Sign up to Morning Brew for free today! morningbrewdaily.com/stewart

@pt9973

Жыл бұрын

2:10 not the automobile as a reified invention, industry, science but the automobile industry. Wouldn’t you say more realistically? And thank you for the video, really reminded me of some of your most beloved from the beginning.

@SteveJobIess

Жыл бұрын

Maybe because people dont want to eat in a building that looks like it was puked up by a clown.

@pt9973

Жыл бұрын

@@SteveJobIess who eats at McDonalds or anywhere at that? Clown puke is way more interesting that eating. GaL.

@sleepyancient6655

Жыл бұрын

I would love to see a few videos from you on Art Decko. There's just so much in that style and, if possible, I was wondering how it could come back in a more modern way. Just a way to bring back some warmth and visual interest in new commercial and industrial construction. Not expecting this, just wondering if you would consider it.

@EastTxCobb

Жыл бұрын

One of my happy memories is the huge aquarium that used to be inside of my childhood McDonald’s RIP the 1990s😅

Part of the soulless Ness is bc these fast food chaines try to rebrand as healthy, without changing their menu. They do this by building restaurants with the colors green and brown (wood) which are associated with nature and by extension organic food

@tylere.8436

Жыл бұрын

It's practically manipulative and deceptive.

@endcaps1917

Жыл бұрын

So basically in there attempt to do all style no substance they did no style no substance

@davidhoward4715

Жыл бұрын

@@endcaps1917 It's a fast food "restaurant" for pity's sake!

@PeterParker-ff7ub

Жыл бұрын

it only looks like every other building

@planescaped

Жыл бұрын

Lol that is so dumb if it's true.

McDonald's went from being a joyful child to a depressed adult

@dougfredricks2017

11 ай бұрын

L😄L

@JMS_Hunter

10 ай бұрын

Just the same way we did

@mii-sanch.939

10 ай бұрын

@@JMS_Hunter 'Scuse you, I was miserable as a kid too!

@sharedknowledge6640

10 ай бұрын

Indeed. McDonald’s has had many identity crises including with their store designs. The movie The Founder highlights their eccentric early beginnings. Sadly they seemingly have not learned from their many mistakes.

In business school I learned that another factor in this change was to compete with fast casual restaurants such as Panera, chipotle etc. the previous color scheme also was associated with a brand image of unhealthiness which typically is the case of fast food restaurants. As much as the homogenization in the lack of play structures for kids makes me sad and it makes me thankful for the McDonald’s of the pass I understand why they decided to go this route… It’s all about business and money.

@guildrich

Жыл бұрын

Doesn't make the food any healthier, though. 😄

@bunnyben5607

Жыл бұрын

Funny how they did this, but now they just look hilariously mismatched. They have none of the brand identity of Panera/chipotle. Modern McDonald's look like soulless slop dispensaries, and maybe that's what they want.

@Honestcritic79

Жыл бұрын

To me, this makes more sense. I think ever since McDonald’s got a bad rap, and the name was synonymous with unhealthy junk food, McDonald’s, in a weird way, wanted to distance itself from its own image by making its own restaurant, seem more bland, and more disassociated with the original McDonald and in essence wanted to present itself as just your average eatery.

@iiplaya

Жыл бұрын

@@Honestcritic79it’s just strange because whenever I see a mcdonald’s I still instantly think “eww”

@TheHomerowKeys

Жыл бұрын

so it's all just denial? We know fast food is generally unhealthy. I'd rather these fast food places lean into the "Paunch Burger" aesthetic and just let people know "it's junk; eat in moderation"

I had a more solid realization of this trend when I finally went into a Taco Bell that was fully redesigned to their new black, silver, purple aesthetic. It felt sterile. Cold. Uninviting. It didn’t feel like somewhere I’d wanna eat at, or hang out with friends or anything. Just a grey block of steel with hints of purple.

@peijichan2589

Жыл бұрын

I agree! Even if the monochromatic logo redesign is more minimal and therefore "modern," it just doesn't do it for me. I miss Taco Bell's pink, yellow, and purple color scheme: it was unique and easy to identify as a Taco Bell. Even now, every time I see their white and purple sign, I keep thinking it's old and faded, and assume the location itself is run down. 😅

@Cincy32

Жыл бұрын

I haven't ate at Taco Bell in years. Same for McDonald's & Burger King.

@maxbrandt6

Жыл бұрын

Much agreed, cold and uninviting is the vibe of today's Taco Bell, it's rather depressing. Their food is okay but look at how their restaurants used to be styled in the 70s and 80s, they had a much warmer pantone and the American southwest vibe to the architecture was rather charming, they were competing against Taco Viva (which was better) that also had a delightful southwestern vibe going. I absolutely HATE the way Taco Bell restaurants look in 2023 and I never see anyone sitting in the one up the road from me anymore, no mystery there.

@daviddumoor8450

Жыл бұрын

​@@Cincy32 del taco really helps getting over that Pepsi-Cola garbage, right?

@Etaoinshrdlu69

Жыл бұрын

Bright and colourful=poor and cheap Black, grey, and white=rich and premium

As an architect and planner, I actually prefer the homogenization of these restaurants. It makes the buildings more adaptable when they inevitably go under or close up shop. Towns aren't blighted by ex-Pizza Huts and ex-McDonalds that nobody wants because they are architecturally stamped as corporate symbols. Regional material variations applied to the box are the better route. They all could work to be a little less soulless though. Thanks for the video.

@SarionFetecuse

Жыл бұрын

C0cksuckers who think like this need the rope

@KSPRAYDAD

Жыл бұрын

As someone that is on the road in medium sized cities for 32 weeks of the year, 2 towns each week...the cookie cutter architecture of every plaza and strip mall gets depressing really fast and has me feeling like i'm nowhere and everywhere at the same time. There is little to differentiate town from town and no memories are formed that last as visualizing locations becomes very difficult.

@seanmurphy9776

Жыл бұрын

@@KSPRAYDAD Agreed. Corporate architecture in my opinion is largely responsible for that along with economic drivers and a desire to conform. I think unique regional identity grounded in styles, form, materials, time, and place are really key to fixing that. My mind goes to Santa Fe, NM or other towns that manage their identity as models for what we should be doing nationwide without inhibiting innovations. It's certainly a balance.

@fredashay

Жыл бұрын

That's probably why the change. It's easier to sell the building and for new new owner to rebrand it.

@mikeinportland30

Жыл бұрын

I agree with you there architecturally, but Culturally I find the homogenization of business through endless corporate mergers spirit killing (every dept store is Macys, every grocer is Kroger) as there is less and less sense of place.... and that is the visual component of the ever more malign influence of bigger and bigger corporations on our country. If choosing between the two conflicting thoughts, I think the latter for me the bigger issue though your point is a good one! I personally like to see the bones of an old Pizza Hut or Kinney Shoes or Marina Safeway as a reminder of a time of more diversity.

It just came to me that another big change of the McDonald's is the disappearance of playgrounds. I remember wanting to go there every week not for the fries but for going in and out of rainbow tubes and ball pools. It might not be just the color which made today's fast food restaurants "souless", but also the lack of energetic kids running round and its unique children-friendly charm coming out from it.

@Qwerty-jy9mj

Жыл бұрын

Most of it were liability concerns, I think. When I was a kid I remember rating fast food restaurants for how cool their playground structures were, there was even a mall that occupied a big chunk of their food court seating area with a huge playground. That was meant to be the attraction, not the store selection or the food, but the playground.

@xenn4985

Жыл бұрын

@@Qwerty-jy9mj Someone oughta run the numbers. How much is this soulless direction costing them in profit vs how much liability they used to have.

@ifyourmarriedyourasimpanda7440

Жыл бұрын

Covid will probably prevent that from ever happening again.

