A veteran globetrotter recently stumbled upon an abandoned McDonald’s outlet tucked away in a remote corner of the United States. Chris, an American travel enthusiast on a quest to visit every nation on the globe, shared a video on social media showcasing his exploration of the deserted fast-food establishment.
Situated in Adak, Alaska, this McDonald’s branch was left deserted in 1994, as disclosed by Chris, who has already traversed 167 countries. Despite some sections of the restaurant being boarded up, remnants like the classic red, sloping roof characteristic of 1990s McDonald’s architecture are still recognizable.
Surrounded by overgrown vegetation, the property itself and the drive-thru menu board with visible pricing have remarkably endured the test of time. Chris elucidated that Adak, once home to a military base with 6,000 inhabitants at its peak, saw the construction of this McDonald’s site in 1986 to cater to the base population.
Following the base’s decommissioning in the 1990s, the restaurant shut its doors. The video also captures abandoned suburban residences in the vicinity. Describing the scene, the well-traveled content creator remarked, “At this McDonald’s, everything from the exterior to the drive-thru windows remains virtually untouched, like a time capsule.”
Focusing on the drive-thru menu board, Chris noted that a Big Mac was priced at $2.45 (£1.82) back then, with customers having the opportunity to collect Happy Meal toys themed after the 1990s American children’s cartoon TV series Bobby’s World. The menu further displayed prices such as $2.35 (£1.74) for six Chicken McNuggets, $1.95 (£1.44) for a Filet-O-Fish burger, $1.09 (81p) for a cheeseburger, and only $0.99 (73p) for a hamburger.
Other items included a $1.49 (£1.10) Breakfast Burrito and a $1.95 (£1.44) Egg McMuffin. Chris described the location as the “loneliest McDonald’s in the world,” given its isolated position between Alaska and Russia, reachable only via a four-hour bi-weekly flight from Anchorage. The travel enthusiast perceived the McDonald’s site as exuding a peculiar, eerie nostalgia from the 1990s.
His TikTok post has amassed 587,700 views, 16,600 likes, and over 100 comments to date. Viewers expressed sentiments such as missing the old price board and remarking on the prices. Some users discussed how Alaska’s generally higher costs might have impacted the menu prices at the time.
Commenting on the abandoned McDonald’s appearance, one observer noted the intact sign and closure boards, reflecting the local community. Another viewer appreciated the nostalgic earth tone color scheme of the menu board from that era.