10 Things About Eating at McDonald’s in the 1970s That Would Surprise Kids Today

For kids growing up in the 1970s, a trip to McDonald’s was a treat. You might go after a ball game, on a road trip or on a special Saturday when Mom didn’t feel like cooking. The Golden Arches were already famous, but the restaurants looked, smelled and worked very differently from the McDonald’s of today.

Kids now order on touch screens, pay with phones and pick up food from lockers or delivery drivers. Their parents and grandparents remember a time when things were simpler, slower and, in many ways, a lot stranger. Here are ten things about eating at McDonald’s in the 1970s that would surprise kids today.

1. There Was No Drive-Thru at First

Today, most McDonald’s sales come through the drive-thru, but for much of the 1970s, there wasn’t one. You parked, walked in, ordered at the counter and either ate inside or took your bag back to the car.

The first McDonald’s drive-thru opened in 1975 in Sierra Vista, Arizona, near an Army base, reportedly so soldiers who weren’t allowed to leave their cars in uniform could still get food. The idea spread quickly, and soon drive-thrus were everywhere.

2. The Fries Were Cooked in Beef Fat

McDonald’s fries in the 1970s were cooked in a blend that was mostly beef tallow. Many people who remember those fries say they had a richer flavor than today’s fries. In 1990, after pressure over saturated fat and cholesterol, McDonald’s switched to vegetable oil.

The change was one of the biggest in the chain’s history. Fans of the old fries still debate whether they tasted better, and many say they did.

3. Apple Pies Were Fried, Not Baked

The McDonald’s apple pie of the 1970s was deep-fried, with a crispy, bubbly crust and a filling hot enough to burn your tongue. It came in a cardboard sleeve and was a favorite dessert for kids and grown-ups alike.

McDonald’s switched to baked pies in the U.S. in 1992. Some locations, especially in Hawaii, have kept fried pies, and the chain has tested bringing them back, as Nation’s Restaurant News has reported. Many people still say the fried version was far better.

4. McDonaldland Was Full of Characters

In the 1970s, McDonald’s created McDonaldland, a fantasy world filled with characters like Mayor McCheese, Officer Big Mac, the Hamburglar, the Fry Kids and Grimace. Ronald McDonald was the star. The characters appeared in commercials, on cups and on playground equipment.

Grimace started out as an “evil” character with four arms who stole milkshakes before being changed into the lovable purple blob people know today. Most of the McDonaldland characters were retired by the early 2000s.

5. The Happy Meal Was Brand New

The Happy Meal was launched nationwide in 1979. It came in a box decorated like a circus wagon and included a burger or cheeseburger, fries, a cookie and a small toy. The first national Happy Meal had a circus theme, and kids loved the surprise inside.

Before the Happy Meal, kids ate off the regular menu. Its success changed fast food forever, and today, kids’ meals are found at almost every chain.

6. The Egg McMuffin Was a Brand-New Idea

In the early 1970s, McDonald’s didn’t serve breakfast. A franchise owner in California named Herb Peterson created the Egg McMuffin, an English muffin with egg, Canadian bacon and cheese, inspired by eggs Benedict. It was introduced in the early 1970s and rolled out nationally in the following years.

The Egg McMuffin was the start of fast-food breakfast. Today, breakfast is a huge business for McDonald’s and many other chains, but in the 1970s, it was a bold new idea.

7. Food Came in Foam Containers

Burgers like the Big Mac and Quarter Pounder came in foam clamshell boxes that kept them warm and squeaked when you opened them. Drinks came in paper cups, but the foam boxes were everywhere.

Environmental concerns led McDonald’s to phase out foam containers in 1990, switching to paper wrappers and boxes. Many kids today have never seen a McDonald’s burger in foam.

8. People Smoked Inside

In the 1970s, it wasn’t unusual for customers to smoke inside McDonald’s, and many restaurants had ashtrays on the tables. Smoking in restaurants was common across the country.

McDonald’s banned smoking in all of its company-owned restaurants in 1994. Today, it’s hard for kids to imagine a cloud of smoke hanging over the dining room.

9. The Signs Counted the Burgers Sold

McDonald’s signs used to show how many burgers the chain had sold, with phrases like “Over 10 Billion Served.” The number was updated as sales grew, and kids watched it climb. By the 1990s, the numbers had gotten so big that McDonald’s stopped updating them, and many signs now simply say “Billions and Billions Served.” Kids today have no idea the signs once kept count.

10. The Prices Were Tiny

In the early 1970s, a McDonald’s hamburger cost around 25 cents or so, depending on location. A whole meal for a family might cost just a few dollars. Of course, wages were much lower too.

Even after adjusting for inflation, many people feel fast food was a better deal back then. You can compare the value of money over time using the BLS inflation calculator.

A Simpler Menu

The McDonald’s menu of the early 1970s was short. There were hamburgers, cheeseburgers, the Big Mac, the Filet-O-Fish, fries, shakes, soft drinks and the apple pie. The Quarter Pounder arrived in the early 1970s, and breakfast came later in the decade. There were no salads, no chicken nuggets and no specialty coffee.

Many people who grew up then say the small menu made ordering easy and the food consistent. Today’s menu boards are packed with choices, limited-time items and app-only deals. For some customers, the simplicity of the old McDonald’s is part of its charm.

How McDonald’s Changed

The McDonald’s of the 1970s was simpler, with a smaller menu, fewer choices and a slower pace. Over the decades, it added breakfast, chicken, salads, coffee drinks and much more. It also became a global company, with restaurants in more than 100 countries.

For people who grew up with it, though, the 1970s McDonald’s holds a special place, a fact that even the chain’s critics admit when they list the reasons some Americans don’t love it today. What do you remember most about eating at McDonald’s as a kid?