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With over 36,000 outlets to date, McDonald’s is undoubtedly one of the most recognised fast food places around the world
But not all outlets look the same.
From UFO-shaped buildings and decommissioned planes to restaurants nestled in the mountains by a lake, the Golden Arches have certainly had a wild time designing and residing in some of its branches.
Image via CNN/Reuters
We’ve compiled 15 of the most unique McDonald’s outlets around the world for you to admire:
1. McDonald’s Roswell, New Mexico
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Roswell in New Mexico, US is known for rumours of an extraterrestrial incident in 1947, which could have been the inspiration behind this McDonald’s outlet.
Shaped like a flying saucer with the company’s mascots and food cruising through the air, this epic McDonald’s restaurant is outer space themed. The flying saucer even lights up at night with cool neon lights!
2. McDonald’s Yangshuo, China
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Some call this one of the most picturesque McDonald’s outlets in the world. It’s located in a popular tourist city, known as Yangshuo, near Guilin, China.
Although it looks dreamy on the outside, surrounded by a lake and misty mountains, the interior is pretty much like any regular McDonald’s outlet, as described by one travel blogger who visited.
3. McDonald’s Penang, Malaysia
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Built in 1908 and named after British resident Sir Ernest Woodford Birch, The Birch House in George Town, Penang, was once an office for a smelting company in the 1900s.
The two-storey colonial building was eventually renovated after World War II and is now part of Penang’s Times Square, which houses a McDonald’s outlet.
4. McDonald’s Paris, France
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Wedged between two Haussmann-style buildings along Rue Saint-Lazare sits an adorable McDonald’s outlet that looks like it came straight out of a fairytale.
It was built in 1892 for an Alsatian Brewery and later chosen as a historical monument in 1997, according to Atlas Obscura.
To this day, it retains many of the gorgeous embellishments, including a large statue of Gambrinus — a legendary European folk hero and ‘King of Beer’ — as well as beer steins, tobacco pipes, and a stork perched on the building’s chimney.
5. McDonald’s Taupo, New Zealand
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This is the only McDonald’s outlet in the world where you can dine inside a decommissioned DC-3 plane!
On the exterior of the 20-seater aircraft is the restaurant’s logo and colours, while its interior is decked with tables, bright red seats, as well as the original cockpit.
6. McDonald’s Porto, Portugal
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With stained glass windows, crystal chandeliers, and delicious pastries, many deem this outlet in Portugal as one of the most sophisticated McDonald’s branches in the world.
It’s said that this outlet had taken over what was previously known as Imperial caf?, a famous Portuguese coffeeshop in the 1930s, which explains its classy decor.
As described by The Business Insider, a giant bronze eagle by Portuguese sculptor Henrique Moreira sits at the entrance to greet you, a symbol of the Imperial. And as you enter the restaurant, you will notice stunning architectural work, from enthralling sculpted walls to other beautiful features.
7. McDonald’s, Lijiang, China
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Not to be mistaken for a Chinese temple, this McDonald’s outlet is nestled inside a building constructed with the traditional Nakhi architectural style. According to Love food, the surrounding area is the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
8. McDonald’s Dallas, Texas
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Built in the shape of a Happy Meal box, this McDonald’s outlet can be considered the largest Happy Meal in the world. 😛 It also has giant sculptures of French fries, Cokes, Big Macs, and Ronald MacDonald.
However, it is believed that the outlet has since been remodelled from its Happy Meal design.
9. McDonald’s Batumi, Georgia
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Image via @abibas (Instagram)
This futuristic-looking McDonald’s outlet is located in Georgia, a country on the gulf of the Black Sea.
Surrounded by grass and a reflective pool, this McDonald’s outlet offers a modern take on architecture, with its glass exterior that gives it an open feel as you dine.
Unlike its typical red, white, and yellow tones, this outlet follows a minimalistic colour palette with black, white, and wooden accents.
Fun fact: the entire restaurant is actually built above a gas station, as reported by The Business Insider.
10. McDonald’s Milan, Italy
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After two decades of being in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, this McDonald’s outlet was kicked out to allow Prada to take its place.
An article by Delish in 2012 stated that the fast food chain tried to sue the city of Milan for more than USD31 million (RM147 million). On its last day before closing, it gave out free burgers, fries, and drinks, so customers would “go away with a smile”.
11. McDonald’s Bergen, Norway
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Located in an old, wooden Norwegian building without many distinguishable Golden Arches’ colours, this McDonald’s outlet blends seamlessly among the other historic buildings in the area.
Though its exterior looks unusual from typical outlets, the inside is pretty much the same, according to The Independent.
12. McDonald’s Sanfang Qixiang, China
Image via @nonstandardmcd (Twitter)
Image via @nonstandardmcd (Twitter)
Image via @nonstandardmcd (Twitter)
Within the historical and cultural city of Fuzhou is an area with over 200 ancient buildings from the Ming and Qing dynasties. To match the vibe, McDonald’s was built into one of these preserved houses with a wooden exterior and adorned with Chinese lanterns.
13. McDonald’s New Hyde Park, New York
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Image via Atlas Obscura
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What was once an 18th-century farmhouse was converted into a Georgian-style mansion during the 1860s, and later into a grand McDonald’s outlet!
According to Atlas Obscura, McDonald’s had purchased the property and was about to redo the entire place, but not before residents and locals spoke up to preserve the building’s heritage.
Feeling pressured, the fast-food company agreed to retain the building in exchange for permission to include a drive-thru.
14. McDonald’s Barstow, California
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Barstow is a little town in California that was recognised in the past as an intersection of railroad tracks and major highways. Naturally, McDonald’s stylised its outlet as an old railway station, and it is now a popular stop for road-trippers.
15. McDonald’s Victoria, Australia
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This two-storey building was constructed in the late 1930s and used to be a hotel.
It was noted as one of the more historically significant buildings in Victoria because most of its interior and exterior are still intact over the years. So much so, when McDonald’s took over, it was obliged to keep the structure as it was, with little modification.