McDonald's opened its first United Kingdom restaurant in Woolwich in 1974.
The restaurant opened on October 13, 1974, in Woolwich, southeast London. It was the company's first UK location and introduced British customers to McDonald's restaurant design, menu presentation, service style, and visual identity. The launch extended the Golden Arches brand into one of Europe's most important national markets.
Woolwich is now part of the Royal Borough of Greenwich. The location is therefore sometimes described simply as being in London, but Woolwich is the more specific town and district name associated with the first UK restaurant.
The British opening came seven years after McDonald's first international restaurant in Canada. It also preceded the company's later expansion across Europe, where local operating practices and menu choices were combined with the familiar McDonald's name and branding.