Richmond, British Columbia, had McDonald’s first restaurant outside the United States.
The restaurant opened in Richmond in 1967, marking the beginning of McDonald’s international expansion. Richmond is part of the Metro Vancouver region, but the specific city named in company history is Richmond rather than Vancouver.
This location helped establish the Canadian franchise operation that later grew throughout the country. Its opening demonstrated that McDonald’s recognizable restaurant format could be exported while still accommodating local business practices and customer preferences.
A common mix-up is to name Vancouver because Richmond lies in the same metropolitan area. Toronto and Montreal also became major Canadian markets, but neither hosted the company’s first international restaurant. The Richmond opening preceded McDonald’s later expansion into Europe, Asia, and other regions.