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Des Plaines, Illinois: McDonald's Store No. 1 (Gone)

RoadsideAmerica.com Team Field Report

Directions:
On the west side of Lee St./US Hwys 45 & 12, just south of where US Hwys 45 & 12 split, and just north of US Hwy 14/Miner St.
Hours:
Closed July 2017. Bulldozed Aug. 21, 2018.
Status:
Gone

McDonald's Museum and Store No. 1.

McDonald's Store No. 1

A sacred origin spot for American fast foodies, Store No. 1 was rebuilt in 1985, creating its own 1955 time warp. Closed in July 2017 by the corporation, which no longer wanted to preserve it. Bulldozed Aug. 21, 2018. Site now a city park.

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Visitor Tips and News About McDonald's Store No. 1

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McDonald's cashier dummy.

McDonald's Museum and Store No. 1

It's hard to feel bad for a guy with a spray-on tan, but this McDonald's replica worker is out of the only job he knows after the corporation demolishes its museum and replica Store No. 1 in Des Plaines. A cashier dummy and fry cook dummy have been silent crew members at this fast food shrine for decades. Frequent seasonal flooding forced the closing of the museum and interior ten years ago, and building demolition is planned for December 2017.

[RoadsideAmerica.com Team, 11/20/2017]
McDonald's Museum and Store No. 1

They are not open. Yelp said they are open from 10:30 am. We were there till 11 am and it's still not open. Went by again around 3 pm and still closed. Asked locals and they said it's been closed for a while since flood.

[Gin, 07/27/2017]

Someone's still trimming and mowing, but for now it seems to be an exterior view only.

McDonald's Museum.

McDonald's Museum and Store No. 1

#1 McDonald's...very cool at night!

[Richard Stockman, 03/06/2011]
Original Ray Kroc McDonald's, Food Train

Here stands the original Ray Kroc McDonald's, but who cares about that? Three blocks south of that is the Choo-Choo Restaurant, a Des Plaines institution for something like 50 years. A very small diner featuring classic American food like burgers and fries has the distinction of being the only restaurant around that delivers food by train. If you sit at the counter, a very old Lionel train will deliver your food right to you. The menu is badly printed, and the decor is horrible, frankly a dream come true. Let the kids ride the nostalgic black horse, it's only a dime.

[John Haliotis, 04/24/1999]

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