San Bernardino is the home to the very first McDonalds. Today, my daughter and I stopped by the site of the original McDonalds and took some photos to share. 
The original building was demolished in 1972 and the property was completely neglected. In 1998, a local fast food businessman and founder of Juan Pollo Restaurants, Albert Okura, bought the land from a foreclosure sale and created this quaint dedication to the contribution of Richard and Maurice McDonalds to the one of the most recognized American institutions.
This plaque mentions the Drive-In Barbeque Restaurant that was owned by the McDonalds' brothers before they went into the hamburger business. It was a popular teen hangout that many locals still remember fondly. The McDonalds brothers recognized that 80% of all their business was selling hamburgers and that it would be more profitable and easier to attact families rather than the teenage crowd. In 1948, the restaurant was converted to a fast-food joint with the slogan of "SPEEDEE SERVICE SYSTEM" and cheap prices - 15 cent hamburgers and 10 cent french fries.
The location of the first McDonalds, right on Route 66, was instrumental in the success of this new concept in food service. People driving cross country were happy to find quick and cheap meals. The outside of the McDonalds museum is decorated with many pieces of nostalagic Route 66 signs:
In 1954, milkshake machine salesman, Roy Kroc, visted the McDonalds restaurant in San Bernardino and convinced them to franchise their operation. In 1961, the McDonalds brothers sold their interest for $2.7 million dollars to Roy Kroc. The deal did not include the original McDonalds restaurant in San Bernardino. This restaurant changed its name to the Big M. The McDonalds brother role in the founding of McDonalds restaurants is largely over-shadowed by Roy Kroc's franchising concept.
Who doesn't remember those carefree days when McDonalds was considered a special treat? I had several birthday parties held at my local McDonalds while I was growing up. These photos from the museum really bring back those happy memories for me.
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Comments: 70
My 95 pound rott/lab Maggie Ho dog still thinks going to Mcdonald's is something special. Twice a week my husband works late, so I put her in the 4-runner and we grab McDonald's. I usually get the grilled Asian chicken salad and a yogurt parfait. If Maggie's really lucky, she gets french fries.
Love and hugs - S.
Cecile, I should have known you would have historic memories of your first McDonalds. So many people here speak so lovingly of their memories hanging out at this original McDonalds. I guess it was quite the hopping place back in the 1950s. I wish I had lived in those very fun times. That is so adorable about Maggie going through the drive-through and getting an order of fries. My Siamese cat used to love cappuchinos that I make at home and once we went through a McDonalds drive-through on a road trip and he jumped up to share my coffee with me and did not like it at all. Figures a cat would shun McDonalds.
Sveta, I would love to help you! I can't wait until you do your first photo-essay of Moscow! I am excited to see where you live and work and all the interesting places that only locals know about. It is quite easy to do add photos to an article once you get a few minutes of practice. I hope things are going well for you. I'm thinking of you all the time :-)
Braxton, it is such a HARD job. I worked for a few months at a Burger King and I never had to work so hard in my life in such bad conditions and for such little pay. Guess what? No free food even :-(
Thank you, Shaunee. This museum is a place that I pass all the time and tonight I decided just to stop the car and spend a few minutes looking it over and it was well worth the time. The museum was closed when I went by, but next time, I'll be sure to go in.
I was one who had my first job at Mickey D's.
15 cent burgers....wow
The home of childhood obesity.
I have heard that some people eat their french-fries. I am not making this up...
Super pics and great history lesson, Jen.
Amy ♥, thank you so much for gracing my page! I love old historic places too. It's just a shame that the original Golden Arches is not there anymore. I bet it would attract tourists from all over the world.
Mike, are you serious? Wow! I can't believe that! ;-) ;-) ;-) Thank you for thinking of me.
Jackie, ♥ ♥ ♥ if it wasn't for places like McDonalds, I bet most teens wouldn't get to experience the joys of working (only a little sarcasm here...). I actually loved my first job even though it was so hard and for such little pay. I bet you have good memories too. When we first moved to San Bernardino, a local McDonalds had 10 cent Hamburgers on Tuesday and we would splurge and get 10 each. I can't believe I'm still alive after that.
Leah, I think we all know those days of having to eat on the cheap. Nice to see you!
Aileen, I think McDonalds was special to me when I was growing up, just because it was a once in a while treat, not an every day stop. Of course, out here we have In-N-Out so that's where these days when I'm craving hamburgers. I wonder which McDonalds in Redlands was the first one. I work close to the one on Redlands Boulevard east of downtown and that one looks pretty authentic to me.
Thank you, ♥ Lisa!
Rob, I can't really remember the very first time I was at McDonalds either or where it was, but I definitely remember those birthday parties where you could reserve part of the restaurant and they would tie a balloon to the chairs and everyone would get a Happy Meal and Ronald McDonald would make an appearance. It's too bad all the different restaurants have been eaten up by a few mass chains all around America, but that's "progress" I guess.
