New England’s Strangest Looking McDonald’s

When the Fairhaven McDonald's burned to the ground in November 2002, the Winterhalter family vowed to rebuild and reopen. True to their word, seven months later, they were back in business. However, the new restaurant had a much different design than the one lost in the kitchen fire.

Fairhaven’s McDonald's was transformed into a retro 1950s throwback version of the fast-food chain—a nod to the company’s early years when visiting McDonald's meant driving in, not driving thru.

At the time, there was only one other McDonald's like it in Massachusetts, located in Rockland.

I attended the grand opening on that hot July day in 2003. I remember thinking this would likely be the most unique McDonald's we’d see for a while. It took more than 20 years, but I’ve finally found one that’s even more unique.

The McDonald's in Freeport, Maine, sits just a stone’s throw from the original L.L. Bean store. It’s such an unusual location that it would be easy to drive right past without even realizing it’s a restaurant.

This McDonald's was built inside a massive Colonial-style home.

Due to local regulations, the traditional Golden Arches aren’t allowed within the town’s limits. We see similar regulations on the Cape and Islands, and even here on the SouthCoast. As a result, McDonald's improvised, transforming the historic mansion into one of the most unusual McDonald's locations you’ll ever see.

While the interior is decked out with a wooden motif, the menu remains identical to any other McDonald's in the Northeast.

The design is a pretty big hit with townies and tourists alike, with nearly 60% of visitors giving it an "excellent" or "very good" rating. Not bad for a fast-food place. "It's in an 1850's Colonial House," shared NHjo from Saco. "The old Gore mansion, and it is beautiful inside and out. The existing seating is classy and there's a hand-painted mural on the wall. 5 out of 5.