The oldest McDonald's - Downey, CA

[Heel n Toe]

The oldest McDonald’s still in operation (1953). Downey, CA

In the quiet suburban city of Downey, California, a piece of fast food history still stands tall - the oldest operating McDonald's restaurant.

This unassuming hamburger stand opened its doors on August 18, 1953, becoming only the third McDonald's location in existence.

It was franchised by the McDonald brothers themselves, well before the involvement of business magnate Ray Kroc who would later transform the company into a global juggernaut.

With its signature golden arches and walk-up service style, this humble eatery offered a glimpse into the pioneering vision of efficient, high-quality fast food that would revolutionize the restaurant industry.

For decades, the Downey McDonald's operated in peaceful anonymity, a beloved local gem.

However, its fortunes changed in the 1990s as the McDonald's corporation modernized, leaving this vintage restaurant as the last of its kind.

Suddenly thrust into the spotlight, it faced the threat of demolition until public outcry demanded its preservation.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation named it one of the 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 1994, spurring a two-year restoration effort.

What could have been yet another casualty of corporate expansion became an unlikely cultural icon - a vintage time capsule whisking customers back to the origins of one of America's most recognized brands.

Today, this architectural jewel from the golden age of drive-ins continues to serve up nostalgic charm and simple burgers to patrons young and old.

An adjacent museum offers fascinating insights into McDonald's' humble beginnings, while the original restaurant itself has been preserved in a state of '50s time warp.

Stepping through its diner-style doors, one can almost envision a young Ray Kroc dreaming of a future fast food empire as he visits the McDonald brothers' ingenious operation.

[Bill Douglas]

That's so good it's be preserved. History doesn't need to be 200 years old or 2,000 years old, this is our generations "pop" history being preserved.

[KFC911]

That's how I remember the local Mickey D's as a small child... walk up window... burger, fries, and drink for like .75 ... prolly around '65 or so....

Over 1 million served

Mebbe not exactly then, but I watched them slowly increase the number on the big sign for years....

[3rd_gear_Ted]

My wife grew up a couple blocks away where Karen Carpenter grew up.
Picture 50+ years ago, Warren H.S. would play Downey H.S. on a Friday night. People would then cruise Lakewood Blvd. and Mickey D's was the hopping place to be.
A Kennedy got you a burger and a coke.

[The Synergizer]

I hope the meat is fresh!

[stevej37]

I was about 7 years old when they opened the first one near me in MI. There wasn't that much talk of it really. Nobody knew much about them here in the late 50's.

When Burger King announced they were coming (10? years later)....it was a huge story.

[Zeke]

We have an original McD in Long Beach but the arches were removed and I'm guessing at the insistence of corp because they stood for a long time under the name of Tommy's burgers. Tommy's is famous in L.A. There might be (at least was) a line at midnight.

4315 Anaheim St. 90804 if you want to see the LB location. The Tommy's in L.A. is the only one of 32 now that is open 24 hours.

[herr_oberst]

I'm a cynical knob, so everytime I think of the original McDonalds, this song pops into my head.

(But I think it's really cool that the city of Downey made the decision to keep this history alive.)