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Most would probably argue that McDonald's, the iconic American fast-food chain, is known for its menu, and not its decor. But Katrinka from Baltimore, Maryland, recently tweeted a few pics of a restaurant in Freeport, Maine, that has become popular because of the opposite.
"It looks like a funeral home outside and a retirement home inside," the Twitter user wrote. Her tweet instantly went viral and people started responding to it with other weird McDonald's locations. From a decommissioned airplane to an old bank building, or to even no-longer-existing but nevertheless fascinating constructions, it would definitely be interesting to order a burger in one of these joints!
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The McDonald's that got Katrinka's attention actually has a pretty nice story behind it. When the fast-food chain was looking to expand to the town of Freeport, they ran into a problem: the Freeport building design restrictions were strict, and the authorities wanted the fast-food giant to maintain the area's aesthetic. To put it simply: no golden arches.
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So, McDonald's chose the Gore House that was built by a wealthy local merchant, William Gore, around 1850. At first, the town couldn't decide whether to allow this, but ultimately gave the go-ahead, and it opened in December of 1984. The restaurant retained its style, which the Freeport Historical Society describes as "a mix of Greek Revival and Italianate architecture."
One could walk in and think that this was just another local posh tavern similar to the one across the street. But this restaurant doesn't offer fine steak and craft beer; only Big Macs and Coca-Cola.
#4
kitty.boom 5 years ago
They got nice lightings inside. Who would have thought McDonald would have chandelier?
#5
kitty.boom 5 years ago
It looks like those paper town cardboard toys. Where you have to fold and assemble it.
#6
Rabbit Carrot 5 years ago
This no longer exists. It was torn down in 2008. It was in Alconbury.
Young Minami Kotaro 5 years ago
all customers who come for the first time will definitely say "Wowww.."
Fireflower 5 years ago
The aliens were trying to blend in to human society
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#8
Ninja Kitty 5 years ago
oh yeeaaahhh!! my cousin lives right by it! she took me there one time and we went inside, and it is very....[no word found]
#15
KATELYN NGUYEN 5 years ago
I am in Houston,Texas and their is a McDonalds that looks like a post office
#16
Ivana Junas 5 years ago
The villa of Chiang Ching-kuo, son of Chiang Kai-shek, for a period of about a month.
#17
Molly Cule 5 years ago
The picture on the left is in it's own little cave at the foot of the stairs. It was pretty cramped but it was the most popular table.
#23
Dippin Dot 5 years ago
There's one that looks like this in Oshkosh, WI, and I know of a few others around the MN/WI/IL part of the midwest.
#25
#30
Jessica Brand 5 years ago
Oh my God! I made myself so sick eating there! Hadn't eaten anything but DFAC food for 8 months and went overboard. But it was SOOOOO worth it on my way back for R&R.
#33
CrunChewy McSandybutt 5 years ago
And now it's a McDonald's. A sad waste of a beautiful building.
#41
Gina Foxley 5 years ago
Unfortunately this McDonalds was torn down several years ago and replaced with an ugly standard looking McDonalds.
#44
LittleMissLotus 5 years ago
I've been here on vacation before- every business in town has this type of architecture lol
#45
#46
Tiggy Darling 5 years ago
Was wondering if anybody would post this one. I ate there earlier this year.
#47
Lyone Fein 5 years ago
That is a beautiful example of 20th century American style. Great photo.
#51
#52
CaptainDinosaur 5 years ago
I might make the trip up 40 for a peek at this place once this bastard covid chills out.
#63
#64
#65
Howie Berry 5 years ago
That's not Elstree, it's in Borehamwood. It's opposite Elstree Film Studios, and many many famous film stars used to drink there when it was the Red Lion Pub including Errol Flynn.
#68
CrunChewy McSandybutt 5 years ago
*small child approaches the counter "Please sir, may I have some more dipping sauce?"
#70
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What do you think ?
Bmo 5 years ago
I visited one in Taiwan that was so small they only had the counter and fountain drink machine on the main level. The kitchen was above it and everything was sent down on this conveyor belt system that they hooked the bags to. You could fit maybe 3 customers inside including the 1 worker at the counter.
kitty.boom 5 years ago
I love how some of the interiors are very interesting and classy looking for a fast-food chain. The outside and inside are not disappointing.
