25 replies to this topic

[FWFF'r]

Can anyone remember where the first McDonald's in Ft. Worth was?

I remember one off of I35W near Seminary, one on Berry near Yuma & Riverside & another on Camp Bowie near Lackland (still standing as a restaurant but unrecognizeable as McD's). I can remember going to the one on Berry as a 1st grader with my class in '67 or '68 & the one near Seminary around that same time, but can't think of any others.

Just curious...

[pelligrini]

I didn't get here 'till late '74, and it looked pretty new then; but there was one out in the middle of nowhere which was Altamesa and McCart. It's not out in the middle of nowhere anymore.

That one you mentioned on Camp Bowie over by the golf course had the original styling with the arches. It's probably a good candidate for the first.

[cbellomy]

I remember reading some time back that Camp Bowie ~@Lackland was the first.

[Phil Phillips]

When I worked at the McDonald's on E. Lancaster in 1970, we were told that the Camp Bowie/Lackland location was the first. You could probably confirm that by checking phone books or City Directories from the 60s. One other historic note, when I worked there, females were not hired and the manager made that openly known. Except for the manager, all employees were high school kids, maybe a couple of college guys. It was one of the original designs then; no seating for customers, no air conditioning for anyone and the arch out front. Turned into a Long John Silvers, which closed several years ago.

[Buck]

I'm pretty sure Lancaster was the first.

It was the first I remember, and the only one with the arches.

I don't think Camp Bowie/Lackland came till later.

[Buck]

TAD says the Long John Silver's was built in '74 -- it must have been new and replaced the McDonald's.

I'm guessing the McDonalds went in about 1967, like the Pizza Inn next door (now John Carter's)

[FWFF'r]

When I worked at the McDonald's on E. Lancaster in 1970, we were told that the Camp Bowie/Lackland location was the first. You could probably confirm that by checking phone books or City Directories from the 60s. One other historic note, when I worked there, females were not hired and the manager made that openly known. Except for the manager, all employees were high school kids, maybe a couple of college guys. It was one of the original designs then; no seating for customers, no air conditioning for anyone and the arch out front. Turned into a Long John Silvers, which closed several years ago.

Phil,

I didn't get to that part of the east side until '73 & by the time I was at EHHS & remember going to the Taco Bell next door to the West (which later became Casa Wok), I don't remember exactly when the Long John's came in. I vaguely remember there being a McD's there but have no idea of the time frame.

I'm surprised no one has chimed in about the one of off Seminary & 35... I'm certain that I was there in '72 & most likely it was there sooner.

Was I totally mistaken about one being on Berry? I know for a fact that my first grade class went there in '67 or '68 but maybe I'm mistaken & it was a Griff's or Mr Quick then???

[FWFF'r]

TAD says the Long John Silver's was built in '74 -- it must have been new and replaced the McDonald's.

I'm guessing the McDonalds went in about 1967, like the Pizza Inn next door (now John Carter's)

Buck,

the Pizza Inn that you speak of was a Pizza Inn at least until Sept. '77 when I got my driver's license, because I took a blind date (as a favor for a friend) there sometime after that & I know for a fact that I drove... she was the friend's cousin from out of town.

[Phil Phillips]

Buck, you are correct. Fort Worth 1962 City Directory shows the E. Lancaster location as under construction. That is the only McD location in Tarrant County in the 1963 - 1967 phone books. In 1968, second location was in Arlington on E. Abram, near UTA. In 1969, three more locations in phone book, 6818 Hwy. 80 W (Camp Bowie), 100 N. University and 1401 Pipeline in Hurst. If someone will tell me how, I'll post a 1969 or 1970 photo of the E. Lancaster location from the 1970 EHHS yearbook.

[cbellomy]

100 N. University? Where the FWISD administrative offices are now? I had no idea.

[Buck]

So what was the address on East Abram in Arlington?

And you're right, cbellomy -- 100 N. University must be a mistake. Maybe those were corporate offices in University Plaza, or maybe there's a "N. University" somewhere else.

[cbellomy]

Here is the EHHS Annual photo from 1970 that Phil mentioned:

[Phil Phillips]

The 1968 phone book said 211 E. Abram. However, I remember the Arlington location from 1970 and it has always been at its current location at 611 W. Abram. The old restaurant was completely torn down and a newer version rebuilt. Unless Arlington has renumbered Abram, the phone book can't be correct. I also had a question about the N. University location but I didn't hang around that area near as much in my youth. Next time I am at the downtown library, I'll look at a few other phone books and City Directories to see if I can figure that out. Maybe it is 100 University, which TAD shows to be the former University VW location. Anyone remember what was at that address in 1969?

[FWFF'r]

TAD says the Long John Silver's was built in '74 -- it must have been new and replaced the McDonald's.

I'm guessing the McDonalds went in about 1967, like the Pizza Inn next door (now John Carter's)

Buck,

the Pizza Inn that you speak of was a Pizza Inn at least until Sept. '77 when I got my driver's license, because I took a blind date (as a favor for a friend) there sometime after that & I know for a fact that I drove... she was the friend's cousin from out of town.

Sorry Buck....
I misread "McDonalds went in about 1967, like the Pizza Inn next door"... thought you meant they were both gone by then...

