THERE’S nothing quite like a quarter-pounder and fries, but how about getting one from the world’s oldest McDonald’s?
Found in Downey in California, USA, the world’s oldest surviving McDonald’s dates back to 1953.
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Then in 1994, the site closed following an earthquake but just two years later it reopened with a new museum and gift shop.
Eventually, the venue was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
And today, much of the exterior and interior remains as it did in the 1950s.
Located 12miles from Los Angeles, upon arrival visitors will be greeted by a towering 60foot neon McDonald’s sign, mounted by the fast-food chain’s original mascot ‘Speedee’.
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And the mascot still features on the location’s drinks cups today.
‘Speedee’ was replaced in 1967 with Ronald McDonald – the clown from ‘McDonaldland’ that we all know and love today.
The exterior of the restaurant follows ‘Googie’ style, a type of architecture that became popular between the 1940s and mid-1960s that inspired America’s obsession with cars and space travel.
This includes two of the chain’s iconic ‘golden arches’ on each side of the front window – these were only installed at the world’s first three McDonald’s.
And of course, at night they glow bright yellow.
Inside, diners can expect more retro features with original booths and food packaging to match.
There is even a small museum with memorabilia including a small scale model of the restaurant and old menus revealing how a Maccie’s burger once used to cost just 15cents (11p in today’s money).
As visitors enter the museum area, they will also pass two giant doors with the iconic McDonald’s ‘M’ on them, which are the original doors of the world’s first ‘hamburger university’ in Illinois.
Visitors can also see some of the historical collector’s cups and even Ronald McDonald books.
Or you can learn about ‘Mac Tonight’, McDonald’s mascot used in commercials from the late 1980s and see a life-sized statue of the mascot.
There is even the old menu in retro writing, with a red and white colour scheme.
The site first opened with a walk-up counter and no seating, before a drive-thru was later added in 1996.
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Visitors today can use the same walk-up counters to place their orders.
McDonald’s fans can also grab merchandise such as t-shirts, jackets, socks, hats and pins.
More collectible items are available too, such as vintage-style promotional glasses and unique wall art.
Whilst the menu is the same as other McDonald’s restaurants across the US, visitors can grab a deep-fried apple pie which is no longer sold in the American restaurants.
The restaurant was originally opened by Roger Williams and Burdette Landon, who had purchased the rights from the fast-food chain’s founders, Richard and Maurice McDonald.
However, this meant that because the restaurant emerged before Roy Kroc joined the company in 1954, the restaurant was exempt from many of the rules enforced at other McDonald’s locations.
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This included modernisation of the restaurant, when Roy Kroc took over in 1961.
As a result, the Downey restaurant predated this, it could keep its retro look.
Downey is also home to the Columbia Memorial Space Center, which played a significant role in the Apollo space programme.
Visitors can explore different exhibits and workshops including a ‘Challenger Learning Center’, which simulates a space mission and participants must work together as astronauts.
There is also a robotics lab and Space Shuttle Landing Simulator that allows visitors to practice landing a space shuttle.
One of the world’s most beautiful McDonald’s also has a pretty outdoor courtyard and volcano views.
Plus, the UK’s ‘most beautiful’ McDonald’s has its own ‘beer garden’ built inside a historic old pub near an idyllic woods.
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