@kugelblitzingularity304

Жыл бұрын

Umm actually I dont want kids near a McDonald's for their health. I take this as an absolute win.

@CubeAtlantic

Жыл бұрын

I wouldn't call McDonald's "soulless" broski it's not visaully-appeling or elaborate i used to find the ball pools kind of dope but unclean as a kid but i vividly used to chill & run in the McDonald's tubes, & playgrounds.

I'm an Architectural Designer who's company has worked with franchise owners across the US for the past 10 years. Your summary is a fine one, and it's always pained me that the designs are rather uninspired. If I may add, there is an additional reason you didn't discuss that is a large factor in why they look the way they do. Very few stores now days are actually owned by "Corporate" anymore, nearly every store for every type of fast food restauraunt across the US is owned by a private franchisee. While franchises vary wildly in culinary offering, they all share a similar contract with the franchise owner (McDonalds, etc.) that requires a store "refresh" after a set duration of time. This is part of the clinically researched business of fast food, where it is understood that newer stores see higher traffic for the first few years. There's more to it than that, but I'll stick to the big points for the sake of concision. Having a essentially a box as structure is optimal for this hyper-consumerist style of architecture, as it can be dressed up to look different fairly easily. Additionally, as you aluded to, it can likewise be redressed to be a different franchise, which works great for owners who typically have a portfolio of several different types of franchise. They may, for example, rotate out franchises instead of doing a straight refresh to better target local preferences. Personally, while I love the people I work with, the designs can indeed be quite bland. My other work keeps me engaged design wise at least.

@TheHomerowKeys

Жыл бұрын

So you're part of this problem.

@bigboahpete7484

Жыл бұрын

@@TheHomerowKeys I don’t think he wants to be

I kind of missed the McDonald’s from the 70’s through the 90’s. I’m getting so used to the modern McDonald’s. I did really liked the old school when I was growing up. The interiors were so different than the outside. I remembered going into one that had kind of a Star Wars theme. My favorite one had a 1950’s theme inside in the early 90’s. I only been in these 2 McDonald’s in the county that I lived in. I liked one of them better than the other one. When I was little it was a real treat to go to one.

As an architectural designer who was contacted to update existing McDonald's to the latest "modern" style this was a really great video to watch. When I first had them as a client I was excited to update the existing architecture but then quickly realized everything has been meticulously designed for peak efficiency of customer traffic. Most of their money comes from the drive thru so that has always been the first upgrade. I was also asked so many times if I got to design the play places, unfortunately no, pretty much every single design element has been predetermined by corporate McD from furniture to how the kitchen is laid out.

@seanmurphy9776

Жыл бұрын

Yep, been there. Usually the only time they are modified extensively is when a P & Z Board or code forces differentiation. I had the rare exception of being on the design team for a national department store chain that was building a new and different version of their store. One of the first in the country. Even in the earliest experiments with new corporate designs, efficiency and cost savings are baked in from the get-go.

@Novusod

Жыл бұрын

It is not just McDonald's, all fast food and restaurant architecture is being homogenized. I think it has to do with the revival of urbanism in the 2010s. Many fast food corporations opened up "flagship" stores inside major cities such as in New York's Times Square. In these locations it was impossible to have fancy signs and towering arches or a Mansfield roof. The flagship stores were limited to just a storefront at the base of a much larger skyscraper. This left very little room for creativity. Then those in charge of corporate branding made a decision to update the suburban locations to resemble the bland look of the flagship stores. Corporate uniformity is very important in fast food marketing. Every McDonalds location is supposed to look more or less the same. The didn't want the city locations having one look and the suburban locations with a completely different look. They wanted a uniform look for both city and suburban locations so that is how we ended with these very band and homogenized designs.

@pt9973

Жыл бұрын

But wouldn’t you say this is what McDo was about all the time? So I would argue against the video, that the over arching (pun intended) architectural premise was always modern and hence within the capitalist system, ergo soulless or disenchanted if you will, all the time, since the beginning: and that is why it has always been so successful.

@breakerbreakeronenine_

Жыл бұрын

Growing up in the 80s going to a McDonald’s was an experience. If I was growing up today there’d be no way I’d ask to eat at one. It’s a depressing, cold and not kid friendly.

@mrmaniac3

Жыл бұрын

Ironically, you have to go back to the roots of McDonald's to actually find peak efficiency in that regard. The restaurant featured little more than a kitchen with a walk up ordering window, with a much simpler menu. You could get your burger within a minute of ordering. And it requires you to be outside of a car, making it highly space efficient. This is part of what makes food trucks and food stands viable, and even highly profitable in places with high amounts of pedestrian traffic. Drive-thrus are fundamentally inefficient and cumbersome, requiring space on the lot for numerous cars to cue up and wait, often resulting in cars spilling out onto the stroad, and even into the highway if it's close. It's all the more terrible when pedestrians are turned away or deprioritized in favor of cars, taking away the only truly efficient interface a customer can have with the restaurant. Walk into an In-N-Out restaurant and you'll find huge wait times as the restaurant focuses on the staggeringly long line of cars. Their menu is simple enough to be almost comparable to the original McDonald's, but their designs and functions are a world of a difference. Car dominance led any given fast food restaurant chain away from their roots, and towards mediocrity.

Our local McDonald's was a 1950s throwback restaurant. Golden arches, black and white checkerboard floor, classic logo on the signage. Built around 2007

@realpillboxer

Жыл бұрын

Interesting! There's a McD's in metro Detroit that was known as the "Fifties McDonalds". It had neon all around and lots of retro decor like you mentioned. Hell, it was the spot to take your shoebox Chevy or muscle car for a car meet on Fridays in the summer. However, probably around the Great Recession, it was remodeled and is now just another plain old McD's.

@_kidzero_

Жыл бұрын

They remodeled it back in 2018, from what I heard it was because the owner passed away and whoever took it over after just decided to convert it to a regular looking McDonald's. I grew up down the street from their and I'll forever miss how it used to be. Used to go their after half days of school all the time.

@victorkreig6089

Жыл бұрын

@@realpillboxer the 08 collapse destroyed a lot of good things, and nobody ever saw real tangible consequences for it either, walked away scott free while destroying the lives of millions and causing the death of invaluable local businesses that never came back

@Ckbtony1983

Жыл бұрын

When I was growing up there was a 50s style store that had a 50s Ford parked out front... a working jukebox black and white checkered floors, red glittered seats, neon... Even the workers wore the old timey uniforms it was awesome

@PeruvianPotato

Жыл бұрын

​@@victorkreig6089 Oh we know who was responsible, it's just that they will always absolve each other of any consequences.

In the Netherlands McDonald's changed its color scheme to yellow and dark green, because sustainable. The new restaurants are mostly constructed with wood paneling and green walls. So these are still recognisable as McDonald's, but different than before.

@naturesfinest2408

Жыл бұрын

actually sounds kinda neat and cozy

@Lostouille

Жыл бұрын

I think we did it first in France too

@marinaschulz3183

Жыл бұрын

We have it too in Portugal. I think its a Europe thinh

@Lostouille

Жыл бұрын

@@marinaschulz3183 In Morocco (so Africa) I saw them with green ceiling so they are doing it , and i think in Asia they do it too.

@pikachuchujelly7628

Жыл бұрын

Ah yes, greenwashing. Let's make it look like we care about sustainability while consuming copious amounts of beef hamburgers from cows that release methane.

Removing all that kid-friendliness is gonna hurt McDonalds in the longrun. We as adults eat there because brand loyalty was indoctrinated into us as kids playing in the PlayPlace and scoring those Happy Meal toys. Now that today's kids are no longer forming those bonds, what's left to secure the brand's dominance in the future against all their hungry competitors? Nothing.

