8.9.10

A different Mc Donald's

Whether you appreciate Mc Donald’s or not is a subject as such. My major objection is perhaps that it’s a pity to see too many of the traditional brasseries and cafés being taken over and transformed by Mc Donald’s, Starbuck…

This one is perhaps a nice exception where at least the outside has been respected and even the inside seems to keep a bit of the original touch.

This was originally a brasserie from 1910, called the “Au Roi de la Bière” (The King of Beer). On the façade you can actually see the king


30 comments:

Thérèse said...

And I would dare mentioning that it is the only place where I can connect my laptop for free... in my home town!
This McDonald is indeed very different and a treat for the eyes

Lo said...

What a gorgeous building. Bless McD for not ruining it.

Dianne said...

Oh la la! Yes I would visit that McDonalds it's really classy on the inside and worth going to see that fabulous ceiling.
~Dianne~

Mystica said...

Thank god they havent put the arches all over!! the building still looks good.

James said...

I've seen this McDonalds a few times and I wondered what it looked like inside.

I must say that I wish that it was a brasserie again but thankfully they didn't change the building.

Olivier said...

superbe l'intérieur, avec ces vitraux sur le plafond.

Laura said...

wow! that building is amazing! must go and chek it out. I'm glad McDonalds left it like that.

Louise said...

I don't like McDonalds food, and only enter them during a journey, I'd never dream of going into one in Paris with too many wonderful other places to eat. This one is lovely, and it's interesting to take a peek inside.

Starman said...

It's good to see McDonald’s finally showing some respect for the city and country in which they're operating.

Cezar and Léia said...

Bonjour dear Peter!
I'm not fan of fast food mainly nowadays when I'm always worried about my cholesterol and diet! :)
Thanks for showing this historic building, it's very beautiful and the king statue is adorable.I also love the pictures inside, all lights and the tiles composing the words with the name of the old brasserie.
I'm glad that they are keeping these important signs there.
hugs
Léia

Shammickite said...

I would visit that particular McDonalds but I wouldn't order a Big Mac! Maybe a coffee and a muffin, have a look at the inside, and then I'd go out to the other side of the street where I could have a good look at the original building!

Adam said...

It is an interesting building, certainly for a McDonalds, but at the same time it was also originally a complete pastiche of Flemish/gothic architecture of the kind that you might find in Disneyland! The two go together very well really!

arabesque said...

mc donald's surprisingly looks inconspicuous. it took me awhile before i saw its sign which normally would be eye catching. ^0^
strikingly old structure, in between the whites, one can't help but admire its details.

Paris Paul said...

I can't believe it! I've been living in Paris for 20 years, adore any kind of fast food and I didn't know about this place!? Thanks for pointing it out, Peter; it'll definitely go on my McDo list.

BLOGitse said...

What a charming building!
MD has taken the best places here in Casa too...They are landmarks for people to find places, like 'Third house from MD"...

rauf said...

Thankfully, very thankfully there is a good majority of poor people here in India Peter. And i am one of them. This is not a good thing to say. Because of these poor people the low cost traditional eating places stay in business And the local food is too deep rooted.
i've heard of McDonalds in my city but never been there. i don't even know where it is. First of all it may be too expensive for me. And i have heard so many negative comments that i have a fear that as soon as i eat at McDonalds, my body would swell and explode.

Multinationals like McDonalds don't bother about people like me and their fears. They aim at only a very small minority of Indians with money which is more than the population of US.

louisebah said...

I will surely come here one day ~ to have a peek at the gorgeous interior!

Shionge said...

If you don't tell me, I wouldn't know so it is really nice to keep every original :D

joanna said...

The building is beautiful inside and outside, but the King is a little over the top for my taste in architectural embellishments or details. But a McDonald's - ugh! sad.

Joanny

lasiate said...

Encore une belle découverte

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Certainly very different! I vaguely remember you having posted about this sometime before!

amatamari© said...

This is the only McDonald's where I can get happy and look with pleasure these interiors ...
:-)
Wonderful post, very interesting: Thanks for sharing!

Virginia said...

IT might be more charming on the inside but overpriced and tasteless nonetheless. I have a similar photo but forgot what you told me about the original place. Now maybe i can dig it up and use it one day.
Merci!
V

PS I'll add a link here.

Zhang Chunhong said...

Pauvre roi de bière qui doit être triste de voir chaque jour le va et vient du monde, surtout non pas pour sa bière!

Simony said...

For once Mc Do was discrete and not overpowering with its sign. I guess they are learning to respect other cultures, or at least the French!
Beautiful place!

Jeanie said...

How beautiful -- and I was so close! I couldn't agree more, Peter, about McD and others eating into the business of cafes and other small private spots. But if you're eating at McDonald's, this looks like the place to be (I had a Freudian slip and actually typed palace instead of place! But it is worthy of the confusion!)

M said...

Can't help but love this variation on the McDonald's theme. I mean, if only most Americans had a clue how some of the European stores looked! I remember the former Heidelberg store looking wonderful in its historic red sandstone building, amidst some of Old Heidelberg's best architecture. But alas, the interior was just another Golden Arches. THIS, though, takes the cake.
Thanks for posting.
Michael

Trotter said...

Amazing!! But it's a shame that «Le Roi...» has turned McDonald's...

Nathalie H.D. said...

La bière n'aurait-elle plus la cote, que l'enseigne n'ait pas trouvé de repreneur telle quelle ? J'imagine que MacDo a dû payer grassement un lieu aussi spectaculaire. Ca renouvelle leur look et fait monter l'image de marque à un niveau plus respectable. A Gand où j'ai vécu 6 mois, MacDo s'était aussi acheté une des plus anciens immeubles de la place en gardant le cachet extérieur... (ils n'auraient surement pas eu le droit de s'implanter s'ils n'avaient pas respecté le cahier des charges historique) mais l'intérieur n'avais rien d'aussi intéressant que ce qu'on voit aussi.

Quand même, une odeur de hamburger-frites dans un décor aussi magnifique, quel gâchis !

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