Many people agree that having one less McDonald's is not necessarily a bad thing, but the recent removal of the old school McDonald's at Highland and Sunset in Hollywood is a sad departure of a North American icon. Rather than a standard issue McDeez, this small white hut was a relic from the 1950s, when McDonald's first began. It featured steeple-esque roofing and a gigantic statue-sign of the chain's original mascot, Speedee the Chef, a cuter, simpler precursor to the bad-acid-trip-recalling, HR Pufnstuf rip-offs that now rule McDonaldland (RIP Mac Tonight).
So Speedee, who would glow in neon come nightfall and reveal a questionable lump in his trousers, has been offed, leaving merely a maze of gang graffiti covering his sad remains.
With In-N-Out and even Carl's Jr. as neighbors, I guess this change was inevitable. But we would have rather seen the McDonald's on Hollywood Boulevard—dubbed the most expensive McDonald's in existence, with a giant movie marquee announcing itself but a fairly lackluster interior—removed than this small slice of our hamburger heritage. So it goes sometimes. At least the oldest existing McDonald's still resides somewhere out on Lakewood Boulevard in Downey in South Central and still sports a giant Speedee with that old school burger-stand style.
On the other end of the McDonald's funding universe, I spotted this corporate-style McDonald's in San Diego's downtown recently, blending into the landscape of steel and glass. I kind of like it and have learned as long as we have to have McDonald's, maybe it's preferable to have them buck the cookie-cutter spaces for some ingenuity. We'll always recognize those golden arches from a mile away.
Also, if any readers have any pictures of the passed Sunset–Highland McDonalds, I’d love to see once again what it looked like and share it on AHT.
I challenge other food bloggers to give aid to those who worked in the food industry and made New Orleans so flavorful:
New Orleans Hospitality Workers Disaster Relief Fund A fund has been established to benefit employees of the hospitality industry of the Greater New Orleans area who have experienced hardships because of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Contributions may be sent to:
New Orleans Hospitality Workers Disaster Relief Fund
Greater Houston Community Foundation
4550 Post Oak Place, Suite 100
Houston, TX 77027
Call 713-333-2200 for additional information
Okay. No offense intended here, so please don't take any. But allow me to correct you.
The McDonald's at Hollywood and Sunset was most definitely NOT a refugee from the 1950's. It was built around 1992. I know because I've lived in L.A. since 1989. I remember clearly that corner as a vacant lot.
It did feature "Speedee" on the sign, but the sign was also put in when the store was built in a bid to give the McD's a sort of fake retro hipness, perhaps siphoning off some of the shenanigans of Fatburger and In-N-Out.
About the Downey location: it's the only original operating 1950's McDonald's still left, actually dating back to prior to the buyout of the chain by Ray Kroc in 1955. That location was originally franchised by the McDonald Brothers. Because of that condition, legally that location was allowed to sell food items not allowed by any other McDonald's, such as pizza.
Last year I went on a trip to Australia, the McDonald's restaurants down under are head and shoulders above those in America, everything is made fresh to order, they also have a lot of menu items you will never see in the USA. Their sandwiches are a bit smaller but the quality is way above what is found in most US McDonald's restaurants. Everything is made fresh, their fries are worlds above what is found in the US.
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Many people agree that having one less McDonald's is not necessarily a bad thing, but the recent removal of the old school McDonald's at Highland and Sunset in Hollywood is a sad departure of a North American icon. Rather than a standard issue McDeez, this small white hut was a relic from the 1950s, when McDonald's first began. It featured steeple-esque roofing and a gigantic statue-sign of the chain's original mascot, Speedee the Chef, a cuter, simpler precursor to the bad-acid-trip-recalling, HR Pufnstuf rip-offs that now rule McDonaldland (RIP Mac Tonight). 
So Speedee, who would glow in neon come nightfall and reveal a questionable lump in his trousers, has been offed, leaving merely a maze of gang graffiti covering his sad remains. 
On the other end of the McDonald's funding universe, I spotted this corporate-style McDonald's in San Diego's downtown recently, blending into the landscape of steel and glass. I kind of like it and have learned as long as we have to have McDonald's, maybe it's preferable to have them buck the cookie-cutter spaces for some ingenuity. We'll always recognize those golden arches from a mile away.
7 Comments:
I challenge other food bloggers to give aid to those who worked in the food industry and made New Orleans so flavorful:
New Orleans Hospitality Workers Disaster Relief Fund A fund has been established to benefit employees of the hospitality industry of the Greater New Orleans area who have experienced hardships because of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina. Contributions may be sent to:
New Orleans Hospitality Workers Disaster Relief Fund
Greater Houston Community Foundation
4550 Post Oak Place, Suite 100
Houston, TX 77027
Call 713-333-2200 for additional information
http://www.commanderspalace.com/new_orleans/index.php
Hamburger jillian at 11:58PM on 09/02/05
Good idea!! Give to The Red Cross too! Not that giving should be a challenge, Jillian...
Hamburglar Hadley at 12:35AM on 09/03/05
good post. Just passing through, cool blog by the way.
Hamburger HumanityCritic at 3:27PM on 09/18/05
Err...hate to shatter your illusions, but... NO.
Okay. No offense intended here, so please don't take any. But allow me to correct you.
The McDonald's at Hollywood and Sunset was most definitely NOT a refugee from the 1950's. It was built around 1992. I know because I've lived in L.A. since 1989. I remember clearly that corner as a vacant lot.
It did feature "Speedee" on the sign, but the sign was also put in when the store was built in a bid to give the McD's a sort of fake retro hipness, perhaps siphoning off some of the shenanigans of Fatburger and In-N-Out.
About the Downey location: it's the only original operating 1950's McDonald's still left, actually dating back to prior to the buyout of the chain by Ray Kroc in 1955. That location was originally franchised by the McDonald Brothers. Because of that condition, legally that location was allowed to sell food items not allowed by any other McDonald's, such as pizza.
Also, Downey is not in "South Central."
Just sayin'.
Hamburger Fred at 3:57PM on 11/23/05
I HATE HAMBURGERS
Hamburger bob at 11:16PM on 06/28/06
Hamburgers hate you, Bob.
Adam Kuban at 12:56AM on 06/29/06
Last year I went on a trip to Australia, the McDonald's restaurants down under are head and shoulders above those in America, everything is made fresh to order, they also have a lot of menu items you will never see in the USA. Their sandwiches are a bit smaller but the quality is way above what is found in most US McDonald's restaurants. Everything is made fresh, their fries are worlds above what is found in the US.
Hamburger Stevo at 11:48PM on 05/04/07