The Fancy Italian McDonald's With An Ancient Roman-Inspired Interior
If you've had the pleasure of dining in more than one McDonald's location, you've probably noticed that most of them look pretty much the same. Even though the chain has made an attempt to modernize its interior design over the past decade, whether you're dining in Los Angeles or Nashville, you're likely to get a very similar experience.
One European McDonald's, however, changes all that with its larger-than-life interior. Tucked away just down the street from Rome's iconic Spanish Steps lies what is possibly the fanciest McDonald's in the world.
TikToker @mikaybennett's short tour of the restaurant captures the uniquely Italian decor that keeps tourists and Romans alike coming back to this location in particular to chow down on a Big Mac. Upon entering the eatery, guests are greeted by an ornate-looking tiled entranceway decorated to look like an ancient Roman balcony. Overlooking the foyer is a sculpture that looks like it could be a rendering of the Roman goddess Venus.
Further into the restaurant beyond the familiar ordering kiosks stands a separate section devoted to decadent-looking cakes, tarts, and donuts. The old-world interior is a definite upgrade from any McDonald's you'd find in the U.S.
Rome's Spanish Steps McDonald's is an important part of the chain's history
While McDonald's Spanish Steps location and the historic scenery that surround it are attractive in themselves, this particular McDonald's has some equally interesting ties to the history of the fast food chain. During the TikTok tour of the restaurant, the camera pauses to focus on a plaque commemorating the building of the Spanish Steps Mcdonald's in 1986.
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This McDonald's was the first ever to open in Rome and was the largest McDonald's in the world at the time of the location's opening. Given the restaurant's spot in McDonald's history, the ancient artifacts seem even more fitting. At the time owner Jacques Bahbout said he felt a responsibility to make this McDonald's special, and that he "wanted to bring the two different cultures together and make the restaurant palatable in more ways than one" per UPI.
Rome's Spanish Steps McDonald's isn't the only Golden Arches in the city to feature such impressive decor, however. Located just a short walk away at Roma Termini Station, guests can marvel at one of Rome's oldest pieces of history. Hidden inside the restaurant is a piece of the so-called Servian Wall, the city wall responsible for keeping the city of Rome safe in the 4th century B.C.