Vinita, Oklahoma - Former World's Largest McDonald's

Vinita, Oklahoma - Former World's Largest McDonald's

Even though it straddles an interstate, this wideload eatery has been out-supersized. Roadsideamerica.com Report...

Vinita, Oklahoma - Former World's Largest McDonald's

It may not be the World's Largest McDonald's any more, but it's still pretty impressive! [Patty Acevedo, 05/07/2009]

Vinita, Oklahoma - World's Largest McDonald's

Vague Recollections: What is today a McDonald's has not always been so. When I was growing up, in the mid to late 60's, Howard Johnson's had the exclusive food concessions at all the service areas on Oklahoma's turnpikes. In most places the service area was in an extra wide portion of the median with the facilities in the median and traffic passing on either side. The one exception was the one at Vinita, which arched over the highway. When I last passed through in 1987 some, if not all of the service areas had a McDonald's. [Jesse Dawson, 04/11/2004]

Vinita, Oklahoma - World's Largest McDonald's

"Still the world's largest!" Boast the signs as you cruise I-44 towards Tulsa. And, as McDonald's restaurants go, it is pretty impressive: the structure is built over the interstate, with a highway exit on each side and a golden arch on the facade spanning all lanes of traffic. If there's not too much of a crowd, you can enjoy your Big Mac at a window seat and watch the commerce of the nation roar by mere inches under your feet. But, "world's largest?" The actual McDonald's part of this McDonald's isn't any larger than what you'd find around any shopping mall, and it occupies a relatively small area of the whole building. The rest is given over to a gift shop, ice cream shop, tourist information stand, and, frankly, a whole lot of empty, unused space. So what gives? I asked the woman selling distinctly non-McDonald's merchandise at the gift store, and she explained that yes, restaurants in Beijing and Moscow and elsewhere can seat more people and are, honestly, bigger. [Craig Bryant, 08/09/2003]

Vinita, Oklahoma - World's Largest McDonald's

This is billed as the world's largest McDonald's. It spans the Will Rogers Turnpike I-44 in Vinita OK between Tulsa and Joplin MO. It looks like a bridge of sorts with a big golden arch on either side and large windows below the arches. You must either climb a flight of stairs or take an elevator to the restaurant level. THe lower level does have an OK travel information area. The restaurant has a large sitting area that has you looking at the traffic below while you munch on your Big Mac. There is a playland, a McDonald's gift shop, another gift shop and the usual restaurant eminities, restrooms etc. It was enough of a draw to have me drive about an hour from Tulsa to see it and then send a post card to my parents. [Deb Del Valle, 09/23/2000]

[RA: We visited at the time their claim was being toppled by the giant McD's in Russia. There are other McD's that now trumpet their square footage supremacy. Vinita is also home to the Calf Fry Festival. Tourism lit sez it's "an Oklahoma delicacy, known as the 'cattleman's hors d'oeuvre'. Baby animal testicles, served fried, boiled, battered, grilled, and seasoned to visitors by champion calf fry chefs." ]