Dennis, the problem with fast-food is that people have abused it and now don't even try to make home cooked meals using fresh ingredients. Everyone is rushing around or sitting in front of computers, televisions, or game systems and not taking time for exercise and real food. McDonalds and the other fast-food giants do need to be held with part of the blame though for the blatant advertising at children and the way they have cheapened the food through the use of additives and transfats and poor quality beef. I will rarely eat at fast-food just because I like to know what's in my meat.
Dee, yum! That sounds pretty good. Thanks for coming by!
Sounds great but making 500 lbs. of potatoes into fries is hard work. They used a drum peeler and a one at a time slicer. The rest is all by hand.
In and Out still uses real potatoes but they skip the pre fry step which is crucial. The French knew what they were doing.
Mike, yoga night.
Thank YOU for stopping by, S.W. and friend of Aaron's. You don't have to tell me the pitfalls of working fast-food. I was a BK employee myself. The worst part is the smell of grease that gets into your skin. It might be fun being a manager though and getting to sit in that little office "doing paperwork" while everyone else is running around working super hard.
just wanted to say thanks for all your wonderful support and comments lately. you are what makes gather such a nice place to be. thank you friend.
Thank you so much for all your sweet words! I hope you will feel 100% very soon. Take good care of yourself and your son.
Kathleen, I have really fond memories of McDonalds too. It was fun to watch the numbers rise on the sign. I bet my kids won't have as fond of memories because it's just not a special treat to go to fast-food anymore. Maybe they will remember the cool play areas though.
Thank you, Sarah. I appreciate your comment!
Mariana, thank you so much! I love Route 66 too. Sometimes I bypass the freeway just so I can drive in-town on the old Route 66 and enjoy all the old hotels and one-of-a-kind restaurants and businesses. It was very run-down when we first moved to San Bernardino, but the area is now improving because property values have sky-rocketed and the economy is better. I think one cool thing about McDonalds is the way it gave so many Americans a chance at a first job with almost no skills or work experience. It was fun to have some money in your pocket and cheap restaurant food to spend it on.
Thank you so much, Kjersti.
Larry, thank you for the connection request! I already thought we were connected. I've been known to eat 10 McDonald's hamburgers at a time too. I don't know if I could these days but I had a much bigger appetite and faster metabolism when I was younger. This original McDonalds was torn down a long time ago. That's really a shame and the lot was just left weedy and completely neglected until Mr. Okura bought it and built the museum. The area where the original McDonalds is locataed was blighted for a long time but it seems to be recovering very nicely thanks to some very serious efforts on the parts of our last two mayors.
Thanks, Aaron. I don't know why I have never stopped by to photograph this historic site before. It's on my way to several places I have to go to every week. I'm glad I finally took the time, because it was very interesting to learn more about how McDonalds got started. I love French fries....
Thank you, sweet Jean!
Tonia, I loved the smiling tree. Everything looks pretty run-down because it is truly old, but it's still so adorable and cheerful. It just reminds me of those happy days. That's so interesting that you grew up in Australia.
Mark, it's funny how fastfood restaurants are inspired by each other and develop in these clusters in one city. I remember when going to Pizza Hut was a really fun restaurant. In our town, all Pizza Huts are simply carry out, but in the Midwest they still have those cute full dining restaurants so I was sure to go to them while we were traveling last summer. White Castle is a place I always wanted to try but when I was living in Michigan, all the White Castles were in very dangerous neighborhoods so I didn't work up the nerve to stop in. mmmmmmmm. Chi Chi's was the *only* Mexican food available in my hometown of Sioux Falls, SD. I wish it were still around because now I'm craving the seafood nachos they served there.
Don, the quality of food we are served at almost any type of restaurant is going downhill. The only fast-food that I truly crave is a cheeseburger and fries from In-N-Out -- but the line is so long that I rarely have the time to induldge.
Merrin, you aren't old enough to get all nostalgic! Lucky girl! I do miss those cute Ronald McDonalds and all his sidekicks like this Hamburger Man though.
Thank you so much, Debbie! It was fun exploring an original place in my hometown.
Do you know if Loves BBQ ever opened up anywhere else in San Bernardino? That was some really great BBQ, but the place is gone now... Bummer...
Lisa, that's so true! McDonalds used to be such a fun place to go to when I was a kid. I really think the food was better then.
Wilma, I remember when I was a kid and I thought it would be so cool to live within walking or bike riding distance of a fast food restaurant. Now they are on every corner and it's nothing special anymore.
La Bellota, hasn't everyone played on the McDonalds playland toys before? That was the best part of going there.
Thank you, Liz!
Thanks, Debra.
And I apologize to all you that it took me so long to respond to these nice comments!
Blessings
Ron, that's interesting - I love those very old McDonalds. I'm going to try to find out where it is and if its around here, I'm going to visit it.