Retro Photos of the World’s Oldest McDonald’s in California

"Ba Da Ba Ba Bah, I'm lovin' it!"

Millions of people dine in and drive through McDonald's every day. But why? What makes the home of Ronald McDonald so irresistible?

Mickey D's is all about consistency. 

And consistency sells. From how it's wrapped to how it tastes, a Big Mac in Idaho is a Big Mac in California. From state to state, one country to the next, McDonald's customers know they can expect the same level of quality and taste in every bite of their favorite combo. 

Consistency fosters a sense of comfort and brand loyalty.

So just how loyal are McDonald's diners? 

 

Around 51 percent of restaurant chain customers in the United States say they are likely to use McDonald’s again. Set in relation to the 58 percent usage share of the brand, this means that 88 percent of their customers show loyalty to the brand. -Statista

According to a 2023 Statista poll, the McDonald's brand value totaled $191.11 billion thanks to the chain's unwavering customer loyalty and fry fanatics. 

"I'll have a Happy Meal with a side of '90s childhood memories."

McDonald's invokes a sense of nostalgia for millions of people, myself included.

Those boot, bell, bone, and ball-shaped chicken nuggets with a side of mini fries really were some of the happiest meals of my childhood. And who could forget the toys? As an elder millennial, I can attest to the awesomeness of '90s Happy Meal toys. 

Teenie Beanie Babies, Sky Dancers, Potato Head Kids, Muppets Treasure Island, my Space Jam Lola Bunny plushie! Oh, what I'd give to share them with my own kids today.

The old McDonald's had personality & birthday parties.

Today's grown-up McCafes are one IKEA desk shy of being an office reception area. They make for terrific remote work lounges, but sometimes I miss the red, yellow, and burnt brown hues of an early '90s McDiner. 

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Today's littles will never know the euphoric feeling of being invited to a McBirthday party and the Playland-ragers that followed.  

McDonald's Playland was iconic. 

If your parents couldn't afford a trip to Disneyland, McDonald's Playland was the next best thing. It was the catalyst behind my first trip to the ER, but I wouldn't trade the memories of my brother and me inside the sauna-like Officer Big Mac Climb-In Jail for the world.  

Today's padded and safety-compliant rec parks have nothing on the death-defying McDonald's Playland my generation broke bones on. 

It didn't matter that Hamburglar's rusty chain link swings were the cause of many a jammed finger, or how Captain Crook's scorching-hot spiral slide gave some of our first second-degree burns—we had a blast.   

Hungry for some McDonald's nostalgia?

Nestled in California, scroll for a look inside the oldest McDonald's in the world. 

Keep scrolling for...

• Do you remember these '90s throwback McDonald's drinking glasses?

• 10 hushed facts about Mickey D's famous chicken nuggets

• Of all the things, this Boise woman was baffled by McDonald's apple pie

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