Really neat McDonald's photo from 1961. Hamburgers only 15 cents.

[mechanician]

The really neat photo was on theoldmotor.com a few weeks ago. It's location has been ID'ed and you can read about on their comments. Go to The Old Motor for an enlargement and a detail shot of the sign lined in neon, how cool.

[Lebowski]

Those old photos are all over the internet....

[rocketraider]

What is the car between the two VW's?

Guessing a 57 Ford DelRio Ranch Wagon at the far left.

And a Montgomery Ward in the background! Wonder if anyone was buying Riverside tires for an old car that day?

[rhb1999]

The really neat photo was on theoldmotor.com a few weeks ago. It's location has been ID'ed and you can read about on their comments. Go to The Old Motor for an enlargement and a detail shot of the sign lined in neon, how cool.

'57 Ford, VW, '47-'55? Renault, VW, '60-'63 Ford Falcon.

[Shop Rat]

'57 Ford, VW, '47-'55? Renault, VW, '60-'63 Ford Falcon.

Not a '63 Falcon. The photo is from 1961. More likely a '60 or '61.

[rhb1999]

Not a '63 Falcon. The photo is from 1961. More likely a '60 or '61.

Sorry, I haven't had any coffee today.

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

Sorry, I haven't had any coffee today.

Just don't let it happen again!

Falcon's '60-'63 body style was for all purposes the same, pretty basic!

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

That photo could have been taken in any number of Florida locations if not for the Wards store across the street. There was a McDonald's just like it in Pensacola. Those 15 cent hamburgers we pretty much a disappointment. The were smallish and basically nothing but a patty, mustard, and bun as I recall. Took about three of them to equal a "real hamburger." The location in Pensacola had car hops on roller skates much like Sybil's in Dallas or Prince's in Houston. On that note, I ran into a Sonic in Austin, Texas a while back that had car hops on roller skates.

[Shop Rat]

Sorry, I haven't had any coffee today.

:D:D:D:D:D

[Shop Rat]

.....Falcon's '60-'63 body style was for all purposes the same, pretty basic!

Very true. The trim got fancier but the basic body stayed pretty much the same. The hood had a bump in it the firs year or two and then added a nice chrome "boomerang" trim piece later.

[sfair]

That VW looks pretty good in that picture!

[DAVE A]

In addition to the McDonalds we used to have a place in Cleona (Pa.) called Super 15 that had 15 cent hamburgers. In the summer there was a place in Lewes , Del. that had 7 burgers for a dollar. Like was said, they weren't much but to us kids piled in the back of dad's 63 Falcon wagon, they were a real treat!!!

[Guest windjamer]

:DBest part back then was the service.The one across the street from our shop advertised (your order served in 60 sec or less or its free.) Never got a free one.

[Guest raprice]

The car between the two Volkswagons is likely a Renault 4 CV. 15 cents----I'll take a dozen.

Rog

[rhb1999]

I've had some coffee since I was here last, and I feel better. I missed a car, I believe the one between the VW and the Falcon on the other side is a '56 Plymouth, can anyone confirm?

[keiser31]

I've had some coffee since I was here last, and I feel better. I missed a car, I believe the one between the VW and the Falcon on the other side is a '56 Plymouth, can anyone confirm?

I will confirm that.

[Paul Dobbin]

The car between the two VW's is a Renault 4CV.

A 4 cylinder water cooled French car that tried to compete with the VW for the small car market and failed. I had one at age 14 and made the famous Moon Machine Roadster out of it and repowered it with a Renault Dauphine engine.

Mine looked like this one pictureed and was a 1952, but I think they made them

from 1947 until 1961, when it was replaced by the Dauphine.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Paul Dobbin
spelling & date (see edit history)

[Dave@Moon]

The Falcon is a 1960 base model 4 door sedan, with no stainless trim on the tail lamps or door frames. I had a Deluxe 1960 sedan in college that I later restored that was almost certainly the same light color (Skymist Blue, by far the most common color for the car and the one used in the brochure).

