23rd and Penn McDonalds

[LakeEffect]

Truth is I judge associates pretty hard when they're under 30 and always want to meet at Starbucks. I would never personally suggest McD's becausei value my reputation lol, but their beverages are just as good and half the price, and there's actually somewhere to sit down unlike at almost any Starbucks. Starbucks is just a totally worthless business IMO - they're such an affront to the intimate coffee shop experience but they get away with it because people are mindless creatures of habit and branding.

I tend to judge people pretty hard when they suggest non-local options, especially when its local gov't employees or planners. Support local first, in my view.

Anyway, back to the new McDonald's...

[Plutonic Panda]

I tend to judge people pretty hard when they suggest non-local options, especially when its local gov't employees or planners. Support local first, in my view.

Anyway, back to the new McDonald's...

Everything was local at one point or another and since they were successful you say not to support them? I mean I always try and help out local as much as I can, but I don't put any places down just because they're not local.

[LakeEffect]

Everything was local at one point or another and since they were successful you say not to support them? I mean I always try and help out local as much as I can, but I don't put any places down just because they're not local.

I'm not putting non-local places down, but I'm not lifting them up either. Local first, others second. It's about economy as well - the local dollar spreads better.

[Plutonic Panda]

I'm not putting non-local places down, but I'm not lifting them up either. Local first, others second. It's about economy as well - the local dollar spreads better.

Oh, I see. I misunderstood your post.

[LakeEffect]

Oh, I see. I misunderstood your post.

And, there are plenty of local places I'd rather not go to first... it does work both ways some times. Mostly these local places are ones that have poor track records, service, etc...

[Plutonic Panda]

And, there are plenty of local places I'd rather not go to first... it does work both ways some times. Mostly these local places are ones that have poor track records, service, etc...

Now the one exception I have is I HATE WALMART! I will drive to Kroger's in Dallas before I shop at Walmart(not really but that how I hate them lol). I usually shop for most of my stuff at Sprouts and then goto Uptown grocery for my grocery shopping.

BTW- I just realized this is a McDonalds thread sooooo yeah.. sorry for getting off topic. :/

[Spartan]

Grocery shopping must be nice up in Pluto/Edmond :P

I'm not putting non-local places down, but I'm not lifting them up either. Local first, others second. It's about economy as well - the local dollar spreads better.

30% non-local gets reinvested locally, as opposed to 60% at local businesses. Locals tend to buy local themselves bc they understand how important it is.

[kevinpate]

I get ya spartan. I was meeting a former coworker last weekend to paly catchup on old times and I suggested MickyD's. Soda's are a buck including refills, they have chairs and not just booths (important for those of us who have majorly enjoyed our chicken fried steaks and bacon wrapped everythings over the years.) And, if you don't time it for the height of breakfast period, the one closest to me is practically deserted inside on Saturday mornings. The drive-thru lane, well that's a whole nuther critter.

[UncleCyrus]

Maybe as a free-standing McDonalds, but I have been in many multi-level McDonalds in France, Germany and Italy.

This one in Houston has been there at least 20 years: 1405 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056 - Google Maps

[CuatrodeMayo]

As of last night, this McDonalds is closed. The is a banner out front saying the restaurant is closed starting December 31 and will reopen in the spring.

[catch22]

Yay! McDouble Double Double...Double Double?

[Spartan]

As of last night, this McDonalds is closed. The is a banner out front saying the restaurant is closed starting December 31 and will reopen in the spring.

Typical fast McD's construction job

[jedicurt]

Typical fast McD's construction job

but not as fast as the China company that says that it can build a skyscraper in 3 months... they could finish with this project in about 16 hours.

[heyerdahl]

Everything was local at one point or another and since they were successful you say not to support them?

Often true, but not always... For example, the first Olive Garden was opened in Orlando by General Mills and they expanded to hundreds of locations within a couple of years. A lot of the typical chain concepts are born in marketing conference rooms and test labs, not in mom and pop's kitchen like they often want you to think (see Olive Garden's commercials).

Even if they were started as local businesses, by the time they become successful they have been acquired by huge corporations and their subsidiaries.

