Cool Things About Visiting the World’s Fanciest McDonald’s + Photos

  • I ate at the world’s fanciest McDonald’s in Hong Kong and was impressed by the food and atmosphere.
  • The restaurant had a build-your-own-salad bar and offered sleek, chic-looking menus to customers.
  • The service reminded me of that of a quality restaurant and the elegant interior felt very fancy.

Hong Kong’s versions of popular American fast-food chains are sometimes better than the original ones in the US.

For example, the city is famously home to the McDonald’s Next concept, a version of the fast-food franchise that strives to be “modern and progressive.”

I visited the location in Admiralty, which has been called the “fanciest McDonald’s in the world.” Here are seven things that surprised me when I visited. 

The build-your-own-salad bar was one of the first things I noticed

A salad bar in a warehouse-style McDonald's with employees working behind counter

Customers could make their own salad while they waited for their burgers.

Kaitlyn Cheung


Modeled after Chipotle’s fast-casual concept, the build-your-own-salad bar has 19 ingredients, including different types of greens, quinoa, and sauces. 

Customers can take a few minutes to build their own salads while waiting for their made-to-order burgers to be served from the kitchen to the table.

Each meal was customizable and there were a variety of options

A self-order kiosk with black background and images of brioche bun, tomato, lettuce; Self-order kiosk with images of burger patty and other meats

I could customize the meat and toppings on my burger.

Kaitlyn Cheung


I excitedly ordered my own burger at one of the many “Create Your Taste” kiosks. I could choose my preferences for bread, meat, and vegetables for my burger as I sifted through the screen’s many options.

The burger selection offered choices of bun or bun-less and meat or Portobello mushroom, and the addition of top-notch ingredients such as Parmesan cheese, guacamole, caramelized onions, and even truffle sauce.

A self-order kiosk with a screen showing burger options with a pink design on top with images of fries in a container with a cartoon rabbit on them

Some of the menu items were themed.

Kaitlyn Cheung


Even more surprising to me was that my custom burger cost less than $10. 

The advertising and menu were sleek and elegant

Metallic, warehouse-style counter with cash registers and a black, red, and white menu with McDonald's items overhead

The menus and posters of food looked elegant.

Kaitlyn Cheung


The cold-brew coffee looked like something straight out of a TV ad, and pictures of special menu items like pizza and tiramisu were plastered on posters and looked delectably delicious.

Even the different coffee beans were nicely advertised as if they were a choice between sauvignon blanc or chardonnay.

The service reminded me of a restaurant-quality experience

A plastic marker on a table with a brown illustration with a burger on it and the number "216" printed on it

I placed the number on my table after I made my order.

Kaitlyn Cheung


Once I placed my order at the kiosk, I was dispensed a number to place on my table. A staff member brought my order, so I never even had to get up.

Getting to dine in added a touch of the slow-food movement to the Happy-Meal experience. The different seating arrangements catered to a variety of diners and groups, reminiscent of a restaurant-quality experience. 

There were some themed food items on the menu

Close up of burger with brioche bun and container of curly fries with cartoon rabbit on it

I ordered a My Melody-themed meal with a drink, a burger, and fries.

Kaitlyn Cheung


For roughly $1, I ordered Sanrio My Melody-themed curly fries and a peach soda. The soda was fizzy with bits of peach jelly at the bottom of the drink and the fries were Cajun-style and slightly soggy from being cooked in oil.

Neither of these food items has remotely anything to do with My Melody, but the packaging was endearing and aesthetically pleasing.

The writer holds a burger with lettuce on a brioche bun with a bite taken out of it. Cardboard container with a smaller pink container with curly fries inside

The burger had lettuce, tomato, and a brioche bun.

Kaitlyn Cheung


One can’t order curly fries or a brioche bun at the franchise in the US, so this was another perk of dining at McDonald’s Next.

The restaurant was equipped with wireless charging stations

This McDonald’s seemed to be designed to make patrons want to stay for the whole day.

Equipped with wireless charging technology, the comfort and convenience of the restaurant’s amenities gave a nod to Hong Kong’s fast-paced urban culture. 

I was impressed with the chic interior design

The exterior of McDonald's Next with McDonald's logo on outside on a gray industrial wall and a entryway to restaurant

Even the exterior of McDonald’s Next looked chic.

Kaitlyn Cheung


The space was decorated with untreated oak, polished concrete flooring, and understated line drawings of McDonald’s classic menu items.

Industrial-style counter with hanging cylindrical lighting and tile floor in a restaurant. A wooden-top table with gray, industrial legs sits in front of counter

The interior of McDonald’s Next had an industrial design and a warehouse feel.

Kaitlyn Cheung


Open ceilings with visible ductwork and walls with exposed studs and joint work created a warehouse-style aesthetic that took the emphasis away from the setting and shifted my focus to the food.

This McDonald’s Next concept stole the show with a minimalist metallic design.