Do you want a chandelier with that? Inside the world’s most beautiful McDonald’s

Appreciating good design is probably not at the top of hungry minds when visiting McDonald’s. However, in Porto, one restaurant location doubles as one of the city’s most unlikely must-sees. Portugal’s northern capital is home to what is often called “the most beautiful McDonald’s in the world”.

I’m on an Intrepid Travel tour, and while visiting a McDonald’s hardly counts as a profound cultural experience (or as a feature on our food-focused itinerary), our guide encourages us to stop by.

So, what makes this McDonald’s stand out from the more than 38,000 others worldwide? Ceiling frescoes to rival the Sistine Chapel? Is it flecked with gold and dripping with over-the-top opulence? Or is it covered floor to wall in Italian marble that even McDonald’s most high-profile customer, US President Donald Trump, would brazenly proclaim as “the most beautiful McDonald’s”?

Thankfully, it’s none of the above. What it does have is location. This distinguished, good-looking “Mac”, as locals call it, is in the heart of the city, on Praca da Liberdade, within footsteps of Avenida dos Aliados. This grand boulevard is dotted with monuments and lined with buildings in various architectural styles – beaux-arts, neoclassical, art nouveau, art deco and walls covered in azulejos (decorative tin-glazed ceramic tiles).

Occupying one of the strip’s most eye-catching facades is McDonald’s Imperial. Its second name pays homage to the building’s former life as the Imperial Cafe, a coffee shop that dates back to 1936. Perched above the entrance of the multi-storey art deco building is an oversized bronze eagle by Portuguese sculptor Henrique Moreira. The statue is the most elaborate artwork I’ve ever seen greeting McDonald’s customers. (And I’m sure Trump would approve.)

Since opening in 1995, McDonald’s has maintained the building’s art deco aesthetics inside and out. Visitors can enjoy a taste of European outdoor cafe culture with seating under shady trees opposite the city’s main plaza. When I enter and join the crowd flooding the foyer, I quickly notice that more hands are capturing content with their phones than placing orders.

Crystal chandeliers dangle over monster-sized touchscreen kiosks. The Imperial Cafe’s original stained-glass windows, by Portuguese artist Ricardo Leone, depict the life-cycle of coffee from plantation to Porto. On the right, a farmer collects coffee beans from a leafy green plant, and another farmer holds a fully laden basket. On the left, a man in black-tie tie is seated with an elegantly dressed woman at a table, each engrossed in their espresso. Workers transporting coffee on their backs take centre stage.

Other notable interior design highlights are silver tin-pressed panels on the restaurant’s upper walls and a stunning patterned mirror emblazoned with the words “Hamburgueres Saborosos”, which translates as “delicious hamburgers”. While that might be debatable, the interior does live up to its fancy reputation.

Other McDonald’s that have gone viral for their unique real estate include the futuristic, UFO-shaped franchise in Roswell, New Mexico, and a sun-drenched store in Budapest’s 19th-century Nyugati railway station. Even one of Australia’s own Macca’s has gained international attention. Melbourne’s Clifton Hill restaurant has received recognition for its heritage-listed 1930s jazz moderne style architecture.

As well as local artists, McDonald’s Imperial includes local flavours such as pastel de nata (traditional egg custard tarts), an assortment of rustic soups (green bean, carrot, pea), and Sagres beer. The chain also occasionally sells a McBifana (a take on the traditional Portuguese pork sandwich). Still, grasping the splendour of McDonald’s Imperial is the only takeaway I’m after.

THE DETAILS

VISIT
The McDonald’s Imperial is at Praça da Liberdade 126, 4000-322, Porto, Portugal.

TOUR
Portugal Real Food Adventure, featuring Galicia, is from $4860. See intrepidtravel.com

The writer was a guest of Intrepid Travel.