Which country hosted McDonald’s first European restaurant, opened in 1971?

The Netherlands hosted McDonald’s first European restaurant, which opened in 1971.

The restaurant was located in Zaandam, near Amsterdam. Its opening marked an important step in McDonald’s transition from a North American chain into a multinational brand. The company adapted its operations and marketing to new countries while retaining recognizable elements such as the Golden Arches and standardized service.

France, Germany, and the United Kingdom became important European markets, but none hosted the first European McDonald’s. The Netherlands is therefore the answer when the question concerns McDonald’s initial entry into Europe rather than the first restaurant in a particular major European country.