McDonald's opened its first United Kingdom restaurant in Woolwich, London, in 1974.
The restaurant began serving customers in October 1974 on Powis Street in Woolwich. Its opening marked the company's entry into the UK, which later became one of McDonald's largest and most established European markets.
The UK launch extended McDonald's recognizable American branding into a new national setting. Although the core visual identity remained consistent, the company also developed local menu and marketing practices over time. The Woolwich location is therefore an important early milestone in the brand's European history.