There's something so special—majestic, even—about really fancy versions of chain restaurants. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that perhaps the fancier it looks on the outside, the better the food tastes on the inside. These are just some of the reasons the huge McDonald's in Times Square closing down is enough to make anyone a little bit sentimental.
The four-story McDonald's was located on 42nd street in Times Square, and according to the New York Post, there were 7,000 marquee bulbs on the sign to mimic the extravagance of Broadway theater signs. This location was also once considered the McDonald's flagship store, so they'd test out new menu items from time to time, but now the flagship status has been given to a McDonald's close by on Broadway.
Although the timing may suggest otherwise, a spokesperson for McDonald's confirmed to the NYP that the shut down of this location is unrelated to the COVID-19 pandemic. A spokesperson for McDonald's told Delish that the company is constantly reviewing its restaurant portfolio to see where changes should be made. "The closing of the 42nd Times Square restaurant, which was planned before the pandemic, was a difficult decision, and allows us to focus on serving customers a few blocks away at the new flagship McDonald’s on 45th and Broadway and in the neighboring communities," they said.
There are no set plans about what will happen with the 17,500-square-foot space, but management has already considered renting out the space for an exclusive New Year's Eve view of the ball dropping.
Either way, it looks like if you're in the mood for a burger underneath shining bright lights at a well-upholstered table surrounded by the typical hustle and bustle of Times Square, you'll have to go elsewhere...there's always Applebee's!
