Pictures of McDonald’s from the 1980s and 1990s have emerged online showing a very different restaurant chain from the one most people know today.
Remember food-shaped seats that resembled burger characters? How about branded ash trays? The images posted by Bored Panda reveal collectors glasses too, and even recall a Garfield the cat mugs series.
There are also images of now-obsolete foam packaging and promotions that have come and gone, like the McSalad Shaker and the McLean Deluxe, a sandwich that was billed as 91 per cent fat free, thanks to a secret ingredient: sea weed.
The restaurant’s famed hot apple pie served in cardboard sleeve was around back then, as was a ‘Big Cone’ version of the chain’s ice cream soft-serve, the images reveal.
The pictures show word search puzzles on paper tray mats, Beanie Babies and other toys, and a Happy Meal promoting the Nintendo video game hit of the time, Super Mario Bros. 3.
The images, including indoor and outdoor playgrounds that were once a hallmark of McDonald’s past, provide a stark contrast to the chain that operates today with sleek touch screens and cafe’s that serve espresso and lattes.
Pictures of McDonald’s from the 1980s and 1990s have emerged online showing a very different restaurant chain from the one most people know today. The images posted by Bored Panda include food-shaped seats that look like burger characters (pictured)
Bored Panda posted a picture of a branded ash tray from when McDonald’s allowed smoking
The images also show collectors glasses and mugs, like this series from Garfield the cat
Another image shows a glass mug series from the 1995 film Batman Forever
Environmentally-unfriendly foam containers were pictured as well, including the McD LT’s. One side kept lettuce and tomato cool and the other kept the burger warm. ‘The hot stays hot and the cold stays cold,’ McDonald’s used to say in its promotion for the discontinued burger
Children and adults alike loved the McDonald’s warm apple pie pastry, served in its own cardboard sleeve, and Bored Panda didn’t forget
An ice cream cone back was made popular back in the day because of its low price, usually about a $1. Bored Panda recalls when McD’s decided to promote its ‘Big Cone’, promising a ‘Big Twist’ and ‘Great Taste’, in one of the images posted
Restaurants chains have tried gimmicky promotions countless times, and McDonald’s was no exception. Remember the McSalad Shaker?
Another promotion was the McLean Deluxe, pictured here by Bored Panda. McDonald’s promised the sandwich was 91 per cent fat free, thanks to a secret ingredient: sea weed
Cookies in the shapes of Ronald McDonald (far left) and other beloved characters also showed up in the pictures posted by Bored Panda
McDonald’s became one of the biggest toy sellers with its Happy Meal promotions. Here are adorable versions of the Looney Tunes characters, each seated in their own toy car
Another blast from McDonald’s past: Strange but fun-looking dinosaur hand puppets
Another image from Bored Panda shows McDonald’s Halloween toy figures
McDonald’s didn’t leave out toy versions of its own food. Bored Panda shows plastic versions of full meal of fries, Chicken McNuggets, barbecue sauce, an ice cream cone and drink
The Bored Panda images reveals another set of plastic food, which transform into characters
McDonald’s struck gold with children with Happy Meals just for them, which adults too would sometimes sneakily buy for themselves because of the lower cost and smaller portions. This Happy Meal shown by Bored Panda promoted the hit Nintendo video game Super Mario Bros. 3
Bored Panda reveals an image of Happy Meals sold in reusable, brightly colored Halloween candy buckets kids could use for trick or treating
Probably the most retro pictures posted by Bored Panda reveal the playgrounds that were once a hallmark of McDonald’s restaurants. What kid back in the 80s and 90s wouldn’t want to play inside the mouth of Officer Big Mac
McDonald’s also was famed for its indoor playgrounds, which included ball pits and helped entertain children while their parents could eat sitting nearby
A statue of Ronald McDonald invites people to sit next to him in one of the images posted by Bored Panda. What a great selfie opportunity! One small problem: No one was taking selfies in the 1980s and 1990s. In fact cell phones were just coming around
Bored Panda’s image of the prices listed in a drive thru likely shows the biggest difference from today and the 1980s and 1990s: Prices have gone up! This drive thru charges a whopping $1.35 for a Big Mac and less than a dollar for a large fires, incredible!