Chicago’s flagship McDonald’s restaurant looks more like somewhere one would go to pick up the latest tablet or smartphone than to grab a Big Mac and fries. The steel and wood timber constructed restaurant is covered in windows and native plants to provide customers with a strong connection to nature and abundant natural light.
There are over 70 trees planted at ground level with an additional vegetated roof space and floating glass garden that consists of ferns and white birch trees. Additionally, living walls bring nature directly inside the restaurant. The landscape consists of native and drought resilient plants along with permeable pavers for the lot surface to minimize irrigation and reduce stormwater runoff. Other sustainable features include an on-site solar array, interior and exterior LED lighting, and energy efficient kitchen and HVAC equipment.
Courtesy McDonald's.
The 19,000-sf, Ross Barney Architects-designed restaurant is equipped with self-order kiosks, table service, mobile order and payment, and delivery in order to enhance the customer experience. The restaurant will be open 24/7 and serve both dine-in and drive-thru customers.
See Also: 43,000-sf Chicago Starbucks will be world’s largest
This flagship location is the most recent McDonald’s restaurant to undergo renovations as part of the company’s “Experience of the Future” campaign. McDonald’s EOTF restaurants leverage technology, such as kiosk ordering and mobile app integration, to create a new type of fast-food restaurant more in tune with modern customer expectations. McDonald’s estimates all of its freestanding locations will undergo renovations to become EOTF restaurants by 2020.
Courtesy McDonald's.
Courtesy McDonald's.
Related Stories
Retail Centers | Nov 12, 2020
Concepts’ flagship takes gallery display approach
The streetwear retailer forges its online and brick-and-mortar presence.
AEC Tech | Nov 12, 2020
The Weekly show: Nvidia's Omniverse, AI for construction scheduling, COVID-19 signage
BD+C editors speak with experts from ALICE Technologies, Build Group, Hastings Architecture, Nvidia, and Woods Bagot on the November 12 episode of "The Weekly." The episode is available for viewing on demand.
Warehouses | Nov 9, 2020
Lowe’s rides ecommerce wave by expanding its distribution and delivery capacities
The retail giant will also open four more bulk warehouses, including a 1.2-million-sf DC in Alabama it is building with Clayco.
Retail Centers | Nov 2, 2020
Chick-fil-A introduces modular building program for rebuilding and remodeling existing restaurants
The first location to use this rebuild style reopens on Oct. 15 near Atlanta.
Adaptive Reuse | Oct 26, 2020
Mall property redevelopments could result in dramatic property value drops
Retail conversions to fulfillment centers, apartments, schools, or medical offices could cut values 60% to 90%.
Retail Centers | Sep 17, 2020
The Weekly show: Breaking the rules of retail, and the Household Model for assisted living facilities
This week on The Weekly, BD+C editors spoke with leaders from CallisonRTKL, MBH Architects, and McMillan Pazdan Smith on three topics: breaking the rules of retail, the Household Model for assisted living facility design, and designing labs to address the coronavirus and future health events.
Airports | Sep 10, 2020
The Weekly show: Curtis Fentress, FAIA, on airport design, and how P3s are keeping university projects alive
The September 10 episode of BD+C's "The Weekly" is available for viewing on demand.
Giants 400 | Aug 28, 2020
2020 Giants 400 Report: Ranking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms
The 2020 Giants 400 Report features more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Coronavirus | Aug 25, 2020
Video: 5 building sectors to watch amid COVID-19
RCLCO's Brad Hunter reveals the winners and non-winners of the U.S. real estate market during the coronavirus pandemic.
Retail Centers | Aug 19, 2020
How has shopping changed over the past 100 years? A look at the evolution of retail
From malls and big-box stores to online delivery and mall redevelopment: Here’s how the retail landscape has evolved—and where it’s likely headed.