==============

BTW, The car opposite the four already identified is a 1955/56 Mopar product. By the proportions I'd say it's either a Chrysler or DeSoto, but it's trim level is very low so it may also be a Dodge or Plymouth.

================

Finally as to the sign, one of my earliest memories was when the sign on the McDonalds where my (18 year old) uncle worked changed from 200 million to 300 million served. I might have been 3 or 4 years old.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Dave@Moon
added BTW and "Finally" (see edit history)

[Dave@Moon]

That photo could have been taken in any number of Florida locations if not for the Wards store across the street.

It's always interesting what you can find across the street from a McDonalds. Our family ate several times a year at this McDonalds in Erie, PA on weekend trips every summer. It sits on PA Rte. 832 just outside the entrance to Presque Isle State Park, which has some of the nicest fresh water beaches on earth.

[Guest]

The really neat photo was on theoldmotor.com a few weeks ago. It's location has been ID'ed and you can read about on their comments. Go to The Old Motor for an enlargement and a detail shot of the sign lined in neon, how cool.

__________________________________________________________________________

I love the tow hitch on the closest VW.:eek: and the one next to the 57 Ford 2 dr. Ranch wagon is a Type 111 Standard beetle---a car that was brought over by it's owner. No standards were sold in the U.S. You can always tell them from a distance because the windows have no bright trim like the VW closest in the picture which is a type 113 deluxe.

Edited December 29, 2011 by helfen
spelling, of course! Thanks S. (see edit history)

[Richard Lichtfel]

First McDonald's built in Des Plains, Ill. second in Beloit, Wi. and third in Janesville, Wi. I know, we did their plumbing and they offered us stock in the company instead of money, we turned it down, we knew they couldn't make it with 15 cent hamburgers, 15 cent fries and 19 cent shakes.

I'm still plumbing!!!

[Guest Jim_Edwards]

First McDonald's built in Des Plains, Ill. second in Beloit, Wi. and third in Janesville, Wi. I know, we did their plumbing and they offered us stock in the company instead of money, we turned it down, we knew they couldn't make it with 15 cent hamburgers, 15 cent fries and 19 cent shakes.

I'm still plumbing!!!

Yeah, and they're still selling hamburgers worth no more than 15 cents, only they are now something like $4.99 with fries and a drink.

[R W Burgess]

Yeah, and they're still selling hamburgers worth no more than 15 cents, only they are now something like $4.99 with fries and a drink.

Mcdouble W/Cheese....$1.00

fries.........................$1.00

"Senior" coke.............$0.57

$2.57 PLUS TAX!

Can't beat it with a stick...and for those on a diet, leave the bread and cut it up like a meat loaf!:cool:

Wayne

[rocketraider]

And how you know about ze Senior pricing, M'sieur leBurgess?

Good thing Mickey D's doesn't advertise 60 seconds or free any more. They'd go broke for sure. Hardee's "Jet-Fast Service" went away about 35 years ago too.

[Dave@Moon]

From The Inflation Calculator : 15 cents in 1961 = $1.08 in 2010.

[Shop Rat]

Even better is Wendy's Value Menu. And if you are a "Senior" you get a small drink for free. :eek: And to keep this auto related, you can sit in your antique auto and go through the drive through.

[Lebowski]

If you like old pics then this thread on the H.A.M.B. has over 1800 pages with around 100,000 old photos in it and will take you a long, long time to look through....

Vintage shots from days gone by! - THE H.A.M.B.

Edited December 29, 2011 by Lebowski (see edit history)

[TexRiv_63]

First McDonald's built in Des Plains, Ill. second in Beloit, Wi. and third in Janesville, Wi.

I think the Des Plaines store opened around 1956. I remember my mom taking me and my sister there in the 50s, I thought the burgers were pretty good! No eating area, you just walked up to the window and ordered. Years ago McDonalds restored that location to its original layout and made it a museum including 50s cars in the parking lot, I think it is still like that today.

