This year marks the 50th anniversary of McDonald’s in the UK, and we’re looking back at the famous fast food chain and its impact on Cumbria.


The first restaurant was in Woolwich, and a new report reveals that in its half century of operating, the company has contributed £94.45 billion to the UK economy; by 2023, supporting 209,475 jobs including 171,415 people employed by McDonald’s and its franchisees directly.
It is the world’s largest fast food restaurant chain, serving over 69 million customers daily in over 100 countries. It is best known for its hamburgers, cheeseburgers and French fries, with the latter its bestselling item, followed by the Big Mac.
The chain was founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California. They rechristened their business as a hamburger stand and later turned the company into a franchise, with the Golden Arches logo being introduced in 1953 at a location in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1955, Ray Kroc, a businessman, joined the company as a franchise agent and, in 1961, bought out the McDonald brothers.
Previously headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois, it moved to nearby Chicago in June 2018. McDonald’s is also a real estate company through its ownership of around 70 per cent of restaurant buildings and 45 per cent of the underlying land, which it leases to its franchisees.

(Image: The Cumberland News Photographic) Our first two pictures show actor James Speakman from Wigton who, in 2015, was part of a McDonald’s festive promotion.

(Image: Louise Porter) (Image: Newsquest)

Youth Fight Austerity and Youth Fight for Jobs campaigners are shown outside McDonald’s in Carlisle.

(Image: Newsquest)

In 2014, Egremont couple Wayne and Jeannette Powell were angry about the two parking tickets they got for parking in McDonald’s carpark.

(Image: Newsquest)
Spectators gathered outside McDonald’s in Barrow for a Thriller themed dance for the National Autistic Society.

(Image: Newsquest) (Image: Newsquest)
A charity football match in Workington pitted McDonald’s staff against those from Asda.

(Image: Newsquest)
Our final image shows staff from McDonald’s on a litter pick around the Hindpool area with the help of the mayor and mayoress of Barrow and children from St James’ C of E Junior School.