, if you go by car, the journey will take about 40 minutes. A recreated replica of the original fast food restaurant can be reached by train on the Union Pacific/Northwest line. The McDonald's Museum in Chicago is 500 meters from the train station, and a modern McDonald's is open on the other side of the road, where you can order French fries, burgers and other dishes from the menu. A taxi ride is considered as an alternative.
Gallery
