Canada hosted McDonald’s first restaurant outside the United States in 1967.
The opening took place in Richmond, British Columbia, and marked the beginning of McDonald’s international expansion. Canada was a logical early market because of its proximity to the United States, but the restaurant still represented a major step in turning the company into a global brand.
The Canadian opening is sometimes confused with McDonald’s first restaurants in other countries, including Puerto Rico and later European markets. International expansion eventually required local menu adaptations, but the recognizable McDonald’s name, visual identity, and restaurant format remained central to the brand.