This Historic McDonald's Is Located In Old Train Carriages
With nearly 40,000 locations across the globe, it only makes sense that some McDonald's spots would be more unique than others. In Roswell, New Mexico, there is a UFO-style McDonald's, which plays into the extraterrestrial vibe of the area. Over in Vinita, Oklahoma, one McDonald's is built over the top of a highway, which certainly makes for an interesting overpass. And in New Hyde Park, New York, Insider reports that customers can dine at a McDonald's in Long Island that is actually a National Historic Landmark.
One of the more interesting McDonald's locations is set in Barstow, California, which is a small, central-California city just northwest of Los Angeles – this spot is actually located inside of an old train station. According to Orange Smile, the train station hasn't been in operation since 1955, but train cars were turned into dining rooms for the fast-food spot. The main part of the restaurant is located in the train station itself.
The Barstow McDonald's holds interesting history
The Barstow Station McDonald's is now owned and operated by Billy Rosenberg, whose father originally took over the establishment. In an NBC interview captured on YouTube, he alleged that his father opened the location after winning a game of poker against Kroc. "Ray Kroc and my father got tangled up in a hand of cards, and my father just happened to flop the full house," Rosenberg said. The McOwner insinuated in another interview that his father's full house essentially translated into him winning the McDonald's location.
The McDonald's location has become somewhat of a landmark in California. Those who visit might want to pay special attention to the water tower; Rosenberg told Kool Buildings that his family went on a "rescue mission" to save the water tower, which was a part of the Mojave River. The tower was going to be removed, so the Rosenbergs chose to preserve it by making it an intriguing landmark at their McDonald's location. Orange Smile reports that the railway has been a restaurant since 1975, 20 years after the last train left the station.