[LINC400]

I think the Des Plaines store opened around 1956. I remember my mom taking me and my sister there in the 50s, I thought the burgers were pretty good! No eating area, you just walked up to the window and ordered. Years ago McDonalds restored that location to its original layout and made it a museum including 50s cars in the parking lot, I think it is still like that today.

The Des Plaines one opened in 1955. It is now a museum and has 4 1950's cars parked at it in summer, 1955 Ford, 1955 Chrysler, 1955 Olds, but can't remember the 4th. The new restaurant is right across the street from it.

[Bleach]

I lived within walking distance of the oldest original McDonalds in Downey CA for nearly 20 years. I could see the vintage sign from my bedroom window if I looked in the right direction.

The irony is that I only ate there once and the quality of the food wasn't that good.

[stock_steve]

I lived within walking distance of the oldest original McDonalds in Downey CA for nearly 20 years. I could see the vintage sign from my bedroom window if I looked in the right direction.

The irony is that I only ate there once and the quality of the food wasn't that good.

That's pretty cool, Bleach (even if the food wasn't great). I have some background of having worked in a local McDonalds during high school & a couple of college breaks, back in the late '70s & early '80s--it was the one on the west side of Meriden, CT (which coincidentally was right across the street from what was then the oldest VW dealership in the US--"Davella Volkswagen"--which ceased to exist probably about 20 years ago at this point - here is some Davella stuff I just found on a quick google: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/dealers/davella_meriden_ct.php).

Anyway, in the mid-80s, I had the opportunity to take a 2-week course at USC in Los Angeles, paid for by my employer, and for the middle weekend my wife flew out and we did some driving around & exploring of the area, including visiting a couple of the then-big antique VW restoration houses ("Vintage Parts," "Chuck's Convertible Parts," plus a few other west coast old-VW collectors/personalities of note).

And we were definitely aware of the Downey McDonalds being notable for its "original, unmodified" style, signage, etc., and so, given everything, it was a "must stop" for us (and I don't even remember if we ate anything--it was more just "being there," like visiting "Mecca" or something!). Here's an image from a quick google: http://www.trippyfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/51-McRib-06.jpg

I have to say, it was definitely one of the memorable highlights of that trip!

Edited December 30, 2011 by stock_steve
added some Davella VW info via a link (see edit history)

[Paul Dobbin]

That photo could have been taken in any number of Florida locations if not for the Wards store across the street.

What a good eye! Jogged my old memory too. That Mc Donald's was at 3rd

Ave N. on 34th Street N. (U.S. 19) in St. Petersburg, FL. It was torn down and

the new one built about 4 blocks north in about 2000. (On the site of the former Steak & Shake Drive In)

The Montgomery Wards Store pictured was torn down in 2009 and a new WAL-MART Super Store opened there this year. In 1970 I bought a new A/C unit for my 65 Mustang Convertible in the Wards Auto Center (Look above the 1956 Plymouth in the picture) The A/C unit came with a "Lifetime Warranty", unfortunately it was Ward's lifetime, not mine.

I don't know who owned the cars pictured. Everything changes except

the old cars.

Edited December 31, 2011 by Paul Dobbin (see edit history)

[rocketraider]

We never had Montgomery Wards here- closest one was in Greensboro NC which at 75 miles away might as well been a lifetime away. I was familiar with them thru my kin who lived in Baltimore and all of them liked "Monkey Ward" a lot. After I came of age and would drive anywhere I wanted to go, I often went to the MW in Greensboro and hated to see them go under. Now there's fear the same thing may happen to Sears.

Sears and Penneys pretty much had the aftermarket A/C business here sewed up. Think there were a couple of radiator shops who installed A-R-A and FrigiKing units.

My folks had a 65 Chevy with a Sears unit and it would freeze you out of the car. My mama always said the factory installed integrated units in their later cars never seemed to cool as well.

