Vintage photos show what it was to eat at McDonald's in the 1980s

Updated

2025-04-07T17: 54: 50Z

The first McDonald’s franchise opened its doors to plains, Illinois, April 15, 1955.
Chicken nuggets were initiated on the menu in 1983.
Motorhead and President Ronald Reagan were photographed eating at McDonald’s in the 1980s.

In the 1980s, McDonald’s was already a well -established fast food chain with an emblematic menu and a signature brand.

Ray Kroc opened the first location of McDonald’s franchise in Plains, Illinois, on April 15, 1955. That year, he also founded McDonald’s System, Inc., which would become the company McDonald’s that we know today.

In 1958, McDonald’s had sold 100 million burgers and the restaurants had taken a signature design style which showed in an emblematic “Golden Arches” of the chain.

The 1980s were a major growth period for McDonald’s.

The Deeret News reported that sales of McDonald’s restaurants had reached $ 1.62 million in 1989, compared to $ 1 million in 1979, and sales outside the United States rose from $ 900 million in 1979 to $ 5.3 billion in 1989.

While certain aspects of food at McDonald’s have remained the same, some feel iconic from the 80s.

Here’s what it was to eat at McDonald’s in the 1980s.

Some McDonald’s restaurants in the 1980s retained the design of the original restaurant in the 1950s and 60s.

An McDonald’s restaurant in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1980, had the golden Arches.

Universal History Archives / Images of Universal Images / Getty Images

The architect Stanley Meston designed the original look of McDonald’s restaurants, which presented a palette of red and white colors. When the McDonald brothers saw the design for the first time of their new restaurant, they feared that the roof is too flat.

Meston recommended adding the now iconic golden arches to the roof of the building to create a more dimensional appearance.

A location in Downey, California, is the oldest restaurant still operational with red and white design.

While some restaurants have continued to present the golden arches, other storefronts were more modern.

The outside of a branch of a McDonald's in London in 1985 — The exterior of a branch of a McDonald’s in London in 1985 looks like some places today.

Harry Dempster / Daily Express / Hulton Archive / Getty Images

This London restaurant, illustrated in 1985, is remarkably like Urban McDonald’s restaurants today.

Some restaurants have been built in large colonial -looking buildings.

The McDonald's restaurant is seen from the outside where people eat outside on picnic tables in August 1985 — People ate outside McDonald’s in August 1985.

Steve Liss / Getty images

This outdoor courtyard, with its wooden tables and benches, is very different from most of the siege rooms of McDonald’s now, although certain locations of McDonald’s are always housed in historic buildings.

This Sydney restaurant included a large well of light and modern seats.

An McDonald's restaurant in Sydney, Australia, around 1986. — An McDonald’s restaurant in Sydney, Australia, around 1986.

Stuart William Macgladrie / Fairfax Media / Getty Images

There are still surprising and unique McDonald’s restaurants.

The employees wore striped bowling style shirts and hats.

An employee plays orders on a treadmill that delivers food in the McDonalds restaurant training section in 1984. — In 1984, an employee put orders on a treadmill that delivered food to the training section of the McDonald’s restaurant.

Alan Gilbert Purcell / Fairfax Media / Getty Images

Today, employees often wear t-shirts that reflect the most popular and popular promotions of the chain.

Celebrities like British Metal Band Motorhead were identified by taking photos from McDonald’s.

British Metal Band Motorhead in a McDonald's restaurant in Chicago, Illinois, August 5, 1983. — British Metal Band Motorhead in a McDonald’s restaurant in Chicago, Illinois, in 1983.

Paul Natkin / Getty images

For McDonald’s customers in the 1980s, the restaurant was a symbol of America, which resulted in the channel’s advertising campaigns.

In honor of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, McDonald’s presented the slogan “If the United States wins, you win”. With each purchase, McDonald’s customers received a scratch ticket that revealed a certain sports category.

The New York Times reported that if an American Olympian won gold in this category, they could exchange the ticket for a free Big Mac. Money has earned you free fries and a bronze medal has won customers a free coke.

Even President Ronald Reagan was photographed by combining on a McDonald’s hamburger.

President Ronald Reagan takes a bite of a Big Mac, while Charles Patterson chatted with him during a brief campaign stop in 1984 — President Ronald Reagan experienced a Big Mac during a brief campaign stop in 1984.

Bettmann / Getty images

Tuscaloosa News reported that customers had been caught when Reagan made an unexpected stop in an Alabama McDonald’s restaurant in 1984.

“The President of the United States commissioned a Big Mac, a large order of fries and sweet tea, offered a $ 20 ticket from his right-before-down pants pocket, obtained his $ 17.54 change and sought a place to enjoy his meal,” a journalist on stage later in 2006.

Asked about the last time he had eaten at McDonald’s, Reagan replied that it was before he “obtained this work”.

“But I sometimes miss it,” he continued. “I thought that as long as I have the opportunity, I could also benefit from it and stop.”

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Vintage photos show what it was to eat at McDonald’s in the 1980s