In the middle of the 20th century, fast food was a culinary novelty that changed the Toronto residents’ perception of delicious food. Burgers, ice cream in waffle cones and hot dogs quickly became the favourite dishes among children and adults. Therefore, people gathered in queues at the McDonald’s entrance. Since then, it has been one of the most popular cafes in the city. Learn more at itoronto.
How and when did McDonald’s appear in Toronto?
The history of this restaurant began back in 1940 when Dick and Mack McDonald founded a fast food company, McDonald’s. Its large assortment of dishes with various delicious fillings, which have never been on sale before, immediately became popular. Due to the rapid increase in profits, those cafes began to open in various cities across Canada.
George Cohon was involved in the development of the McDonald’s chain. Under his leadership, the first McDonald’s was opened in Toronto in 1969. It was located at 3777 Keele Street, near Lepage Court. The restaurant’s menu offered Big Mac, French fries and hot dogs. Due to the huge popularity and demand, several more McDonald’s appeared in the city in the same year. Local residents called them snack bars because they sold fast food.
What was the first McDonald’s advertising and where did they open?
The first fast food restaurants started to appear outside Toronto downtown. According to the decision of the McDonald’s management, they had to be located along large traffic flows. All people had to do was pull up to the window, make an order from the menu sign, get their food and drive on. That was the way McDonald’s served its customers. Only a few years later, they decided to expand its premises so that people could come inside and eat at a table.
In order to increase the number of visitors, McDonald’s employees started to use an advertisement, which soon appeared on the streets of Toronto. It presented information about discounts on fast food, contests and new vacancies. Most of them were aimed at mothers. For example, if you bought fast food at a certain price, you had 10 minutes to choose any toy in a children’s store for free. Also, mothers with children had the opportunity to spend time in the children’s entertainment centre, which was also free.
In the 1960s, fast food was at the peak of its popularity, but by the end of the 20th century, the demand decreased. The reason was the increasing land, food and construction prices, while the McDonald’s chain consisted of a huge number of restaurants. Some of them closed and others continued working. Soon, the company added new types of hot dogs and desserts to the menu. In addition, the restaurants acquired a more modern and attractive design.
What did McDonald’s restaurants look like at the end of the 20th century?
The exterior of McDonald’s restaurants met established American standards. They were one-story buildings decorated with two golden arches. There was a driveway, parking lots and a large “M” symbol of the restaurant nearby. The main feature of Canadian fast food restaurants was the large cooking space.
In the early years of McDonald’s, it offered only drive-through service, but since the 1970s, customers could come inside and eat at a table. The restaurants became extremely popular. Therefore, they were open in different parts of the city and various locations, such as historic buildings and shopping malls. They were also placed near food courts, subway stations and even in the Toronto Zoo.