@Horse4lunch

11 ай бұрын

I dont agree with this at all. I have 0 brand loyalty and i still eat McDonalds every few months. I eat fast food usually once a week or so, And alot of the places are things I'd never heard of or didn't exist when i was a kid.

@house2869

11 ай бұрын

I completely agree with this without a doubt. I have 100% brand loyalty and I eat there every few months, fast food every few weeks. Most of these places are things I've heard of and are worth trying and appealing.

@urphakeandgey6308

10 ай бұрын

You're missing one key detail which is demographic shift. People don't have as many kids anymore. Kids just aren't that large of a market anymore, will seemingly continue to shrink, and it's ultimately their parents' money anyway. Either way, families still routinely stop by McDonald's. While the next generation might not be as loyal, I don't think it's as dire as you think.

@milky_quartz

10 ай бұрын

what ? I loved playing in McDonald's as a kid , but I don't eat it anymore because I played there as a kid. I know now that food is Bad. I'm not loyal to it because of Nostalgia

When they first started remodeling they often used "stone" on the exterior plus lighter colors along with red and yellow. I remember going into some of them and thought they were a really nice upgrade. But they quickly switched to the drab and bland disasters that are supposed to attract the Starbucks crowd.

@estahbear

Жыл бұрын

Don't even get me started on them replacing the menus with more restrictive online ordering systems

@BenoHourglass

Жыл бұрын

@@estahbear Last time I went I wasn't even sure why there was a till at all. There's nobody manning it and therefore no option to pay cash, anyway.

@guildrich

Жыл бұрын

@John Williamson Exactly!

@naturesfinest2408

Жыл бұрын

there used to be a propane/gas fireplace in ours. they got rid of it with the renovation. it was nice and a comforting heat.

@kamX-rz4uy

Жыл бұрын

@@naturesfinest2408 I know of a Dairy Queen with one and a nice seating area near it.

What I see here is the same driving forces as in new condo constructions : Bland, flat looking constructions that can be mass produced for cheap, insuring maximum ROI for investors. After all, they are the one to please, the customers / inhabitants are just an afterthought.

@codycast

Жыл бұрын

There wouldn’t be ROI in those design if there was not customer demand for them. I always wonder why we keep seeing boring apartment buildings but the people who are figuring out how to make the highest return are doing so by figuring out what people want. So while they look bland to you (and me) for some reason they’re the most popular with most consumers.

@AztecDread

Жыл бұрын

@@codycast they're literally addicted to the "food" just like drug dealers don't need fancy bags because the product is going to sell regardless because people are addicted to it

@codycast

Жыл бұрын

@@AztecDread these companies spend 100s of millions on advertising. You don’t think they put thought into their design and what’s going to bring people in the door to get the highest rev per $ spent?

My local McDonalds used to have a black hole on the ceiling ripping apart Roman style arches and statues of penguins. It resembled a rip in time which I always thought was the most unique and badass decoration design right over bar style seating in the middle of the restaurant. Sad day when they remodeled it, took out the playground at the same time too.

Not gonna lie, the brutalist architecture that we're delving into is starting to get eerily similar to dystopian movies.

@pyrobison2002

Жыл бұрын

It’s fun

@vote4republicans2024

Жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same thing. Like George Orwell designed it. In my neighborhood they just this year rebuilt the McDonalds using that gray wall futurist model. I went in there looking around. It now has kiosks where you can order which I have mixed feelings. Worse yet I paid almost $5.00 for a large chocolate shake. Wasn't that long ago you could buy a #1 meal for $5.00. Needless to say I won't be going there again even though I drive right by it almost everyday.

@DavidLLambertmobile

Жыл бұрын

I agree. Some newer 2020s era places QSR look stark, void of style, friendly. Sonny's BBQ a BBQ chain which started, 1968 now 2023 looks drab, grey almost Warsaw Pact East Germany design. Logos are bland, small.

@B0lshevik

11 ай бұрын

A #1 meal hasn't been $5 for 20 years

@pagdhsnsb

11 ай бұрын

@@vote4republicans2024 inflation exists, no meals been just 5$ for years.

I think this is a similar effect to electronics brands losing their colourful branding once they have carved out a place in the market and start trying to appear more luxurious

@D0MiN0ChAn

Жыл бұрын

I hate these minimalistic/simplistic designs soo much 😩

@MrMarinus18

Жыл бұрын

I don't think it's that. I think it's more the case that as they grow being inoffensive becomes more important than being appealing. As a startup you want something striking and eye catching to attract people. However as you are gigantic and have become a very well known and trusted brand you want to get more generic to convert the people who were turned off by you.

@tankart150

Жыл бұрын

@@D0MiN0ChAn I agree

@eminempreg

Жыл бұрын

I miss colorful blob tech!!

@johnfoltz8183

Жыл бұрын

Or different car brands looking like the same

My favorite McDonald's is in Freeport, Maine. The local zoning board was apparently powerful enough to muscle the franchise into making the exterior look like a white clapboard house from the 1820s.

@shitlordflytrap1078

Жыл бұрын

I just looked it up on Google maps, that's insane lmao. I've never seen something like this.

@evgeniisemanov3399

Жыл бұрын

Too bad the rest of the town is just a giant parking lot

@Tecknee

Жыл бұрын

It wasn’t made to look like anything. McDonald’s bought the house and turned it into a McDonald’s.

@saladsalad9991

Жыл бұрын

@@shitlordflytrap1078 look up the Biltmore McDonald's in Asheville NC

@riproar11

Жыл бұрын

I have not been to Freeport, Maine in twenty years, but back then it was obvious that the town had a law that every company, corporate or private, had to have a chiseled, embossed wood sign with gold paint on the embossed areas. It looked really nice and "classy" on McDonald's, Polo Ralph Lauren, LL Bean, etc. Too bad the current McD's structure has deviated from the past signage.

In Porto, Portugal, they opened a McDonald's in 1995 inside the historic Cafe Imperial, a former coffeeshop that was in the city since the 1930s. It has massive stained-glass windows and chandeliers. On top of that, it has a GIANT bronze eagle at the entrance designed by sculptor Henrique Moreira. Many call it the world's most beautiful McDonald's. Goes to show you there are still locations that resist this kind of change.

@esthers3906

Жыл бұрын

The Paris Rue Saint-Lazare location is also pretty incredible. It's in a charming, rustic old building that was originally a German beer hall, and while there are elements of McDonald's branding, it also keeps many of the original features. I would love to see more of that approach. Embrace the beauty and character of the existing infrastructure while still incorporating the company's branding.

@samplesample7178

Жыл бұрын

I think in a lot of old European cities that's the case. Now I don't like McDonald's food a lot so I have not been in a lot of locations but also in Innsbruck, Austria it is actually quite charming (or at least was when I was there last time almost 10 years ago)

@kenneyjake

Жыл бұрын

You live in Korea.

@zsigmondkara

Жыл бұрын

There is also a very nice one in Budapest, Hungary in the side of the historic building of the western railway station.

I think a lot of these trends are a consequence of the separation of the corporate executives from the product. Which is only possible in a highly-regulated environment, because large corporations with enormous overhead are inherently less cost-effective than smaller companies that keep the management and the product and the customer all closely-linked. The distance leads to a lot of hands trying to justify their own jobs, none of which have any tie other than to cold numbers on a spreadsheet, and few of which know actually what drives those numbers. This lack of understanding leads to homogenization, because it is easier to take little risk and blame any drop-off on exterior factors while using your "low risk" approach as evidence you "shored things up."

There are so many fast food joints that have the boring box design. Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, Wendy's, Burger King, and Chick Fil A are just a few. These boxes look like a quick design study in Sketchup. Just start with a big box then do a few push/pulls on the walls to give a little variation (just a little) and you are done.

