Would you like arches with that burger? On Route 66 in La Verne, California, you can chow down under a pair of giant yellow swoops that look like they’ve been holding up hamburgers since the 1950s. But the McDonald’s Golden Arches Building isn’t vintage at all: it’s a newer spot made to look retro.
Back in 1953, the McDonald brothers wanted their restaurants to stand out to hungry drivers, so architect Stanley Clark Meston gave them a flashy design with two 25-foot golden arches. They were bold, futuristic, and perfect for the car-loving, space-age Southern California scene.
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While most of those original arched buildings got remodeled away in the 1970s and ’80s, a few recreations (like this one in La Verne and others in nearby Upland) keep that nostalgic roadside look alive. Want to see the real thing? Head over to Downey, California, where the oldest surviving Golden Arches McDonald’s from 1953 is still flipping burgers and even has a mini museum. And for even more McDonald’s memorabilia, swing by the First Original McDonald’s Museum on Route 66 in San Bernardino. It’s a supersized serving of fast-food history!
Photos of McDonald’s Golden Arches Building in La Verne, California
