McDonald's Reveals 50th Anniversary Restaurant Design

Ronald McDonald, McDonald's Chief Happiness Officer, today introduced the bold, one-of-a-kind futuristic restaurant design which will be the company's Chicago flagship site at 600 N. Clark St. Today's event marks the beginning of the company's 50th anniversary celebration. McDonald's founder Ray Kroc opened his first restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, on April 15, 1955.

The new restaurant, slated to open in April 2005, will meld the past with the future by incorporating Ray's 'red and white' design of his first McDonald's while offering customers a contemporary restaurant with Wi-Fi and other innovative features.

"We're thrilled that McDonald's has decided to rebuild on this site in honor of their 50th anniversary next year," said Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. "This new restaurant will be a landmark destination for tourists and city residents. The company has done a great job creating a unique and attractive destination, and we are pleased that McDonald's is participating in the city's Green Roof initiative by integrating rooftop greenery into the design."

This destination will replace the "Rock 'n' Roll McDonald's," which is the third busiest McDonald's restaurant in the United States, and 12th busiest in the world. Highlighted by two 60-ft. tall Golden Arches, the flagship site will serve twice as many customers in the drive-thru, thanks to a new double- lane drive-thru feature. Seating capacity will also double, from about 150 seats today to 300+ seats when the new restaurant opens.

"This restaurant concept was the vision of our company's late chairman and CEO, Jim Cantalupo. It was very important to Jim, and our entire management team is committed to making his grand vision a reality," said McDonald's Corporation CEO Charlie Bell. "This exciting flagship restaurant will delight millions of McDonald's customers every year from all over the world."

"For nearly 50 years, McDonald's has proudly called Chicago home, and just four blocks away from this site, our founder Ray Kroc opened his first corporate office at 221 N. LaSalle," said Jim Skinner, Vice Chairman, McDonald's Corporation. "Chicago and McDonald's have played an integral role in each other's development. This city has fostered a supportive business environment for entrepreneurial endeavors, provided a strong workforce and inspired a tremendous sense of civic spirit. At the same time, McDonald's has created new jobs for the local economy and new small businesses. Consistent with our heritage and values, it remains important for us to remember our humble beginnings and continue to give back to the community that we call home."

In June 2003, McDonald's Chicago region launched a local revitalization plan for its 21 downtown Chicago restaurants that represent a $16 million investment in the city.

Mike Roberts, President, McDonald's U.S.A. said, "The re-imaging of our restaurants is just one part of our overall plan to continue the momentum of improving the customer experience at McDonald's. At this important site, we are building a flagship restaurant that will showcase the great moments from our past, while also looking ahead to McDonald's bright future."

The current restaurant's last full day of operation will be Sunday, July 18, 2004; the restaurant will officially close at 5 a.m. Monday, July 19. Customers can enjoy their favorite McDonald's menu items just a few blocks away at the newly rebuilt McDonald's restaurant located at 10 East Chicago Avenue, which features contemporary restaurant decor, a new city park and multi-tier seating.

Developed by McDonald's Restaurant Design Group, the new restaurant will complement Chicago's skyline and feature a unique landscape to enhance the site. The perimeter will be lined with trees and offer a garden view for second floor visitors, as well as a visually appealing "green roof" for the River North neighborhood. The interior will feature interactive technology elements currently in development.

McDonald's is the world's leading food service retailer with more than 30,000 local McDonald's restaurants serving 47 million customers each day in more than 100 countries. More than 70 percent of McDonald's restaurants around the world are owned and operated by independent, local businessmen and women.

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SOURCE: McDonald's Corporation

CONTACT: Lisa Howard, +1-630-623-5044, lisa.howard@mcd.com , or Michon
Ellis, +1-630-623-4061, michon.ellis@mcd.com , both of McDonald's, or Louise
Edwards of Margie Korshak, +1-312-751-5511, ledwards@korshak.com

Web site: http://www.mcdonalds.com/