A clip uploaded by the YouTube channel Triangle of Mass showed an abandoned 1980s McDonald’s outlet with the grills and drinks machine still up but dirty. The clip of the hideous-looking restaurant received millions of views and nearly four thousand comments from viewers, many of whom found it creepy.
The page shared the video to “explore what’s left behind of this Abandoned Time capsule Vintage Mcdonald’s Untouched!!” and show people what used to be a place buzzing with activity and fast food lovers. “Inside was insane just to think all that’s left there over the years collecting dust. To think people used to work there and eat there and the memories shared here at this McDonald’s once is just crazy to me!” the content creator wrote.
Viewers find the forgotten ‘80s McDonald’s branch eerie
While most would expect that people would find the video nostalgic or heartwarming, the somber background music, coupled with dusty appliances and dark corners, made it appear eerie. “The whole place looks somber and melancholic rather than just scary,” a viewer noted. “It’s that feeling when you walk across abandoned buildings, you start to imagine how alive it was back in the day.”
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Another wondered how “places that were at one point so alive and full of people” have now become alone and empty. “Life and time are so weird and fascinating,” they said, with someone else agreeing, saying they “can imagine those sweet and golden memories of people enjoying McDonald’s food with their families simply talking and the horseplay of laughing children running around the restaurant and then people walking in and out.”
What was McDonald’s like in the ‘80s?
In the ‘80s, McDonald’s was already a famous fast-food chain and the go-to spot for many American families. Chicken McNuggets were newly introduced to the menu during this decade, and Happy Meals, which debuted in 1979, became an integral part of their offerings throughout the period. Salads were also added to the list in 1986, and this was good news for diet-conscious customers.
McDonald’s also engaged their sport-loving visitors during the 1984 Olympics, which was held in Los Angeles, with a scratch-off ticket they could exchange for a Big Mac, french fries, or coke if a US Olympian won gold, silver, or bronze, respectively. The McRib was introduced as a permanent meal option at the time but its availability declined over the years with few revivals.