Hungry road trippers making their way along Route 66 are often told to stop in San Bernardino, California, where they can visit the site of the oldest McDonald’s in the country. Fast food is a cheap way to feed a carful of people – but it’s nowhere near as cheap as it used to be.
“Opened in 1948 by brothers Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald, this site shares similar history to Route 66 as they were both growing during the same period of time,” writes the California Historic Route 66 Association.
But a lot has changed in the past nearly 80 years – both on the route and in the restaurant. The first-ever McDonald’s isn’t flipping burgers anymore. Instead it’s a museum dedicated to the chain’s history. (Don’t worry. If you’re hungry for a burger, there’s a McDonald’s just down the street, about a mile away on Highland Avenue…