Monday, February 18, 2008

McDonald's Saturation


Right off the bat, The McChronicles would like to say that we have NEVER felt "saturated" by McDonald's, we never get too much. So the title of this posting's topic seems a wee bit off.


The McChronicles was tipped off to an interesting website that claims to provide information on the density of McDonald's in any US region. It is from Foodio54.com.


Apparently drawing data from a corporate location database, the site purports to tell us data regarding stores per X miles radius for:


  • national average


  • state average


  • specific location entered



The site also reports your state's highest and lowest McDonald's densities by listing a few cities. In the McChronicles' home state of New York, we learned that (according to this site), the highest McDonald's density is in New York City 10017) with a density of 1 McDonald's for every 5,400 people. A McDonald's for every 0.11 square mile!




And, we also learned that the Adirondack region sees very little of the golden arches, especially in the west-central area. Inlet, NY's McDonald's/square mile was incalcuable! The McChronicles recently reported of the demise of the Old Forge, NY McDonald's.




Have some fun with this tool.


The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.


Image: Foodio54.com screen grab.

Monday, February 11, 2008

McDonald's Pioneer: Gene Widdicombe

She ..."with the help of her children, has become a local McDonald's pioneer. She's the first woman in Orange County to operate a McDonald's. In 1974, the single, mother of three opened her second McDonald's in Garden Grove."

"Her restaurants were the first in Orange County to introduce a drive-through (1977) and a PlayPlace (1983) kids zone."

"Today, five of the more than 30,000 McDonald's operating in the world belong to Gene Widdicombe."

Nancy Luna, OC Register
Wow! Can you imagine meeting Ray Kroc? Having him fly out to meet YOU? Opening a McDonald's when no one had heard of McDonald's???

The McChronicles has visited Gene Widdicombe's first McDonald's, at 12542 Harbor Boulevard, in Orange County, California, but never knew the significance, until now.

Read the Gene Widdicombe story in the OC Register. We were riveted by the "as it happened" style - great stories!

The McChronicles: a blog about, not affiliated with, McDonald's.