Ray Kroc opened the first McDonald’s franchise restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, establishing the franchising model that enabled rapid national and later international growth.
McDonald’s opened its first restaurant outside the United States in Richmond, British Columbia, marking the start of sustained international expansion via franchising and local operating partners.
McDonald’s opened its first Australian restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Yagoona, launching one of the brand’s largest international markets through a franchise-led structure.
The Ginza restaurant opened as McDonald’s first location in Japan, an early major step into East Asia and a model for scaling through localized corporate structures and later franchising.
McDonald’s opened in Zaandam in the Netherlands, cited as its first restaurant on Europe’s mainland, serving as a springboard for broader continental expansion.
McDonald’s opened its first UK restaurant in Woolwich (south east London), beginning nationwide growth that would later rely heavily on franchised operators and localized marketing.
McDonald’s entered Hong Kong with a first restaurant on Paterson Street in Causeway Bay, expanding the brand’s footprint in Asia through a dedicated local operation.
McDonald’s France identifies its first French restaurant as opening in Strasbourg on this date; the market later became one of the company’s strongest in Europe.
McDonald’s opened at Liat Towers on Orchard Road, establishing the brand in Singapore and helping anchor later Southeast Asian growth through franchised and company-operated formats.
The first McDonald’s in the Philippines opened on Morayta Street in Manila, a milestone that preceded broad archipelago growth under a local master franchise arrangement.
McDonald’s opened its first Spanish restaurant on Gran Vía in Madrid, initiating expansion across the Iberian Peninsula through a mix of corporate and franchise development.
McDonald’s entered Mexico with its first restaurant in Pedregal, Mexico City, extending the company’s North American presence through joint-venture and franchise partnerships.
McDonald’s opened in Moscow’s Pushkin Square, a landmark entry into the Soviet market that drew massive crowds and became a symbol of late–Cold War economic opening.
McDonald’s opened its first mainland China restaurant in Shenzhen, launching expansion in one of the company’s most strategically important long-term growth markets.
McDonald’s opened its first Israeli restaurant at Ayalon Mall in Ramat Gan, establishing the brand in the Middle East through a local concessionaire/master franchise model.
McDonald’s opened its first South African restaurant in Johannesburg, extending franchised operations into a major African market after resolving trademark disputes.
McDonald’s opened its first Indian restaurant in Bandra, Mumbai, beginning a large-scale, locally adapted expansion shaped by supply-chain localization and menu changes for Indian consumers.
McDonald's Global Franchising Expansion (1955-2000)
