McDonald’s has a rich history that spans decades, and hidden within its world headquarters in Chicago is a massive archive filled with nostalgic memorabilia.
From vintage toys and promotional items to rare costumes and discontinued menu items, this secret room holds priceless treasures that fans of the fast-food giant would love to see. However, the public rarely gets access to this collection—except for a lucky few.
Recently, an exclusive press tour revealed some of the most fascinating pieces inside McDonald’s archives. Let’s take a closer look at the rare and forgotten items that showcase the brand’s incredible journey through the years.
McDonald’s Headquarters: A Hub of Innovation and History
McDonald’s headquarters is located in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood, where more than 2,000 employees work. The building includes workspaces, test kitchens, and a special training center known as Hamburger University.
One of the biggest highlights is the McDonald’s Global Menu Restaurant, located on the ground floor. Here, customers can try international menu items from various countries, many of which aren’t available anywhere else in the U.S.
Hidden upstairs is McDonald’s official archives, a private space filled with decades of restaurant history. This section is not open to the public, but during a recent press tour, archivist Mike Bullington gave an inside look at some of the most unique items in the collection.
A Peek Inside McDonald’s Archives: Rare and Vintage Items
McDonald’s official archive is a treasure trove of nostalgic memorabilia. Archivist Mike Bullington, the first trained archivist hired by the company, even uses an incognito eBay account to hunt down rare McDonald’s items for the collection.
Here are some of the most interesting vintage items hidden inside this super-secret room:
1. Grimace Costume
The beloved purple mascot has been a McDonald’s icon for years. The Grimace costume in the archive has two sets of eyes, which were used to adjust his facial expressions in commercial shoots.
2. Collector’s Cups
McDonald’s has released many collector’s cups over the years, often tied to promotions for movies or toy lines. Some cups feature long-retired McDonald’s characters that many fans may not remember.
3. Styrofoam Big Mac Container
Before McDonald’s switched to eco-friendly packaging, nearly all sandwiches came in styrofoam containers. The company officially phased them out in 1990 due to environmental concerns.
4. Ronald McDonald Dolls
The archive houses various Ronald McDonald dolls, including some that might look a little creepy by today’s standards.
5. Hamburglar Costume
A full Hamburglar costume is on display, reminding fans of the classic “Rubble, rubble” catchphrase from the 1970s and 1980s commercials.
6. Barbie Loves McDonald’s Playset
McDonald’s has produced many toys beyond Happy Meal giveaways. One example is a Barbie playset designed to look like a McDonald’s restaurant.
7. Onion Nuggets Box
In 1975, McDonald’s experimented with onion nuggets, a mix of chicken nuggets and onion rings. The item didn’t last long and was discontinued in the early 1980s.
8. Mac Tonight Head
A moon-faced character introduced in 1986, Mac Tonight was a mascot used to promote McDonald’s nighttime menu. He was later discontinued after a lawsuit claimed his name was too similar to the song Mack the Knife.
9. Vintage Shake Machine
No word on whether this shake machine is “out of order,” but it’s a cool piece of McDonald’s history.
10. Vintage Big Mac Advertisement
The Big Mac debuted in 1967, and early advertisements promoted it as a “super sandwich” with a free pie offered with every purchase.
11. Ronald McDonald’s Red Shoes
The giant red clown shoes worn by Ronald McDonald are on display in all their oversized glory.
12. McDonald’s Fried Chicken Box
Yes, McDonald’s once sold fried chicken in the U.S. While it disappeared from most locations, it is still available in some countries like the Dominican Republic.
13. Russian McDonald’s Sign
A historical artifact from McDonald’s operations in Russia, this sign reminded customers that only rubles were accepted as payment.
14. McNugget Sauces Collection
McDonald’s has introduced over 25 different McNugget sauces since 1983. The archive holds many of them, though they are no longer edible!
15. Foam Burger Head
This mysterious foam burger head adds a quirky touch to McDonald’s past promotional items.
16. Ceremonial Spatula
For the grand opening of McDonald’s 10,000th location in Dale City, Virginia, in 1988, the company used a giant ceremonial spatula instead of traditional ribbon-cutting scissors.
17. International McDonald’s Toys
McDonald’s has produced unique toys across different countries, many of which never made it to the U.S.
18. Autographed Basketballs
McDonald’s has hosted the McDonald’s All-American basketball game since the late 1970s, featuring top high school players. Rows of autographed basketballs from each year are part of the archive.
19. Hamburglar’s Hat
The archive contains extra Hamburglar hats, perfect for cosplay or a fun throwback to classic McDonald’s commercials.
20. Ray Kroc Birthday Cup
To celebrate Ray Kroc’s 70th birthday, McDonald’s created a special “Happy Cup” trophy in his honor.
21. McDonald’s Pizza Box
Yes, McDonald’s once served pizza in select U.S. locations. Though mostly discontinued, a single McDonald’s in Orlando, Florida, still offers the McPizza.
22. McDonald’s Commercial Reels
An entire section of the archive is dedicated to old McDonald’s commercials, preserving decades of advertising history.
23. Birdie Costume
Birdie the Early Bird was introduced in the 1980s to promote McDonald’s breakfast menu.
24. Cookie Molds
McDonald’s once sold character-shaped cookies similar to animal crackers, made using these molds.
25. First McDonald’s Annual Report
This historic document details McDonald’s first-ever annual report, showcasing how the company expanded rapidly across the U.S.
26. McD.L.T. Specialty Container
The McD.L.T. (McDonald’s Deluxe Lettuce and Tomato) was packaged in a unique two-sided container designed to keep the lettuce and tomato fresh while keeping the burger warm.