Did you know that McDonald's once had aspirations to venture into the travel industry? In a bid to extend its golden arches beyond traditional eateries, the fast-food giant launched ambitious initiatives like McPlanes, McTrains, and McBoats. These ventures saw Big Macs being served aboard jets, trains, and even floating restaurants.
Back in 1980, McDonald's made waves by opening a floating restaurant on the Mississippi River, accommodating over a hundred diners indoors and even more on open-air decks. The success of this endeavour led to the launch of McBarge, a floating eatery in Canada that could host a whopping 1,400 patrons.
In 1993, McDonald's teamed up with Germany's rail service to introduce restaurant carriages, offering passengers a unique dining experience as they traveled. This endeavor, however, was short-lived, as it failed to attract the anticipated number of customers.
Undeterred, McDonald's took to the skies in 1994 by partnering with a Swiss air charter company. Branded interiors and boxed Big Macs were offered to passengers, accompanied by souvenirs and toys for young travellers. Despite the novelty of these ventures, they eventually faded away.