The World’s Oldest McDonald’s Restaurant

If you happen to be in Downey, California, you can take a step back into fast food history.. This city boasts the oldest McDonald’s restaurant in existence.

The restaurant opened in 1953 and though it has been renovated, the franchise carefully retained it in its original condition. Its iconic red and white striped exterior remains, along with a 60-foot tall neon sign featuring "Speedee the Chef." It still has walk-up windows and outdoor seating.

Employees at this restaurant proudly wear the same uniforms they would have worn in the 1950s. These include white shirts and bolo ties, and paper hats. The store retained the original menu featuring hamburgers, cheeseburgers and fries. You can even order an old-fashioned milkshake. They also decided to update their menu with Big Macs, Happy Meals, and other more modern items.

The old building also boasts an addition housing a museum and gift shop, which were added during its restoration.

The Speedee McDonald’s is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, which would ensure its survival.

If you would like to stop by this piece of history, Spedee McDonald’s is located on Lakewood Avenue at the intersection with Florence Avenue. You can also visit its website here