@guildrich

Жыл бұрын

That's EXACTLY what it looks like! By the way, would you like "sketchup" with those fries? 😅

@Nekole1

Жыл бұрын

This is a great point here

I'm an adult, no kids... and I liked the fun, light hearted, welcoming feel of the kid / family friendly McDonalds. I like the old, open and welcoming Golden Arches. Why can't McDonalds have some restaurants that are more adult, especially those in business districts, pedestrian areas that are more adult oriented and family friendly closer to where families live. I remember when each McDonalds was unique. For example, one had old photos of the neighborhood; another had photos of old McDonalds buildings and a third had McDonalds advertising characters. Even though McDonalds is a chain, where everything is formulaic, there were touches that made each McDonalds just enough unique. I miss that.

@nateclipps

Жыл бұрын

I have no clue why ppl care so much about how a mega billion dollar corporation styles their restaurants lmfao

@Jarandjar

Жыл бұрын

@@nateclipps When people grow up with brands engrained in their brain, that brand then gets a loyal customer for the entirety of their lifespan.

@jema5039

Жыл бұрын

@@nateclipps because it shapes our culture & visual perception is everything? Basic psychology concepts bud, you can’t be this dense lmao.

@nateclipps

Жыл бұрын

@@jema5039 I would argue that the way your raised and bigger things such as the media you consume, the way you style yourself or your bedroom, etc etc. Affects your visual representation on life 10x more than how a McDonald’s looks like. Literally no one who goes to McDonald’s is looking for subtly pleasing aesthetics, just food. So no, the way society views life, or any concept of art isn’t based off of how a mega billion dollar corporation designs their restaurant’s. Also: stop with the unnecessary “sassy” Attitude, you can simply layout your argument without the unnecessary name calling & being so confrontational. It’s so corny & lame. Like it seriously isn’t that deep..

@retroryan838

Жыл бұрын

Something also sad is there used to be themed McDonald’s. In Rice Lake, Wisconsin there is a McDonald’s that used to look like a 50s diner on the inside. The floors were white and black tiles, there were neon lights, the booths looked like the trunks of a 57’ Chevy, and it also had Mac Tonight playing a piano. Today it’s now just a boring McDonald’s lacking any personality.

At least some McDonald's still remain unique. Here on Long Island, a McDonald's was built inside a Georgian-style mansion called the Denton House. The Denton House was originally a farmhouse in the 1790s before it was converted into a Georgian-style mansion in the 1860s. McDonald's acquired the dilapidated property in 1985, originally wanting to demolish it, before the locals fought back and successfully sought historic designation. They agreed McDonald's was allowed to build a drive-thru within it if they could restore the exterior back to how it once was. After a big renovation, McDonald's opened the location in 1991. It received another renovation in 2017 as part of a company-wide thing, while still maintaining its look.

@garrrflock4064

Жыл бұрын

Ayo I live right next to it. Apparently my house from 1700 was the only farm house next to it. Still have the original sketches of the house showing baby trees which are giants now.

I would say that their new design is more of a "Starbucks-ification" than Chipotle. This building design came about around the same time they started expanding the McCafé service offering. It was a smart move. It enhanced their breakfast offerings, and brought people in throughout the day for a coffee, which bolstered other dayparts. Franchisees loved the idea too because coffee beverages are a high profit margin product. With the birth rates falling, I think this was a conscious decision to appeal to a more adult audience. I don't mind the new style of building. It's clean and efficient, although admittedly boring. It doesn't seem to communicate anything of the company's heritage. I do agree with the overall premise of the video though. Chain architecture is becoming more and more bland. It is especially noticeable in chain hotels. It seems most now are cheaply made stucco boxes.

@MultiTimelady

Жыл бұрын

I enjoy the new McDonald's, the interior is very calming. I could step in,place my order,get it and sit down. Taking deep breaths and just relax. Anyway, this design was a result of Michelle Obama's get moving program . It helped to make fast food less palatable to children by removing mascots, bright ,fun colors. And lawsuits also had a hand in the designs. Less injuries more on the bottom line

@Owen-zm6sq

Жыл бұрын

@@MultiTimelady Frankly I just think it sucks to turn it into a more corporate bland structure, and making it less kid friendly hasn't done too much to lower the average obesity rate in Americans.

@GreenBlueWalkthrough

Жыл бұрын

Yeah I get the need to appeal to kidless adults who will soon be the largest demographic in 1st and 2nd world nations... But they could have done it with character... not this we got to be minimalist which does work if your Star bucks but not MC Donalds who seems to be riding reputation at this point... Like if you driving to work and want breakfast why stop at any of these places you can't tell apart?

@user-wn3wv5bx5e

Жыл бұрын

The problem does lie when you can't even recgonize it as a McDonald's, though. You can still use the golden archways or the bright red and yellow in a sophisticated way. Honestly I'm rather sure that its blandness and its lack of spirit could be changed if they added a bit more distinguishable color; ironically, like Starbuck's. Starbuck's still has a marketable trade color they incorporate into their buildings and still manages to look sophisticated or mature, and although the colors are mostly dark, there's still complementary light colors to red and yellow that can look sophisticated (such as white and tawny brown).

"Learning from Las Vegas" was the first thing I thought of when I saw the title of today's video, so I was pleased that you brought it up. I think Venturi and Scott Brown were on to something about the vernacular of that age (as well as our own), and their ideas certainly influenced Post Modern types of architecture. But honestly, I have never really had much appreciation for this kind of architecture. Growing up in NYC, I didn't have a lot of experience of chain restaurants, unlike many others on this thread. New York was still very much a city of corner stores and pizza joints. The first time I remember going to a fast-food restaurant was when I was invited to spend the weekend at a classmate's summer house when I was eight or nine. On the drive there his mother stopped at a McDonalds to grab dinner, which we ate in the car. It was the "classic" McDonalds, with the shed roof and golden arches. Very striking!

Also worth noting that McDonald’s is largely a franchise business. 82% of their locations in the USA are franchisees. I doubt they own many of these building sites, and a landlord is going to want a building that can easily be repurposed for the next tenant.

@SequoiaElisabeth

Жыл бұрын

Exactly, thanks for mentioning, now I don't have to. 🙂

@robbertom

Жыл бұрын

They actually do own a majority of their building sites, they collect more money in rent than most think. Some hedge funds have advocated for even splitting out the real estate business it's so successful.

@raaaaaaaaaam496

Жыл бұрын

They own the land on each McDonald’s and enforce the design of the building.

@762rk95tp

Жыл бұрын

At lest in US they own lot of their buildings, franchisees are renting those buildings. Globally McDonald's or it's local subsidiaries own even less of business and even more of it is ran by franchisees. Typically they own and run one or two restaurants per country or region in cases bigger countries. Those are used to train franchisees and their management staff.

@Nicksonian

Жыл бұрын

How often do McDonalds locations close? Not often. So thinking about future occupants isn’t a concern. More likely, an older-style McDonalds is torn down to make way for the newest design. A location here in Annapolis, Md. is on its third building since I moved here in 1986. Their second building was built with the back of the restaurant facing the street, supposedly to enhance the drive through. But it was so ugly, it didn’t last a decade.

I worked as a consultant for McD and was responsible for getting these projects through city planning and I have to say a lot of this is also driven by city ordnance. Cities are much more picky of the materials and general esthetic then they use to be. I don’t believe the previous design would get through the pickier commissions and it would be more work to carry forward multiple standards.

@Uriah625

Жыл бұрын

My friend was a city planner and said this exact thing. Every new commerce area had to meet certain guidelines. The days of throwing up a pole shed office to sell used cars is done. Bright and vibrant colors that contrast the building next door are done. Everything t from fencing in the dumpsters to having landscaping. As much as the brands may not like it, we have to admit it makes the area look a lot nicer.