Kin from upstate New York bought a new 67 Caprice, dark green, black interior and vinyl roof, no A/C (keep in mind these folks were used to wearing sweaters and light jackets in July). They drove it down here for their annual two weeks summer vacation and 67 was one of the hottest summers on record here. Three days into their stay that car went to Sears for an airconditioner.

[NTX5467]

Many Sonic Drive-Ins have servers on roller skates NOW. Just depends upon the store management, I suspect. PLUS having somebody that can use them without breaking something (including the customer's order)!

Neat pictures and observations!

NTX5467

[John_Maine]

Really nice picture. I remember my first trip to McDonald's in 1961 or '62. I was visiting my cousins when their grandfather took us to that "new hamburger joint." As I recall, hamburgers were .25. I remember thinking it was a pretty crappy hamburger!

[Guest]

I lived within walking distance of the oldest original McDonalds in Downey CA for nearly 20 years. I could see the vintage sign from my bedroom window if I looked in the right direction.

The irony is that I only ate there once and the quality of the food wasn't that good.

________________________________________________________________________

Exactly! but McDonalds wasn't just used for burgers and fries as every So. Cal. guy knows! Friday and Saturday nights were for meeting girls and a place to assemble to choose off and place your bets for street racing!!!

Don

[Dave@Moon]

________________________________________________________________________

Exactly! but McDonalds wasn't just used for burgers and fries as every So. Cal. guy knows! Friday and Saturday nights were for meeting girls and a place to assemble to choose off and place your bets for street racing!!!

Don

That's not all.

When I was young about every 2 weeks my parents would take me and my brother to McDonalds. They'd buy 3 15 cent burgers, a small coffee for my dad, and a chocolate shake. They'd also get 3 "courtesy cups" (small 5 oz. empty cups usually given away to groups as promotional items) that are rarely seen today. My brother, my mother, and I would split the shake 3 ways, and my brother and I would split one of the burgers. If we were rich that week for some reason they'd be cheeseburgers, if we were tight but not too poor to go my dad would drink water.

For years, probably about 10 years, McDonalds was the only restaurant I knew.

It's easy to look down on their "bad food" and plastic atmosphere. However at that time for a lot of people McDonalds was as close to the good life as we would know. For many today their food is still a treat they can only rarely afford.

[Guest]

That's not all.

When I was young about every 2 weeks my parents would take me and my brother to McDonalds. They'd buy 3 15 cent burgers, a small coffee for my dad, and a chocolate shake. They'd also get 3 "courtesy cups" (small 5 oz. empty cups usually given away to groups as promotional items) that are rarely seen today. My brother, my mother, and I would split the shake 3 ways, and my brother and I would split one of the burgers. If we were rich that week for some reason they'd be cheeseburgers, if we were tight but not too poor to go my dad would drink water.

For years, probably about 10 years, McDonalds was the only restaurant I knew.

It's easy to look down on their "bad food" and plastic atmosphere. However at that time for a lot of people McDonalds was as close to the good life as we would know. For many today their food is still a treat they can only rarely afford.

_____________________________________________________________________

That is a good point, plus there is more variety (healthy food) than ever before.

D.

[Richard1]

The Des Plaines one opened in 1955. It is now a museum and has 4 1950's cars parked at it in summer, 1955 Ford, 1955 Chrysler, 1955 Olds, but can't remember the 4th. The new restaurant is right across the street from it.

Once in my previous life (25 years with McDonald's, retiring from Purchasing Director for Latin America 15 years ago) I was a tour guide at that restaurant. It is restored as a period correct McDonald's. Not exactly as it was originally, but representative of the first 100 or so. At least when I was there in the 80's, the cars were stored in winter. The mannequins in original uniforms and imitation food in different stages of preparation always amazed people.

Back in the 70's I managed several of those red & whites.

[BOPcollector]

Wow! A time when McD's actually sold real food!