Mickey D’s with a Side of Carpenters: The Oldest McDonald’s in Downey, California

We were in Downey because my mom was a huge fan of the music duo, the Carpenters. In the morning, we visited the childhood home of Karen and Richard Carpenter. Many people in the tour group stood in awe at what once was the residence of the famous singers. Downey, California, is known for many things. It is the hometown of Richard and Karen Carpenter, home to the first Taco Bell and even the home to the very first McDonald's!

When it came around lunchtime, the tour bus took us to a very vintage McDonald's McDonald's. The sign was originally designed before the golden arches we know today.  Its dated appearance is because it prides itself on being the oldest McDonalds. The building has remained looking this way since its location opened in 1953. 

In 1940, Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald's in San Bernardino and introduced speed service in 1948. Long before Ronald or the golden arches, we've learned today that the mascot was a guy named Speedee with a burger patty for a head. This mascot symbolized fast, efficient service. In 1953, The two brothers opened their second location in Downey, California, which would become the oldest remaining stand when the San Bernardino location was converted into a museum. 

Did you know that at the time, a Hamburger cost only 15 cents, and an order of French Fries was only 12 cents? Talk about a bargain for us in today’s economy!

Ray Kroc swooped in and purchased the McDonald's chain from the brothers in 1961. Before his acquisition, he was a milkshake mixer salesman. Through his leadership, he started to incorporate an assembly line set up for food preparation. Under Kroc, he began to expand massively. Currently, there are 41,800 locations worldwide. 

In the present day, long lines from the tour group waited for their food. Registers from a bi-gone era lined one side of the window next to the active register. Next to the stand was a semi-enclosed ratting area with an exciting layout different from a typical McDonald's dining area. I had a whole hour to eat and enjoy the full classic Mickey D's experience.

Both the dining area and the hallway to the bathroom serve as a mini museum. There was a set of original wooden doors with an older logo design of golden arches with a line in the middle. There were many vintage signs and old toys from children's meals, one being Beanie Babies (I remember having a whole collection of those from getting Happy Meals all the time).

One room had the moon guy costume used for a Mac Tonight commercial. His costume is on a mannequin to stare creepily out at patrons, with a neon sign behind him saying Mac Tonight. In 1986, McDonald's ran a campaign to increase sales for dinner rushes. If you want to learn more about it, I will leave a link to the YouTube channel Defunctland, as there is a video that goes into more detail about the campaign. 

Before I knew it, it was time to leave. It was interesting seeing the oldest still operating McDonald's in Downey. Someday, if I come back to California, I will visit the Downey area again to see the oldest Taco Bell location. The city is a mecca for music stars and fast-food establishments. 

Link to Mac Tonight:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClksIvHsYcc