McDonald's opened the oldest surviving operating restaurant in Downey, California, in 1953.
The Downey restaurant was opened by the McDonald brothers and is widely recognized as the oldest McDonald's location still operating in its original form. Its design includes the early roadside Golden Arches, which were architectural features before the arches became the company's standalone logo.
The site is historically important because it preserves the visual language of early McDonald's restaurants. Its building, sign, and museum displays connect the modern chain with the brothers' original fast-food operation in Southern California.
The date can be confused with 1948, when the brothers introduced their redesigned self-service restaurant concept in San Bernardino. Downey was not the original McDonald's restaurant, but it is the oldest surviving operating location associated with the early brand.