Bruce Mills 5 years ago
One near me only has one arch. 58d8a9a7b3...065htm.jpg 
mcdonalds-...78b941.jpg 
Sarah Brinsfield 5 years ago
The McDonald's, up by the Polynesian Cultural Center, on 'Oahu, Hawai'i, is beautiful!
Treessimontrees 5 years ago
The Antigua, Guatemala one is awesome - https://www.google.com/search?q=antigua+mcdonalds&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS821US821&sxsrf=ALeKk035d43F7Pi0BKKZ4BKFuwsUmvfsrg:1589211613124&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjd-7DNkqzpAhUFoZ4KHWa6Dx0Q_AUoAXoECBMQAw&biw=1920&bih=937#imgrc=rtkf3eU-ihffLM
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 5 years ago
We had a rockin McDonald's in the '90's. It was 50's burger joint. Even had a '50's car in it and a huge fake Elvis and and records hanging down. Juke boxes on the tables and shiny things everywhere you looked. Colors were purple and silver. They had to change it back to match normal McDonald's I heard. But it was called Rockin' McDonald's.
Sandra Simpson 5 years ago
I can't be the only one who checked out Google Maps for every single one. haha Good idea
nala simba 5 years ago
Such beautiful architecture to sell dhitburgers! It's almost like drinking the best champagne out of an old plimsoll that had been worn by someone with. Athletes Foot!
Julie Lloyd 5 years ago
I didn't know there were so many Interesting Maccas, these are great fun.
logical fallacy 5 years ago
The funniest ones are those that look like Medieval taverns for travellers, because that's pretty much McDonalds' today.
Coffey Murphy 5 years ago
Now IAM Hungry! And I don't have a car to go get drive thru or a phone I can answer to open my building door if I ordered! FWP!
Fireflower 5 years ago
Who are the architects for many of these buildings? Their work here is amazing! What else have they designed?
*sigh*, The Yellow Teletubby 5 years ago
I once went into a McD's with my family when I was around 5, and I still distinctly remember the marble floors, quilted-looking (velvet I think?) red booths, with dark-colored wood, big, marble pillars in the middle of the building, chandeliers in every booth, and the entire place was just a really tight squeeze because of all the fanciness. Unfortunately, I don't remember where it was, but it was on our way to the Oklahoma City area, from the Dallas area. I think it was also in the middle of nowhere/a small town. Would be great if someone knows the place, or at least maybe knows it. Also, the waiters I think had tuxes, or at least ties.
Lucas Young 5 years ago
It's nice to have the pictures from before they were mostly torn down and replaced with their standard new template
Load More Replies...
Stephanie Hatton 5 years ago
So do McDonald's in other countries have the same negative connotations that they do in America? Here in the southern United States, it's cheap fast food for when you need a quick easy meal.
Jack Nimble 5 years ago
I might be a special kind of nerd but I'm more interested in the grammar of the headline. I had never before considered the proper way to pluralize a business name that ends in a possessive apostrophe s, such as McDonald's. I think there best way would be to rewrite the sentence to avoid the situation - e.g., "McDonald's locations." If there is, for whatever reason, no way to avoid it, then I think how it is written in the headline would be the best solution. I assume online publications are not worried about adding an additional word here and there, so I think the first option would be the preferred approach for this headline - "McDonald's locations"
Podunkus 5 years ago
You could just ask their PR department. I’m sure they’d have a recommendation for you: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/contact-us.html
Load More Replies...
Jack Nimble 5 years ago
I would assume most of the "fancy" ones do not because those are usually the result of local building regulations and those cities/towns that have such regulations would probably also prohibit drive-throughs
Load More Replies... Ninja Kitty 5 years ago (edited)
I bet youtubers can do a lot of 24-hours in mcdonalds videos with these ones! they're so cool!
