For many customers, McDonald's conjures up waves of nostalgia, bringing back childhood memories of birthday parties and Happy Meal toys. Now a McDonald's restaurant in Hong Kong has decided to go all in on that retro allure with a makeover that looks straight out of the 1990s.
Through an unusual design decision, the restaurant's renovation has left it looking older than it did before. And it's brought back a host of characters that retired many years ago (see our character design tips for inspiration for your own work).
The McDonald's in Hong Kong’s Shek Wai Kok Village opened in 1999 and still has its old Ronald McDonald statue sitting on a bench in the restaurant. So when it came to renovating, it decided it would retain, and emphasise, some retro vibes in an area that's been changing rapidly in recent years.
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Not only did it keep “Uncle McDonald" as Ronald's known in Hong Kong, but it also brought back other McDonaldland characters. A mural features the Fry Kids, Hamburglar and Birdie the Early Bird. And there's even an Apple Pie Treel surrounded by hamburger stools.
The kitsch retro decor only occupies part of the venue, with the rest getting a more modern nondescript look. There's been some criticism of the amount of seating available, but overall the makeover seems to be getting a lot of love from customers. "Well done this time. McDonald's is a place for children and a childhood memory for adults, it should be like this," one person wrote on Facebook.
See our pick of the best McDonald's ads for more examples of McDonald's clever branding.
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Joe is a regular freelance journalist and editor at Creative Bloq. He writes news, features and buying guides and keeps track of the best equipment and software for creatives, from video editing programs to monitors and accessories. A veteran news writer and photographer, he now works as a project manager at the London and Buenos Aires-based design, production and branding agency Hermana Creatives. There he manages a team of designers, photographers and video editors who specialise in producing visual content and design assets for the hospitality sector. He also dances Argentine tango.
