- McDonald’s announced it will close a museum dedicated to the first restaurant
- The store was torn down in 1984, but the McDonald’s Store No. 1 Museum opened the next year, with the original restaurant’s sign out front
- Flooding caused the museum to close off interior access in 2008
McDonald’s Corp. has announced it will demolish a suburban Chicago museum that’s a replica of the hamburger chain’s first restaurant.
Ray Kroc built his first restaurant in 1955 in Des Plaines, after franchising the brand from the original owners, Richard and Maurice McDonald.
The Chicago Tribune reports the store was torn down in 1984. McDonald’s Store No. 1 Museum opened the next year, with the original restaurant’s sign out front.
A museum in Des Plaines, Illinois, of the first McDonald’s restaurant will be demolished next month
In a statement, McDonald’s says tourist numbers have declined due to repeated flooding of the site.
The flooding caused the museum to close off interior access in 2008, but visitors could still peek through the windows.
The museum had a mannequin crew, milkshake mixers, grills, fryers, and other paraphernalia from the original days.
The store was torn down in 1984, but the McDonald’s Store No. 1 Museum opened the next year, with the original restaurant’s sign out front
The museum had a mannequin crew, milkshake mixers, grills, fryers, and other paraphernalia from the original days
‘We have decided to permanently close the replica of McDonald’s first franchised restaurant and hope to donate the land to the City of Des Plaines,’ McDonald’s said.
‘The re-created restaurant … has not regularly welcomed visitors since closing to the public 10 years ago. This combined with the building’s location and the feasibility to reopen and maintain it led us to this decision. This property in Des Plaines will always have a special place in our company’s history.’
The exact date of the demolition is unknown, but the company expects it will take place next month.