[FWFF'r]

Here is the EHHS Annual photo from 1970 that Phil mentioned:

NICE! Thanks for the pic!

[Phil Phillips]

Update on the Arlington location. It has always been at 611 W. Abram and the 1967 Arlington City Directory is the first to list as McDonald's Restaurant. In 1966, that location shows a small apartment complex, which was apparently torn down to make way for the golden arch.

[Phil Phillips]

The 1969 Ft. Worth phone book indicates that the Main Office was at 100 N. University, so Buck called it right.

[FWFF'r]

Saw a great pop culture/history show on Travel Channel, 'Most Unique McDonald's'... this - http://en.wikipedia....eyMcdonalds.jpg is a pic of one of the first & the oldest existing McD's in Downey, CA.

Interestingly, Taco Bell first opened in Downey, CA in 1962.

[David Love]

Saw a great pop culture/history show on Travel Channel, 'Most Unique McDonald's'... this - http://en.wikipedia....eyMcdonalds.jpg is a pic of one of the first & the oldest existing McD's in Downey, CA.

Interestingly, Taco Bell first opened in Downey, CA in 1962.

I think I've eaten at that one...

I remember the single arch and sat at the tables just off to the right, not sure if all of the older ones looked like that or not.

[Keller Pirate]

Interestingly enough the Downey McDonalds is a preservation victory. McDonalds and Ray Kroc desperately wanted to tear down the Downey McD and the city fought them for years. It never made any sense except that it was a threat to his rewritten history that Kroc's Des Planes store was the first McDonalds.

The Taco Tia stands the Glenn Bell started with before he opened the first Taco Bell in Downey were located in San Bernardino, same place McDonalds started. One of his employees he sent to Barstow to run a Taco Bell opened his own store called Del Taco, which is huge out West and is considered No.2, way behind Taco Bell.

[David Love]

Interestingly enough the Downey McDonalds is a preservation victory. McDonalds and Ray Kroc desperately wanted to tear down the Downey McD and the city fought them for years. It never made any sense except that it was a threat to his rewritten history that Kroc's Des Planes store was the first McDonalds.

The Taco Tia stands the Glenn Bell started with before he opened the first Taco Bell in Downey were located in San Bernardino, same place McDonalds started. One of his employees he sent to Barstow to run a Taco Bell opened his own store called Del Taco, which is huge out West and is considered No.2, way behind Taco Bell.

Had an Aunt and Uncle that had several A&Ws in Fontana and San Bernardino, I worked there in the early 80’s, that McDs was a place we'd visit to pay homage.

[FWFF'r]

Interestingly enough the Downey McDonalds is a preservation victory. McDonalds and Ray Kroc desperately wanted to tear down the Downey McD and the city fought them for years. It never made any sense except that it was a threat to his rewritten history that Kroc's Des Planes store was the first McDonalds.

The Taco Tia stands the Glenn Bell started with before he opened the first Taco Bell in Downey were located in San Bernardino, same place McDonalds started. One of his employees he sent to Barstow to run a Taco Bell opened his own store called Del Taco, which is huge out West and is considered No.2, way behind Taco Bell.

I remember there being a Del Taco on the corner of Melbourne & Pipeline in Hurst & another one in Weatherford where the Taco Casa is on South Main. I liked them better than Taco Bells at the time, although Taco Plaza/Patio was better than both in my opinion. Taco Casa seems to have the same recipes as the old Taco Plaza/Patio....

... 1st Taco Bell in Fort Worth...???

[Keller Pirate]

Taco Bell and Del Taco had similar menus at one time but when Taco Bell was acquired by Pepsi in the late 70's early 80's they changed for the worse in my opinion and are now known by some as Taco Hell. Del Taco and Taco Bueno are pretty close in food style.

David, did your relatives own the A&W in Mentone? It was East of San Bernardino and Redlands and I patronized it a few times.

First Taco Bell in Ft Worth will have to be determined by someone that has been here longer than me. Buck?

[Buck]

I'd guess the first Taco Bell was 612 University -- the current J&J Oyster Bar.

TAD says 1969.

And what about the other hamburger drive-thrus? TAD says the Jack-in-the-Box on Camp Bowie came in 1969.

[John T Roberts]

Buck, although it has been rebuilt, I think the Jack In The Box on Henderson, just north of Pennsylvania was there in the early 1960's. I had my tonsils removed when I was very little at Fort Worth Children's Hospital and I had my mother bring me a Jack In The Box hamburger as my first solid food meal after the operation.

[cajunmike]

Since I spent 30 years with McDonald's I thougt I would post this. The first McDonald's in Fort Worth was at 5305 E. Lancaster and opened in 1961. I started to work there in 1966. It was McDonald's national store #423. In order of there opening in Tarrant county in the old days:
611 West Abram in Arlington 1967, 6818 Camp Bowie /Ridglea 1969, Pipeline Road/Hurst 1969, Felix & I-35 Fort Worth in 1970. Of these orginal three are still operating in the same locations. Arlington, Felix St and Hurst although two have been completely rebuilt and the Felix store is still going since August of 1970.
The Felix store has one of its orginal employees still working as of March 2008.