100k special

world's largest entertainment mcdonald's / "epic mcdonald's" (1976)

orlando, fl

active (renovated in 2016)

epic mcdonald's is often cited as the most nonstandard mcdonald's in the world. at 19k sq ft, it measures in as the largest active mcdonald's. in its modern state, it certainly impresses - but, by some accounts, pales in comparison to its former self. today, we will explore both.

this unique location at the intersection of i-drive and sand lake rd was opened in 1976 by the late gary oerther (of oerther foods). a pioneering franchisee, oerther was responsible for other famous nonstandard mcdonald's, such as the bistro gourmet concept (featured previously).

this location's original incarnation was visible from a distance, thanks to its bold checkerboard paintjob and two-story neon french fries. before entering, guests would be treated to colorful, unusual murals, declaring this location "the most unique mcdonald's in the world".

the "world's largest entertainment mcdonald's" most certainly did its best to live up to its title. its interior was covered in an absolute whirlwind of decoration - mcdonald's character statues, crocodiles, whales, past us presidents, the statue of liberty, jungles, jukeboxes.

upon entry, guests were thrown into an enomrous arcade and dining area - ft. aquariums, more murals, and a mac tonight animatronic surrounded by an indoor jungle and waterfall. a venue stage was also present, and frequently featured live entertainment.

similar to the bistro gourmet concept, many unique food items were offered here; pizza, ice cream, sandwiches, cakes, and even nonstandard breakfast items.

if the overwhelming experience was somehow not enough for guests, they could ascend to a 2nd floor containing additional arcade games, prize center, and a playplace. this playplace was also touted as the world's largest; we lack the data to quantify this claim.

this mcdonald's embodies everything that makes a nonstandard mcdonald's wonderful - ambition, uniqueness, and a bit of roughness around the edges. this was not to last, however; the building was aging, and any replacement had epic shoes to fill.

in 2015, a structure began to rise alongside the original location, being built to house its replacement. it wouldn't be until 2016 until the new mcdonald's finally opened; in its final days, the grand neon fries of the old location went dark.

(photo credit: @bioreconstruct)

come 2016, a re-envisioned "epic mcdonald's" opened its doors. this new location reined in the chaos for a more modern, but still zany and super-sized, appearance. trademark features, like the neon lights, were carried over into the new design.

(photo #1 credit: @bioreconstruct)

despite a revamped interior (more open with more natural light) and a more unified aesthetic, some old favorites - like a certain lunar pianist - hung around.

the nonstandard menu was also left intact; guests can still order pizzas, belgian waffles, and more from a far larger and better equipped kitchen.

finally, the playplace - filled with more modern playground equipment, and an on-brand mcdonald's color scheme.

the modern location has done its best to marry its original spirit with a less cluttered sensibility. still, some can't help but mourn the sheer chaos that once was the world's largest entertainment mcdonald's.

at the very least, both proudly bear the title of "nonstandard"

thank you all for 100k followers - we reached that milestone in 6 months, far more quickly than expected.

while this location certainly is a high point for nonstandardness, we look forward to serving millions more as our work continues!

whoops! guess we bit off more than we could chew - this tweet fell off of the thread! https://twitter.com/nonstandardmcd/status/1353840471756443648