Where was the first McDonald's?

[Greg Charles]

A couple of my friends claim it's the one right on the highway that passes through the boondock town of Hemet, California. Not that I mistrust my friends, but I'd like to hear the straight dope.

As long as we're on the subject, here's what my old marketing book had to say. Way back when, Ray Kroc was a salesman for a product that could make six milkshakes simultaneously. When a customer ordered two of these machines for a single restaurant, he decided to go see the place for himself. It was the aforementioned first McDonald's, still being run by a couple of brothers actually named McDonald. Kroc was so impressed by the business they were doing that he bought them out, expanded and franchised, and thus began the quest for global domination. It's a good story, but as I say it's from a marketing book and therefore somewhat suspect. I'd like to hear the straight dope on that too.

[Ringo]

The first McDonald's, plus a few.

Bon apetite!

[BobT]

As the website states, the first McDonald wasn't exactly in a boondock town. It wasn't exactly in a glamorous place either.

The Downey restaurant (the oldest existing restaurant) was almost torn down a few years ago, but community activists saved it. It was McDonald's who wanted to replace it because it didn't generate enough revenue in its configuration because it had no drive-through.