@xenxander

Жыл бұрын

Just set it up to a vote on the population and they would vote for the new design.. the old design.. the one they want. Whatever you call it. Then when you spring it onto the people that the building they like is restricted by ordinances, you can bet the people would be pissed enough to send lots of letters.. emails in this day.. or texts.. enough to annoy them enough.. to let it happen. You just have to appeal to the stupid people of today to get it done.

@zachmacklin1290

Жыл бұрын

@@xenxander oh totally bro, definitely, this has totally happened

@DavidLLambertmobile

Жыл бұрын

Yes, you can see QSR in parts of Florida that are soul less, brick or grey-black. City, county zone/bldg regulations 📁. They can't have huge neon signs or bright colors.

I wish you would have mentioned/shown some other restaurants that had distinct architecture, such as Red Lobster, Pizza Hut, Jack In The Box, Dairy Queen, Ponderosa etc...

@SuperMarioFan-ys6eb

8 ай бұрын

Oh yeah, Dairy Queen had that cool Barn design, and some DQ restaurants still have it.

Really interesting! I have wondered why Wendy’s, Burger King and McDonald’s and even White Castle have all developed that generic sameness. Also, Oak Brook, NOT Oak Lawn, was where the McDonald’s headquarters was located. I understand, though. Too many suburbs have Oak or Park or Forest in their names, including Forest Park and Park Forest!😂🌸

@brianmolina8818

Жыл бұрын

not to mention my old home: Oak Park!

@LizzW90

Жыл бұрын

Wanted to say this as well. Definitely was in Oak Brook. I almost got sent to Hamburger University which I was only willing to do because my store was in Wheaton so it would've only been a half hour or so drive. Or two hours with traffic.

@principalmcvicker6530

Жыл бұрын

Triple offender near me: Lake Forest Park

@mgscheue

Жыл бұрын

As many times as I've driven through that area, the names still massively confuse me. And I remember driving past the McDonald's headquarters in Oak Brook. Didn't know it has relocated.

@Mattology1

Жыл бұрын

Oh okay i live around Oak Lawn and never seen that. And Oak Forest is another

At least the original McDonald’s redesign after the red roofs had the “swoosh” arch above the restaurant. This was a great nod to the past with a modern touch. It was a great compromise between old and new. Now the most up to date redesigns in the last few years are the grey boxes with the logo. It’s exactly like everywhere else.

@odysseywrecker

Жыл бұрын

All of them look horrible now

@z609gaming

Жыл бұрын

I work at McDonald’s. All new buildings were built with the swoosh as you said. However, remodels were given that gray look. I don’t mind either. Recently they started using a new design for new buildings, which does not include the swoosh(Google street view the McDonald’s in Orange City, NJ). The remodels are still receiving the gray look.

@MrMarinus18

Жыл бұрын

Though how many additional customers do they actually draw with an eye catching design? Most people will just look up a mc. Donalds along the way on their smartphone.

@AztecDread

Жыл бұрын

@@z609gaming I work in construction, all the new McDonald's are being built with the same grey box design, haven't worked on a McDonald's with a arch (it's actually supposed to be a French fry) in a while

@z609gaming

Жыл бұрын

@@AztecDread yeah They all are gray but I noticed the newest ones have more wooden accents. The remodels don’t really have those.

The headquarters was in Oak Brook, not Oak Lawn. While the building is quite modern, at least Americans are able to try international products not available in other US locations. That being said, the minimalistic architecture of fast-food restaurants has been a trend for over a decade now....so has minimalism in general. In homes and all kinds of businesses. Companies change their logos in favor of simplicity. I personally can't wait for this trend to die. I have a McDonald's at my palace food court and the look is...just so boring.

@abaddon2148

Жыл бұрын

agreed, cannot wait for people to realize how awful minimalism is and for it to *finally* keel over and be left out to pasture like it should've done 40+ years ago

@zackakai5173

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. I was opining about a month ago to a friend that I miss how electronics used to come in all kinds of cool futuristic designs. Now I walk by any store selling phones in the mall and my brain plays that little soundclip of Patrick Star shouting "rectangles!"

@smashthatbirdie

Жыл бұрын

Catch #1, West Suburban Oak Brook was the former McDonald's International Headquarters and home of Hamburger University. Catch #2, "friendly" is spelled incorrectly in Mark Mouller quote. Topics for expansion - standalone fast food & other suburban buildings are reasons for 1) inefficient & expensive car society 2) suburban sprawl adding to inefficiency & expense 3) inefficient use of space and low tax revenue generation in the suburbs

@usernameiphone3gkid

Жыл бұрын

I was gonna say, I don't remember that HQ building in Oak Lawn lmao

@EpikBirb

Жыл бұрын

@@zackakai5173 I mean, if it ain't broke, don't fix it

Hi Stewart - one additional factor driving this homogenization could be commercial real estate financing. Most small businesses (the vast majority of McDonald's stores are owned by franchisees) seek to leverage as much of a building's cost as possible, however banks reduce the percentage of the building's value they're willing to lend against when a building is "single use", or of such construct or design that it can't be easily sold for other purposes in the event of foreclosure. Thanks for all the great work you do with these videos - I've enjoyed them thoroughly!

Another thing with fast food restaurants in the 80's and 90's when I was growing up is the interior design. I grew up in Kane County IL, and there was a big difference on the interiors even in a five mile radius. The McDonald's in my town had a huge aquarium in the center, the one in the town over had a basement where you could have birthday parties and it also had some kid friendly decor. Then around 90-91' they built a brand new one in Elgin that had a play place, one of the first built. The Burger King in my town had a multiple levels where you would walk down 3 or 4 steps to a bit more intimate seating area (one area was the smoking section). That was vastly different then other Burger Kings in the area. It is not only the exterior that is important, but also the interior that help make it stand out. The exteriors are so plain today, it really is hard to tell one restaurant from the next. I wonder if making some restaurants more unique could make them busier, or have a slight throwback feel. When Miller Light was losing its share of the beer market, they went back to the original can design. Their sales massively increased because of that, beating out some of the biggest brands. I think the only unique fast food restaurant today is KFC with its striped buildings, and has just a touch of what some of the original drive thru KFC's looked liked. People still seek out the unusual fast food restaurants that still exist like the Burger King in the Van Ness area in Washington, DC. Or the McDonald's on Disney property in front of Magic Kingdom (although that may have been razed). Nostalgia is huge (look at all the McDonald's stuff in October) and standing out could even be a magnet for social media people. I think these companies are blind to the potential up side of being unique.

@punchdrunkassassin

Жыл бұрын

A&W in Canada is also very unique and stands out, even after their modern facelift. A&W Canada honestly do a lot of things right - I feel like they've made the most of the transition to the modern architecture and the menu upgrades (beyond meat, etc) while still maintaining their classic brand image and feel.

@austinlawler3739

Жыл бұрын

@@tamagothchic I was talking more about the big companies, but yes you are correct. However those Dairy Queens aren't that old, the old ones are made to look like barns and have a Dutch boy and girl on them. You still see them around here and there. IHOP is another that still has some of the original buildings, the A frame style ones. Shell still has some of the gas stations that have octagon canopy over the pumps. Smaller companies still have unique buildings, but McDonald's, YUM Brands, Brinker International, Chipotle very rarely do.

The McD and BK restaurants in my town either don’t open for dining in at all or only open for a few hours. Most of the business is drive through. A small part is delivery. I predict that we will see less and less interesting design because no one is even stopping to sit in the restaurant. One BK has an amazing location. The sunset from the benches nearby is amazing! I am often the only person there. I even see people do the drive through and then eat in their car.

