Canada received the first McDonald’s restaurant outside the United States.
McDonald’s opened that international location in Richmond, British Columbia, in 1967. The opening marked the beginning of the company’s expansion beyond the U.S. and helped establish the Golden Arches as an international restaurant identity rather than a domestic American sign.
The Canadian restaurant was not the company’s first location overall. McDonald’s origins trace to the McDonald brothers’ restaurant in San Bernardino, California, and the franchised system expanded throughout the United States before crossing the border.
International growth later reached many different markets, often with localized menus and advertising while retaining core visual elements such as the arches and the McDonald’s name. Japan, Australia, and the United Kingdom became important markets later, but none was the first foreign location.