What was McDonald's first international market outside North America?

Costa Rica was McDonald's first international market outside North America.

McDonald's opened its first Costa Rican restaurant in 1970, making the country the company's first overseas market. The opening marked an important step beyond the United States and Canada, where McDonald's had established its early restaurant network.

The Costa Rican restaurant is often overlooked because later openings in large markets such as Japan, the United Kingdom, and Australia became more prominent in the brand's global story. The first United Kingdom restaurant opened in 1974, while the first Japanese restaurant opened in 1971.

International expansion required McDonald's to keep core branding elements, including the arches and restaurant name, while adapting menus and operations to local tastes. Costa Rica therefore represents the beginning of the company's worldwide restaurant identity, not merely an early franchise opening.