As a European I think it’s interesting the way they built their restaurants in the US because to me and many others McDonalds have always been more of an urban fixture. My association is much more with the interior design than any particular building since they usually just find whatever’s available. There’s one near me in an old bank with romanesque pillars and everything.

@MustraOrdo

Жыл бұрын

Americans design around cars while Europeans don't. Simple as.

@jukeboxxgamer

Жыл бұрын

This also has to do with how wildly different American zoning laws are. It limits where you can or cannot place commercial buildings. Reusing buildings for new purposes or creating multi-functional buildings is also less common, as a result.

They opened a new McDonalds recently. None of my friends knew despite loving McDonalds. It looks like just another building among a sea of grey. The only reason I even knew it was a McDonalds was due to their grand opening sign. If you missed it, you may have not realized it was there. Meanwhile, we still have a classic looking McDonalds in a corner street near a park. Stands out and shows itself well. It is still doing well. The new one? I rarely see that many cars around it. It looks so dead right now. This is going to come back to bite them one day, I swear.

@xenxander

Жыл бұрын

the younger gen don't give a shit anyway, they are too glued to their phones and know it's a Mc_Dees because their phone told them it is and so they know it is. What's the point in keeping with more expensive architecture when people just use their phones and know where you are ?

@veramae4098

Жыл бұрын

It seems that each McDonald's remodeling is worse than the last. I'm glad to hear I'm not alone thinking this.

@highstickcreative

Жыл бұрын

it's not going to bite them... because all of the chains are doing it... If they were the only one, then yes, maybe, and even thats a big Maybe. What's going to bite McD's is the quality of the food, lol.

@baconwizard

Жыл бұрын

@@xenxander spontaneous interaction! If i go to town with the intention of getting some new clothes but feel hungry on the way there, what is going to grab my intention first: a sea of grey and beige, or an iconic building design with unique colours? Signage was never meant to be the reason you went somewhere - it was the reason you stayed.

@xenxander

Жыл бұрын

Now, I want to reply to my own comment to say this: I love unique architecture. Cities and individual buildings NEED to have personality. I notice American architecture lost its way sometime in the last fifty years. Cities are neigh indistinguishable from one another. Remember when you could TELL that city was Madrid, Rome, Moscow, Tashkent, Brazzaville, etc. Nothing is unique anymore and everything is ubiquitous. Culture has lost its way.

I was just at the rock n roll McDonald’s on Saturday and it was so depressing going in there. It looks like the life has been sucked out of it. And they don’t let you eat in the dining area anymore (probably because of the panini) but it just looks like another corporate building downtown.. it sucks

@2ridiculous41

Жыл бұрын

paralleling rock'n'roll then.

@malonesizelove

Жыл бұрын

You can now dine in at certain hours at this location. I think it’s a great building for a McDonald,s. The plant wall is cool as is the rooftop garden. Very Mies looking from the interior looking out. Ya might want to catch the typo in the quote at 8:47 kid-friendly stuff. Nice job !

@odysseywrecker

Жыл бұрын

@@2ridiculous41 You have no taste at all

@2ridiculous41

Жыл бұрын

@@odysseywrecker is that about rock music? I used to work with The Clash, Captain Beefheart, Iggy, Funkadelic and I could go on. I don't any more. Maybe I have no taste. I became a designer and a property developer.

@chimeraaaaa_

Жыл бұрын

@@2ridiculous41 Was your original comment about music? For all the big names you used to work with, you sure do know nothing about communication. He replied to your original comment, which is presumably about the mcdonalds location called 'rock and roll mcdonalds' because the comment it's a response to was about the architecture of the current glass box standing there. Nothing about music was mentioned (and has yet to be clearly stated) until you decided to leave a comment vague enough to confuse yourself into crying about how you used to be somebody

Nothing beats the original McDs Golden Arches with the white and red tile exterior benches built into the building side.

My Dad is an architect and designed a special McDonalds in the 80s in Seattle that apparently became very popular and was used throughout the west coast for a decade or so (they never gave him credit and he therefore hates them passionately.) Him aside, I loved how different they were when I was a kid. It was a little fun place and it seems like everything has been sacrificed for efficiency, which is the soullessness you mentioned. It's really sad to me.

Did anybody catch that 27 cents per gallon gasoline sign at 6:01 in the video? It's a Gulf station right next to the McDonald's. Talk about the good old days, you could get a couple of gallons of gas and a burger - and still get change back from your dollar! And oh yeah, they'd pump the gas for you, check your oil, and wash the windshield.

Cold, soulless, and indistinct are also features of their food so it makes a lot of sense.

In my hometown - Sofia, there are still a couple of Macdonald's restaurants with the old, iconic, colorful design. It is always a treat to visit one of them. And it strikes the nostalgia chord much better than the new "mature" boxes.

@MADGennaro

Жыл бұрын

Sofia, Bulgaria?

As a former River North resident, I was surprised the McDonalds location has been reimagined again! Thank you so much for your content on KZread and Nebula.

@jasonmajere2165

Жыл бұрын

There was a huge push for redoing interiors in like 2019.

Another outstanding video.. thanks! Another factor may be tools like navigation apps (Google Maps) and extensive freeway info signs (food and rest stop info) make architecture less important as people don't need the building to find the place.

@StephenCoorlas

Жыл бұрын

Yes exactly 🤘

@Qwerty-jy9mj

Жыл бұрын

The signs are for the sake of mind share, not navigation

@RotchildFrancoisJr

Жыл бұрын

I was thinking the same thing! The brands can rely on people searching for them instead of the other way around.

@manuelka15

Жыл бұрын

plus they are a supper stabished brand... but was that not true 20 years ago as well? 🤔

@SteveJobIess

Жыл бұрын

0:34 if you cant tell the difference between the mcdonalds and the wendys, then adding silly design elements isnt going to help. This video is overstating the issue. When was the last time you pulled up to a wendys thinking it was chipotle or some other restaurant for that matter?

I think the changes have to do with the face that these fast-food chains don't really have to try anymore. When you're trying to attach new customers you architecture is like a mating dance. But now that they have plenty of franchise babies and market fitness, they can now put on their dad bods, because they got you, they don't need to attract any new potential partners.

I wonder if the rise of GPS navigation has also had an effect on fast food architecture - early in the video you make a point of how much the distinct designs for each restaurant were done in an attempt to make them easy to identify while driving, but in a world where drivers are just as likely to find you with a google search and turn-by-turn directions, visual uniqueness loses it's value, and boring beige boxes and cheaper to build. Great video!

A similar thing happened with gas stations. For decades Gulf had the enameled steel panel "icebox" station design. Sinclair had the distinctive triangular green canopy over the pumps--big stations had two projecting at an angle. It may be an advantage for everything to be a box that only needs different color trim and signage to reuse. But the old stations that have been reused by new businesses like plumbers, pest control contractors, and auto repair shops still tell you what was there before.

@kennixox262

Жыл бұрын

One famous example is the old Tramway gas station in Palm Springs that is now a visitors center/museum.

My McDonald’s adopted literally a box window design and worse of all, took out the PLAYGROUND

Finally someone brings awareness to this! I've been talking about this for ages every time I see McDonalds and fast food restaurants, they're all becoming boring and colourless and trying to look like some over-professional lame adult restaurant. Bring colour back, us adults like having fun lol.

@mikehenson819

Жыл бұрын

I couldn't agree with you more! And while they're at it; how about greeting the patrone's warmly and actually acting like they appreciate their customers again?? If what they have is a glimpse of the future, I don't want any part of it.