Bmo 5 years ago
I visited one in Taiwan that was so small they only had the counter and fountain drink machine on the main level. The kitchen was above it and everything was sent down on this conveyor belt system that they hooked the bags to. You could fit maybe 3 customers inside including the 1 worker at the counter.
kitty.boom 5 years ago
I love how some of the interiors are very interesting and classy looking for a fast-food chain. The outside and inside are not disappointing.
Bruce Mills 5 years ago
One near me only has one arch. 58d8a9a7b3...065htm.jpg mcdonalds-...78b941.jpg
Sarah Brinsfield 5 years ago
The McDonald's, up by the Polynesian Cultural Center, on 'Oahu, Hawai'i, is beautiful!
Treessimontrees 5 years ago
The Antigua, Guatemala one is awesome - https://www.google.com/search?q=antigua+mcdonalds&rlz=1C1GCEA_enUS821US821&sxsrf=ALeKk035d43F7Pi0BKKZ4BKFuwsUmvfsrg:1589211613124&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjd-7DNkqzpAhUFoZ4KHWa6Dx0Q_AUoAXoECBMQAw&biw=1920&bih=937#imgrc=rtkf3eU-ihffLM
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 5 years ago
We had a rockin McDonald's in the '90's. It was 50's burger joint. Even had a '50's car in it and a huge fake Elvis and and records hanging down. Juke boxes on the tables and shiny things everywhere you looked. Colors were purple and silver. They had to change it back to match normal McDonald's I heard. But it was called Rockin' McDonald's.
Sandra Simpson 5 years ago
I can't be the only one who checked out Google Maps for every single one. haha Good idea
nala simba 5 years ago
Such beautiful architecture to sell dhitburgers! It's almost like drinking the best champagne out of an old plimsoll that had been worn by someone with. Athletes Foot!
Julie Lloyd 5 years ago
I didn't know there were so many Interesting Maccas, these are great fun.
logical fallacy 5 years ago
The funniest ones are those that look like Medieval taverns for travellers, because that's pretty much McDonalds' today.
Coffey Murphy 5 years ago
Now IAM Hungry! And I don't have a car to go get drive thru or a phone I can answer to open my building door if I ordered! FWP!
Fireflower 5 years ago
Who are the architects for many of these buildings? Their work here is amazing! What else have they designed?
*sigh*, The Yellow Teletubby 5 years ago
I once went into a McD's with my family when I was around 5, and I still distinctly remember the marble floors, quilted-looking (velvet I think?) red booths, with dark-colored wood, big, marble pillars in the middle of the building, chandeliers in every booth, and the entire place was just a really tight squeeze because of all the fanciness. Unfortunately, I don't remember where it was, but it was on our way to the Oklahoma City area, from the Dallas area. I think it was also in the middle of nowhere/a small town. Would be great if someone knows the place, or at least maybe knows it. Also, the waiters I think had tuxes, or at least ties.
Lucas Young 5 years ago
It's nice to have the pictures from before they were mostly torn down and replaced with their standard new template
Load More Replies... Stephanie Hatton 5 years ago
So do McDonald's in other countries have the same negative connotations that they do in America? Here in the southern United States, it's cheap fast food for when you need a quick easy meal.
Jack Nimble 5 years ago
I might be a special kind of nerd but I'm more interested in the grammar of the headline. I had never before considered the proper way to pluralize a business name that ends in a possessive apostrophe s, such as McDonald's. I think there best way would be to rewrite the sentence to avoid the situation - e.g., "McDonald's locations." If there is, for whatever reason, no way to avoid it, then I think how it is written in the headline would be the best solution. I assume online publications are not worried about adding an additional word here and there, so I think the first option would be the preferred approach for this headline - "McDonald's locations"
Podunkus 5 years ago
You could just ask their PR department. I’m sure they’d have a recommendation for you: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/contact-us.html
Load More Replies... Jack Nimble 5 years ago
I would assume most of the "fancy" ones do not because those are usually the result of local building regulations and those cities/towns that have such regulations would probably also prohibit drive-throughs
Load More Replies... Ninja Kitty 5 years ago (edited)
I bet youtubers can do a lot of 24-hours in mcdonalds videos with these ones! they're so cool!
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