Photographer Visits Unusual McDonald’s Across the World

Aug 01, 2024

Matt Growcoot

Several McDonald's breakfast bowls containing eggs, sausages, and other ingredients are on the left. On the right, a person is standing beside a McDonald's branded airplane, raising an arm towards the propeller.

A photographer has spent six years visiting over 50 countries across six continents in search of interesting McDonald’s restaurants.

Gary He has endeavored to create a modern, global portrait of McDonald’s which can be found in 118 countries. Not only did he visit McDonald’s housed in unusual buildings, but he also sought to document the diverse menu options each country offers.

“I have spent more time driving around the world on Google Maps looking for angles and staging areas than I care to admit,” He tells PetaPixel.

He visited a decommissioned DC-3 airliner in Taupo, New Zealand that has been turned into a McDonald’s as well as a UFO-themed restaurant in Roswell, New Mexico.

An aerial view of a snowy ski resort with a skier walking next to a building labeled "SKI RENTAL." The roofs and surrounding trees are covered in a thick layer of snow. Other buildings and a parked van are visible in the distance. — A ski McDonald’s in Sweden.

A McDonald's drive-thru at dusk with illuminated signage and art deco architecture. The building's lights are reflected in a large puddle in the foreground. The sky is overcast and dark, while several parked cars are visible in the background. — Melbourne, Australia.

If you have ever eaten McDonald’s in foreign countries, you will know it tastes different and offers different items. He came across a couple of visually interesting offerings.

“I thought the McSpaghetti [in the Philippines] was really fun to look at and photograph, and it’s not even what you expect,” explains He.

“They have this sweet marinara pasta that’s the result of local chefs recreating MRE spaghetti bolognese using what ingredients were available — a tomato shortage meant that the marinara was made with sweet banana ketchup, and chopped up hot dogs were the protein — but over time that became a flavor profile that every local loved.

“It’s insanely popular at kids’ birthday parties thanks to the local chain, Jollibee. So McDonald’s just had to sell their own version of it.”

A serving of McSpaghetti in a cardboard tray with a plastic fork on a red surface. A piece of fried chicken, a small cup of gravy, and a McSpaghetti-branded box are placed nearby. The McSpaghetti has spaghetti noodles topped with tomato sauce and cheese. — McSpaghetti from the Philippines.

Four McDonald's bowls containing macaroni pasta topped with a sliced sausage, a poached egg, and a piece of seasoned chicken are set on a yellow background. A white plastic spoon is placed on the right side of the image. — Macaroni Soup from a Hong Kong McDonald’s.

He uses a pair of Canon R5s and a Profoto A2 flash with a five-degree grid. The photographer had to travel light so he relied on colorful backdrops which he was able to purchase in every country.

“I went with an 8.5 x 11 colored construction paper,” explains He. “If I lit the scene correctly, there would hardly be a visible seam between sheets that I could just take out in post.”

He also carried a DJI Mavic Mini Pro 3 and wound up getting certified to fly in dozens of countries.

“Interestingly enough the FAA’s unmanned drone test in the United States was the most difficult,” adds He.

A McDonald’s in Shenzhen, China.

A man looks up at a McDonald's restaurant situated inside a vintage airplane with propellers. The aircraft, painted silver with black and yellow stripes, is displayed near a building with surrounding greenery. A sign partially visible reads “WORLD'S COOLEST”. — He with a decommissioned DC-3 housing a McDonald’s in New Zealand.

The New York-based photographer and writer has turned his giant project into a book called McAtlas. He says McDonald’s presence around the world is an important story to tell.

“When people protest America, they smash up McDonald’s. And yet, the last general book about McDonald’s was published in the mid-80s, before the fall of the Berlin Wall, before China was fully open to Western businesses, and before McDonald’s had a single store in the Middle East,” says He.

“From a non-professional perspective, I grew up on McDonald’s just like so many other people. When I got good grades as a kid, my parents would get me the two cheeseburger meal.

“I got through college ordering double cheeseburgers off the Dollar Menu from the McDonald’s across the street from NYU on Broadway.

“And as an adult, McNuggets saved my life after a night out at the bars more than I care to admit.

“So it was joyful to be able to work on a story about a brand that played an important role throughout my life.”

A book titled "McAtlas" with a cover designed to look like a sesame seed bun. The book's edges are styled with red, yellow, and green stripes, mimicking layers of a hamburger. The background is plain white.