The arrival of McDonalds in the UK
Hamburgers were a mere 15p, and cheeseburgers cost 21p at UK’s first ever McDonald’s which opened on 13th November 1974 in Powis Street, Woolwich, south east London. The branch is still going strong.
Back then a quarter pounder cost 40p and, for an additional £8, you could have had a slice of cheese with it.
A McMariner, which we now call Filet-O-Fish, cost 30p and a value meal of a hamburger, fries and milkshake, known as United Tastes of America, cost 48p.
When the Golden Arches first opened in the UK, the fast food giant employed 55 people.
Ed 'Stewpot' Stewart was the personality who turned up to cut the ribbon of the first restaurant, along with the local mayor and hundreds of people who had already heard about 'The Difference at McDonald's'.
In 1984 the restaurant launched McNuggets and in 1986 the first Drive Thru restaurant was opened in Fallowfield in Manchester. Happy Meals made their debut in the same year.
Since 1974, more than 1.5 million people in the UK have either worked in McDonald’s and its franchises, or have been employed by its suppliers, according to the company. Today burger-chain McDonalds have more than 1200 stores open across the UK.
Further reading
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