Franchise News
McDonalds Opens Futuristic New Flagship Restaurant in Chicago
The building's glass facade and indoor tech are emblematic of the brand’s future, execs say
Quick-service restaurant franchise giant McDonald’s opened the doors to its new flagship restaurant in Chicago on Thursday, and a lot is different. Business Insider provided a photo tour of the drastic changes in structure and design of the colossal 19,000-square-foot building, which includes an all-glass exterior that resembles an Apple store, dozens of trees and solar panels. Inside, the brand has taken noticeable steps toward its “Experience of the Future” overhaul with the addition of self-order kiosks, table service, mobile order and pay, and delivery.
Designed by Chicago-based architecture firm Ross Barney Architects, the location sadly isn’t indicative of what all future McDonald’s will look like. However, the technology incorporated into the new flagship lays the foundation for what the brand is looking to incorporate across all franchise units.
"We are proud to open the doors to this flagship restaurant, which symbolizes how we are building a better McDonald's for our customers and the communities where they live," McDonald's President and CEO Steve Easterbrook said.
Check out the full layout here.
Photo courtesy of McDonald’s Corp. Twitter page
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About the Author
Madeline Lena
FollowMaddie has spent her career in the media industry, serving in various editorial roles before migrating into a hybrid content strategy and PR role with No Limit Agency. Her passion for storytelling and love of writing help her create meaningful content on behalf of her clients and fulfill No Limit Agency’s mission to tell people-driven stories.
Maddie is a graduate of Saint Louis University, where she studied Communications with a focus in journalism and media studies as well as Sports Business. In her spare time, Maddie can be found exploring Chicago’s food scene, watching an NBA game or lamenting over her middling fantasy baseball team.
