The World's Oldest McDonald's Is Still Going Strong In California

When you pull up to the McDonald's on Lakewood Boulevard in Downey, California, you might feel like you've entered a bygone era. Indeed, not much has changed at the world's oldest operating McDonald's location, which was among the chain's first four outposts. It's been slinging burgers and fries since it first opened in 1953. 

From the single golden arch at the entrance that hoists up the chain's forgotten mascot, Chef Speedee, to the old-school logo painted onto the building's facade, it's truly a time capsule of McDonald's past — one that stands alone since the 2017 demolition of the original McDonald's location in Des Plaines, Illinois. 

Obviously, a lot has changed since the days of poodle skirts and sock hops. Chef Speedee has been replaced by the likes of Ronald McDonald and the internet-famous Grimace. The Corvettes and Thunderbirds in the parking lot have given way to Priuses, the brand's design schemes have changed dramatically, and hamburgers no longer cost 15 cents. But in Downey, you can still get a taste of the old days. 

McDonald's didn't open its first drive-thru until 1975. As such, historically accurate as it is, the Downey location gives diners the option to park their cars and walk up to the outdoor dining window to place their orders. The dining rig, which includes both indoor and outdoor seating, is set up like a museum that boasts photos and knick-knacks from its golden era. According to Insider, the location also features plenty of Ronald McDonald memorabilia, including a giant statue, a clock, and vintage advertisements. Other forgotten characters of the McDonald's universe, like the moon-headed Mac Tonight, also haunt the grounds. 

Visitors can even wander over to the original indoor order window, a pentagonal glass dome that comes complete with mannequins in vintage McDonald's employee uniforms. If only they were real and could take orders for the original menu items advertised on the window's vintage placards. Diners had the choice of a hamburger, a cheeseburger, fries, and five beverages, none of which cost more than 20 cents. 

In addition to the sheer neatness of being one of the original McDonald's locations, the Downey outpost is unique for another reason — it features an old-school multimixer, the efficient machine responsible for some of the company's first milkshakes. The innovation was peddled by Ray Kroc, who traveled the country selling the hulking things. After learning that brothers Dick and Mac McDonald were fans of the machine, he went to California to meet them and sell them even more. 

The meeting must have gone well because Kroc became the company's franchise agent and soon after, he bought the humble hamburger stand and became its CEO, setting it on a decidedly more lucrative path. Even though the Downey location has since switched to more modern milkshake machines, one can't help but wonder if the multimixers were less prone to breaking. We may never know, but at least now there's an app that tells you whether or not your local McFlurry machine is in order.