Stillwater recently gave Olive Garden a subsidy (!!) to open a location in Stillwater. Even if Olive Garden is tasty, it seems like a terrible policy to offer General Mills a subsidy while there are existing local Italian options and probably many entrepreneurs coming out of OSU's hospitality program that might want to open a restaurant.

[SoonerDave]

Stillwater recently gave Olive Garden a subsidy (!!) to open a location in Stillwater. Even if Olive Garden is tasty, it seems like a terrible policy to offer General Mills a subsidy while there are existing local Italian options and probably many entrepreneurs coming out of OSU's hospitality program that might want to open a restaurant.

While philosophically I tend to agree with you, re subsidizing the corporate versus the local, I think the idea is probably based at least in part on the notion that the corporate chain has a better track record running restaurants, while statistically the local/mom-n-pop restaurants fail fairly reliably from chronic mismanagement. While I realize its contemporary to bash Olive Garden (myself included, don't really like them), they do have an Energizer Bunny quality to them in that they keep going and going and going....so enough people obviously like them to make them viable...

[SoonerDave]

There actually used to be a double-decker McDonald's in the outer Dallas area just south of the I-635 loop, east of I-35. I ate there one time during an OU-Texas weekend jaunt and thought the place was fascinating, but it was gone the next year. It was just down the street from the motel I was staying in, so it was an easy find, but there was quite a bit of retail reconstruction in that area over the last decade or two and I suspect the land was just caught up in the mix.

That 23rd and Penn location has always been a weird one, because IIRC it was originally built as a 100% retro McDonald's, right down to the arches through the building, the red and white exterior tile, the throwback burger cartoon character, and the neon on the sign. They even added some Sonic-style drive-in slots, but they were taken out just a few months after it opened. Pretty shortly thereafter, they closed the whole thing down and ditched the retro styling entirely. It really surprised me, because I would have suspected you need all kinds of special permissions from McD's corporate to engage in a special theming like that, but maybe not...now they're going this two-story route...who knows...

[RadicalModerate]

Personally, I thought the "Retro" style McDonalds added a lot of class and character to the intersection. What they SHOULD have done is move the Retro building off to the side, built a first-story box on the foundation, then use blimps, balloons or whatever to set the Retro version back on top of it. (McDonalds coffee is pretty good. So is the Mushroom and Swiss Angus Snack Wrap. Just not at the same time. The Fish Sandwiches are scandalously overpriced . . . but I get one from time to time anyways.)

[metro]

They started construction Dec. 31st, they are closed and have a "Reopening Spring 2013" banner out front. Work seems to be going full speed.

[catch22]

They started construction Dec. 31st, they are closed and have a "Reopening Spring 2013" banner out front. Work seems to be going full speed.

vvv

As of last night, this McDonalds is closed. The is a banner out front saying the restaurant is closed starting December 31 and will reopen in the spring.

[OKCNDN]

I find it ironic that there is talk of going local first in this thread yet in other threads there is so much talk of wanting to get a big national in here because posters liked their locations in other cities. Dick's sporting goods is one example.

[Anonymous.]

I wonder if this McDonalds will have a shower?

Naked man shooed from McDonald's rest room in Oklahoma City | NewsOK.com

[edcrunk]

Well that came down really fast. Not sure why I expected the demolition to take days...

[RadicalModerate]

Now wait and see how fast the new one goes up!
(but don't let that interfere with your enjoyment of a McRib the next time they roll around =)
Remember: Organic means Not Rocks.

[Larry OKC]

edcrunk: once they have removed any salvageable equipment etc, a building like that can be gone in 24 hrs and off in a landfill someplace. Saw the same thing happen with the Taco Bueno that was rebuilt near NW 63rd & May. Within 24 hrs the only theing left was the about half of the concrete slab and with some of the floor tile attached (parking lot was gone too)

[SomeGuy]

It seems like this Mcdonald's will be great, I hope this construction for the 2 story McD's won't take long. I remember when that retro McD's used to have an awesome car in front of the restaurant and old Mcd's collectables in the restaurant many many years ago. Also, I do like how Gold's Gym express is directly across from it.