This McDonald's restaurant looks like... fries?

Seen from above, it could look like a giant has just dropped a packet of McDonald's fries in Sydney's Darling Harbour. But no, that's actually a new McDonald's store. The temporary 'Fry-Thru' has opened at the FIFA Fan Festival in Tubalong Park for the duration of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Designed to resemble a signature red McDonald's french fry box complete with contents, it's another example of how McDonald's benefits from such recognisable branding (see our pick of the best McDonald's ads for more).

The five-metre-tall outlet has a sign that reads 'Macca’s Fry-Thru', referencing a popular nickname for McDonald's in Australia. Another sign reads 'Mekdi', a name sported by several McDonald's restaurants in Malaysia. Its only food offerings are medium french fries with one of two “international"-themed sauces created for the World Cup: Outback BBQ and Wasabi Mayo.

David Morris, brand manager for McDonald’s Australia, said in a press release: “We are excited to create unforgettable experiences for fans nationwide at the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. 

"Based in Darling Harbour, our giant Macca’s fries, also known as the Fry-Thru, is the perfect spot for all football fans to come together to fuel up on our iconic fries before or after a game. We look forward to bringing people together and uniting fans worldwide through our shared love of football and Macca’s.”

For more ingenious McDonald's marketing, see our piece on clever adverts that don't show the product.