McDonald's PlayPlace
Location | Various McDonald's restaurants |
---|---|
Status | Operating |
Operated by | McDonald's |
Theme | McDonaldland |
Operating season | Year-round (indoor and outdoor) |
The McDonald's PlayPlace is an
History
The McDonald's PlayPlace first appeared in California in 1971,[2] and debuted for McDonald's franchisees at the 1972 Illinois State Fair.[3][4]
In 1991, McDonald's created a chain of family entertainment centers based on PlayPlaces called Leaps and Bounds, that eventually merged into Discovery Zone and Chuck E. Cheese.[5][6]
In 1999, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission fined McDonald's $4 million, after failing to report over 400 injuries that children sustained after using the Big Mac Climber jungle gyms.[7]
In March 2020, all PlayPlaces in restaurants located in the United States were closed due to health concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8]
In the 2010s and 2020s, PlayPlaces have appeared less frequently in new and renovated restaurants, reportedly due to factors such as health and safety concerns, decreased usage, families eating out less, a shift in marketing from kids and families to young adults, and McDonald's wanting to present a more "sleek and modern" image of the chain.[9][10][11][12]
The world's largest McDonald's PlayPlace at the World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's in Orlando, Florida, features family entertainment center-like attractions, including arcade games and pizza. It was opened in 1976.[13]
References
- ^ Behr, Felix (March 24, 2021). "This Was The World's First McDonald's PlayPlace". Mashed.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- ^ "McDonald's Design Heritage". Fast Company. October 1, 2010. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- ^ "McDonald's Playground". Illinois Periodicals Online at Northern Illinois University - (Main Page). Archived from the original on March 18, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- ^ "This Could Be Why You Don't See PlayPlaces in McDonald's Anymore". Reader's Digest. July 2, 2020. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- ^ "Leaps and Bounds Merges With Discovery Zone; McDonald's". Bloomberg. Jul 18, 1994. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved Apr 18, 2022.
- ^ Young, David (Jul 19, 1994). "McDonald's to Unite Play Unit With Discovery Zone". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on April 18, 2022. Retrieved Apr 18, 2022.
- ^ Fields, Robin (1999-06-29). "McDonald's Fined Over Child Injuries". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2023-01-02. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
- ^ Jones, Charisse. "McDonald's to shut seating, play areas amid COVID-19 pandemic". USA TODAY. Archived from the original on 2023-01-02. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
- ^ "This Could Be Why You Don't See PlayPlaces in McDonald's Anymore". Reader's Digest. 2020-07-02. Archived from the original on 2023-04-10. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
- ^ Shustack, Chase (2022-08-07). "Whatever Happened To McDonald's PlayPlaces?". Mashed. Archived from the original on 2023-01-02. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
- ^ "Will the McDonald's PlayPlace Go Away for Good?". The Takeout. 2022-08-11. Archived from the original on 2023-01-02. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
- ^ Lawrence, Kelsey (2017-04-17). "Where Have All the Fast-Food Playgrounds Gone?". Eater. Archived from the original on 2023-01-02. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
- ^ Harrington, Rebecca (May 12, 2017). "We visited the largest McDonald's in the US and ate pizza, pasta, and a Belgian waffle - here's what it's like". Business Insider. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.