Hungarian McDonald’s is 35 years old

By: Trademagazin Date: 2023. 05. 01. 11:13

Long snaking lines for weeks, a cheeseburger for HUF 26, a BigMac for HUF 43 and sales records: 35 years ago, on April 29, 1988, the first McDonald’s restaurant in Hungary opened in Budapest’s Régiposta Street. In the weeks after the opening, the enthusiastic team of the first restaurant served 10-11 thousand guests a day, often 10-15 customers in a minute.

In 35 years, the restaurant chain in Hungary has gone through many changes. There are currently 112 restaurants in many parts of the country, and hamburger lovers can no longer live without a McDonald’s in any county. The offer of the domestic Meki, which welcomes more than 70 million visitors every year, has been continuously expanded, and today guests can choose the one that best suits their taste and needs from around 300 offers.

Hungarian guests were among the first in Europe to taste the McReggeli and McWrap, while the pork McFarm sandwich or the breakfast Fresh McMuffin appeared on the menus of other countries as domestic “inventions”. Over the years, McDonald’s has also developed unique products for promotions in Hungary, such as the Harta sausage and gray beef hamburgers sold as part of the “Hungarian Weeks”, as well as the foie gras hamburger that appears from time to time among the Maestro specialties. The McCafé idea was first realized in Central and Eastern Europe in Hungary. In 2003, the first such cafe was opened in McDonald’s on Régiposta Street, and by this year’s anniversary, McCafé already operates with 64 units.