@constanttraveler

Жыл бұрын

Same, Taco Bell even redesigned their signage to look like the sun faded all of the color out

@Tubes12AX7k

Жыл бұрын

Amen. Agreed. This whole time period has very limited color. Everything is just a gray slab. I purposely buy bold, intensely-colored cars just as a rebellion against this drab, gray time period. McDonalds should be fun, recognizable, and family friendly. It's so soul-less now, I just try to order and go.

@joy4118

Жыл бұрын

No fun allowed since 2019 - you know - Covid.

@jscountrygirl85_326

Жыл бұрын

Same. I've been disliking these changes ever since they started renovating many of the restaurants around the mid 2000's, and the designs have just gotten more cold, soulless, and lacking in creativity with time. It's like all the warm and welcoming atmosphere, the fun, the creativity, and family friendly vibes in fast food places are suddenly not allowed anymore in the 21st century. It's depressing! This also goes for some bigger restaurants like Red Robin, which also had a much cooler and more fun atmosphere in the 90's, including a mini arcade near the entrance and restrooms. I'm also glad I'm not the only one who thinks these things matter and are important!

I remember back in high school dropping by after school sometimes, you actually wanted to go in, it felt warm. Now I do anything not to go in, it's so harsh.

Got to thinking about the mission style Taco Bell restaurants of my youth in California and how they are all now just generic fast food buildings. They were very distinctive back in the day (and much smaller).

I think this is also happening in automotive design. Many (not all) brands no longer have a distinctive design, just a few add on on the font grill.

I mean, the new McDonald’s pretty frequently looks like an expensive modern home. If one were to close down I’m sure many would happily convert them into nifty houses. But I think those interesting architectural choices from back in the day added to the experience. If an Outback Steakhouse lost its distinct Australian theme and went for all modern motif, it’d be boring.

In the "olden times", you were found as a restaurant by standing out along the street. In modern times, people already know where they're going before they even get in the car, and navigate using Google Maps. The box of a building doesn't matter, it's all about the service and food you experience once there.

@guildrich

Жыл бұрын

And therein lies the problem with modern society. Everything has to be scheduled, so no more spontaneity.

@mrepix8287

Жыл бұрын

@@guildrichExactly, it is the destruction of freedom itself

I didn't know that, here in Italy all McDonald's (even the most recent ones) are build with the distinctive mansard roof and have pretty unique interior as well! It stands out

This reminds me of iconic food establishments in the Chicago suburbs like Johnnies Beef in Elmwood Park and Hamburger Heaven in Elmhurst. The steep triangle shape of Hot and Now burger joints in the Midwest, there was a relic left in Marshfield, WI that was just demolished for one of the boring BWW structure. I always enjoyed the Parky's Building in Forest Park too.

As a senior citizen I remember going to McDonalds when they actually had "the Golden Arches", walk up windows only, and the red and white tiles. It was a special treat, not a mainstay of our diet. Obesity was uncommon then too.

RIP to the Wendy's sunrooms, those were SO ICONIC.

@ChristopherSobieniak

Жыл бұрын

I miss the one I went to in the 80's.

Great Content. I have always been fascinated with the way these restaurants have evolved over time. I started my career doing Prototypical Architecture (grocery stores) and cost and efficiency are always priority over creativity.

Thank you for this video. I agree with you…I miss the “character “ of the co. Each one used to be different, now they are just boxes w/logos to distinguish between each other.

Great video and you are “spot on” regarding the homogenous architecture in fast food. One quick correction regarding McDonalds previous headquarters: it was in Oak Brook and not Oak Lawn. Totally enjoyed your content and just subscribed!

The Playful architecture concept art was very close to the restaurant they build on Disney World property (not the Disney Springs/Downtown Disney location but one that was close to animal kingdom). It too was rethemed into a green slat building with the logo on the side and nothing more.

I'd like fun architecture to come back - even if it's just in paint colors! And while we're at it, I would like more car colors, too. Everything just keeps getting more and more drab, and it's such a bummer

One correction: you said that McDonald's moved their corporate headquarters to Chicago's West Loop from its former location in Oak Lawn, IL. McDonald's headquarters were formerly in Oak Brook, IL -- which is a very different place.

@arribalaschivas91

Жыл бұрын

Someone beat me to it

@jimohagan

Жыл бұрын

And me too. 😂

@jeffclark4107

Жыл бұрын

Add me to the list. They were never headquartered in Oak Lawn.

@beatboxlanguage

Жыл бұрын

I also remember the building way differently - may have been an older photo. The one I went to was brown, surrounded by forest, with a huge fountain. Not that brutalist thing.

Very good video ! I love seeing the views of changes with businesses

Excellent video, thank you for this very insightful video.

Really great, I’m old enough to remember those very first McDonalds which were sort of a kiosk held up by Golden Arches on either side. I remember my mother taking me to one for the first time, she came away with more than a little disdain. It sort of went against her culinary grain of what a hamburger should taste like.😂

@AztecDread

Жыл бұрын

I could only imagine her opinion now! It's barely passable as real food anymore!

I feel like the same thing has happened to Pizza Hut. Those little pavilion style huts were iconic. Now they've been replaced with those generic box structures that feel so uninspired.

@ecoRfan

Жыл бұрын

They’ve been replaced mainly by strip mall units

@somerandomdudeable

Жыл бұрын

Pizza Hut but without the Hut

@okjeffy6581

Жыл бұрын

Most of the Pizza Huts I live near still look kind of the same.

I was born down the street from the referenced McDonald's and Florence and Lakewood are home to me. I spent 24 years of my life in the neighborhood. That parking lot was a haven for me and friends and the lot... Glad to see the space analyzed like this. Big ups!

Another big chance I've noticed (at least around my place) is that fast food places have really became a service instead of a restaurant. I rarely went to fast food places myself but when I do it's much emptier than I remember and most of the customers are the food delivery drivers.

It's a small fast food chain, but Austin-based P Terry's is definitely not following this trend. Buildings share some common themes, but each has its own design.

Slight correction: the old McDonald’s headquarters was in Oak Brook. Oak Lawn is a different suburb south of the city.

@jessicamccarthy9972

Жыл бұрын

I was just going to comment this lol. I was so confused when he said that, living in a neighboring suburb my whole life. Had to google the location to make sure I wasn’t crazy.

I remember when i was on a road trip last year when we were passing by some small town in north carolina i saw an old style unremodeled mcdonalds red roof and everything i was so happy that that they still exist out there it was probably the last one still in existance

great video man

i haven thought about this but wow this rlly struck me thanks!

This is is great video! I’m glad you didn’t just do what most KZreadrs do and take an extreme view of “this is bad”. Your points were very fair and balanced and, as much as I agree the modern designs are a little soulless, I totally understand better now why they are that way, and can even see some positives of it.

@odysseywrecker

Жыл бұрын

It's still bad though

@AztecDread

Жыл бұрын

@@odysseywrecker well their food is basically poison ☠ so who cares lol

What I find interesting about dicks, a popular burger chain in the Seattle area, is their aesthetic which I’m sure was popular in the 60’s has largely stayed the same since the burger restaurants inception. It is now an identifying form factor for the Dicks and I’d argue has become locally synonymous with their brand Dicks isn’t a sit down restaurant and isn’t a drive thru. The kitchen encompasses the entire building with large windows allowing you to watch them cook. You walk up to one of the many windows at the front and order your food at the window and then eat outside, in your car, or bring your food somewhere else entirely.

@NickCBax

Жыл бұрын

Yup, I get a kick out of the fact the Queen Anne location, which was the location that had a dining room, had its dining room transformed into an area with only standing spots to dine. Dick's management is on record as having said that opening a location with a dining room is one of the things they regret, since it takes significantly more labor to keep clean.

