It’s official. McDonald’s is back in the Windy City.
The burger chain held a grand opening event of its new Chicago-based corporate headquarters, marking the company’s return to downtown Chicago on the site of Oprah Winfrey's former Harpo Studios. The company was based in the city from 1955 through 1971.
McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook was joined by employees, owner-operators and suppliers for the unveiling. For the grand opening celebration McDonald’s had a portion of the nine-story building covered in a wrap dotted with Big Macs.
“Our move back home to Chicago is about more than a building — it’s symbolic of our journey to transform our brand and become more closely connected with our customers,” Easterbrook said in a statement. “Our new location enables us to better listen, learn and engage with our customers whilst providing a modern, worker-friendly headquarters that fosters collaboration and re-energizes employees. We are thrilled to join the West Loop and add to the vitality of this community.”
The headquarters also includes a new global restaurant located at the ground level of the building.
The 6,000-square-foot restaurant sports the company’s modern “McDonald’s Experience of the Future” look with contemporary furniture and fixtures, wireless charging stations, lounge seating, eight self-ordering kiosks and a pickup counter for UberEats. The restaurant also serves a rotating menu of foods found at McDonald’s restaurants around the world.
Take a closer look inside the company’s new Chicago home base.
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