@zero18000

Жыл бұрын

I have to say, dicks is the most over rated food ever. Born and raised Seattle area, a lot of people say how great and iconic it is. Yet every time I've tried it, I think "this is Mcdonalds from the 60's". The taste isn't anything spectacular, nothing special on the menu-I don't understand its popularity.

@NickCBax

Жыл бұрын

@@zero18000 Nostalgia?

@zero18000

Жыл бұрын

@@NickCBax I think, that's all it really is but no one wants to admit it.

I think the brand values have shifted into what it was in the 20th century. When I look at architecture from that period, I can't help but think it looks so goofy but ig that's what worked back then. The new Chicago building looks really modernized but I'd rather visit that one than the red roof one (but I'd love to visit both).

Stewart, great video! Their is comment thread below of all the coold Macdonald locations. Please make a video about that !

Also, they are using new fo materials to make it quicker and cheaper to build. Redesigning and experimenting is costly. It would be nice to see more inspired fast food though.

It's funny, I've lived in Illinois my whole life and never knew the mcdonalds headquarters was located in my state and fairly close to where I live at that haha. Tho, I say that like I'm super old or something, I'm only 25, but still Also, definitely agree! The new buildings are soooo boring. I love the large windows on a lot of them and how they'll have plants inside and nice seating. Just damn, you can be inviting and have a cozy space while also being fun guys!

Great video!

9:46 Woah. Did not expect to see a picture from the construction for the new McDonald’s building in Greenville, MI in this video. Ate in the old building in the background quite a few times as a kid.

I'd love to see renders and ideas of what you think may be cool designs of various fast food restaurants!

Apart from all these restaurants looking as boring as a dentist's office, they have all removed the queue leading up to the counter. Now the line goes out the door when there's 6 or 7 people waiting to order with the space the could hold a little queue taken up by a fake fireplace or some pointless wall.

In Europe, we have mostly nice looking McDonalds with wooden stripe features and dark green roofs. They are iconic and look very nice.

Their HQ is pretty stunning. I don't want buildings to APE the past while at the same time I don't want something like a subway station to look brash for the sake of essentially being a vanity project for the designers,something that announces to the world that the designers exist. Case in point, the new London subway station. It's an almost ageless design. It's as if what an apple store would have been like 125+ years ago, modern but ageless. What is sad is that we recently got a new interior for the local Taco bell, but the thing was that it was from the 1990s.. and they had to redo it just before the 1990s nostalgia craze.

There is probably a simpler reason for the boxy design, and the key is something you mentioned near the beginning of the video but didn't explore. Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, Wendy's, Burger King, and Chick-Fil-A buildings are looking the same because they've all started using some modern building materials and techniques that have a common feature: they are much less expensive to build than distinctive structures. It's not any social, artistic, or cultural development that has changed this architecture, it's money! (This boxy look shows up in new multi-dwelling residential construction, too.)

@EpikBirb

Жыл бұрын

Money

@Knight_Kin

10 ай бұрын

Fits better in the character of redeveloping towndowns with mixed use development. There are restrictions on the kind of building you can place in these locations and for good reason, so the designs have adapted to fit in where the new trends are going. These companies don't want to just be located at the edge of a sprawling parking lot. Everything is about money (resources), that's like saying water is wet.

Superb video - thanks you

Commenting because I wish this would get seen by the companies and they'd do something about it.

I won't go to a Mc donalds that doesn't have a red roof... the quarter pounder just hits differently when youre eating it while sitting on those faded yellow and brown seats. The new ones are soul crushing.

When did art deco ever go out of fashion? As far as I'm concerned, most art deco buildings still look great.

@HighNLo

Жыл бұрын

When people became drones controlled by social media and adverts. Everything is about making money and art deco depletes resources rather than generating them.

McDonald's needs to own nostalgia and comfort. That's the biggest strength of their brand. They're not the BEST hamburgers, not even close, but there's nothing else quite like one and they taste just like they did when I was eight years old. Trust me, as someone about to turn 40, there are so few cherished things left of my childhood that haven't been ruined either by corporate greed or the destructive culture war.

11:04 You made a goof. Oak Lawn is in the south and Oak Brook is in the west. The old building with oval windows was in Oak Brook. I remember riding past that building from childhood to adulthood seen from the I-294 highway and nearby interchanges.

There’s still a small red roof McDonald’s near me in Sunnyvale, CA. And believe it or not there’s a McDonald’s in Milpitas, CA that I recently visited with a giant play house area! It’s “off limits” but I still went in and took pics/videos. The interior has been the same since I’ve been going there in the late 90s and I love it! Very warm colors and calm vibes. Lots of browns and dark green!! I hope they don’t redesign it because all the newer modern McDonald’s look so depressing and lifeless.

@clearsmashdrop5829

Жыл бұрын

Where in Sunnyvale is the old style Mickey D? The one on Mathilda (near Moffet) got closed and moved down the street to a new boring box style.

@demisemedia

Жыл бұрын

556 E El Camino. The outside is still old school but the inside looks to have been semi renovated. My son and I found another red roof Macy D’s off Winchester in SJ and the inside is still super 90s. I’m talkin red and blue chairs. Old school dusty art hung up on the walls. Even some of those late 80s/early 90s triangle shape things on the walls. It’s a time capsule inside for sure .

@clearsmashdrop5829

Жыл бұрын

@@demisemedia Thanks. Okay, I remember that McDonalds now. Near Bon Chon. Never go down El Camino anymore so forgot it.

That quote of the restaurants being soulless is exactly how I felt when I worked at McDonalds. When I would go to the same exact location as a kid it felt great and like a place you could hold a conversation. There was a buzz of noise of people talking, eating and working. When I worked there at 18 the place had been remodeled (twice) into what was a place that was designed around the town, and that was pretty cool honestly, and then into what is now the modern and boring design. In fact it was the first like it I'd seen. The chairs were replaced first, which was decent, but then everything was. No longer did it feel like a place to get food, eat and talk... More like a library. Sterile and to serve a purpose, you're there to eat and nothing more. It's even genuinely quieter in there too. They redid the exterior again a year or two ago and it's even more boring and dead looking than it was when I worked there. Reminds me of how dead, soulless and cookie cutter every new house I work on now. They all look the same and all feel as if at the end of the day a machine built it, not people.

Great video! Could you also discuss the history of retail store design? It seems that a lot of brands have in-house designers that design the stores according to corporate design standards. Has this always been the case?

Being a kid who grew up in Chicago seeing that rock and roll McDonald’s was my favorite part of visiting the city when they changed it my brain had to double check where I was but a last the rainforest cafe cross the street was there and still looked as unique as ever but I’m not all for this new route of modernizing and taking the flavor we fell in love with about McDonald’s beyond the food

I am not building architect but it almost seems like building designs have a life span to them where they eventually evolve into something different. It’s almost like it matures to have a different style and appeal to a different taste. Here in Maryland there is still one McDonald’s I know that has the old building design. It’s not in the best of neighborhoods and it’s dated and heavily run down. But still operational. However, last I heard from people that work there management is planning to revamp that location too. Old design to me had a fun and inviting vibe to me. The new design has a more serious vibe to it. More corporate business feel over a fun environment. But it appears the industry seems to be following suit because nearly all restaurants near me have or are going to that kind of boring building design. I tell you one thing doesn’t appear to be doing much negatively for foot traffic over here. Many places are just as full as they were previously. Apparently boring building or fun building isn’t impacting peoples food decision over here. Great video!

@AztecDread

Жыл бұрын

It amazes me that are still in business after all these years and the degrading quality of food and how unhealthy and frankly nasty it is. I just can't process it

@leosthrivwithautism

Жыл бұрын

@@AztecDread Very True! I agree. I have been slowly stopping that bad habit after eating out a few times and getting sick from it. I try to only leave that as an option when I have no other available choice. And even then I try to choose better restaurants over fast food.