McDonald's, 40 years in Italia: how it has changed from the first restaurant to today

There was a strange atmosphere in the spring of 1986 strolling around Piazza di Spagna in Rome. Hundreds of young people and a few families queuing in front of a new establishment with golden arches, a fast food restaurant with a name hitherto seen abroad or in American films and TV series: McDonald's. Everyone was looking for Big Mac, Cheeseburger, Hamburger, Filet-O-Fish, Quarter Pounder with a side of fries while drinking milkshake and Coca-Cola. Not that fries and hamburgers were a novelty because a few years ago the fashion for paninari, Walkman, Moncler, Timberland and El Charro belts was born, and in Milan they used to meet in front of the Burghy in Piazza San Babila. An ante litteram meeting place open to all.

Within a few years, dozens of McDonald's restaurants were opening along the peninsula. All with the same décor, staff wearing the same uniform and the same menus: this is the birth of the McDonald's restaurant format. Those who enter have the certainty of knowing what they will find, no surprises. 'We're at McDonald's' enters the jargon because you know they offer the same convenience, tastes and the chance to chat before deciding where to go: disco or cinema? Italia '90, the year of the World Cup, arrives and the fans all feed together. It is also the year of the debut of 'mobile telephony' in Italia with Sip's Etacs network. The mobile phone began to become a status symbol and a business tool.

In 1994 the first McDrive opened in Italia, introducing the 'drive-through' restaurant model to the country, which over the years was to become one of the brand's most recognisable and widespread formats. It is 1996 and for Italians there is a leap into two new dimensions: they enter the Web era thanks to some Internet providers such as, for example, Galactica, McLink, Tiscali while McDonald's in Italia buys the Burghy chain from the Cremonini Group and begins to buy meat from Inalca. They also began to open premises in shopping centres and large urban centres. In 1999, the Ronald McDonald Children's Foundation arrives, bringing projects and free reception spaces to families with sick children near children's hospitals. In 2000 Crispy McBacon, the most popular sandwich in Italia, entered the McDonald's menu, an exclusive in Italian restaurants even today. The Italianisation of the menu continued and new services arrived.

In 2005, McCafé was born in Italia, the 'Italian bar' within McDonald's. On the safety front, McDonald's introduced the HACCP system as early as 1998. The principle of aggregation takes a quantum leap forward with the addition of Playlands and spaces to celebrate birthdays with friends. In 2004 the 'Salvaeuro' offer was launched, designed not to give up a moment away from home even in the most complicated periods, while a few years later the combination with Italian PDO and PGI specialities was born. In 2008 came the sandwich with hamburger and Parmigiano Reggiano Dop. This formula would be replicated with Asiago Dop, Radicchio di Chioggia Igp, Mela Alto Adige Igp, Aceto balsamico di Modena Igp and Speck Alto Adige Igp. A couple of years later came the debut of digital totems for ordering menus.

Today there are about 810 restaurants in Italia, of which 650 have Birthday Rooms and over 300 Playland. More than 40,000 employees work in the restaurants, which serve 1.2 million customers every day, says the company. More than 60 openings are planned this year and the goal is to exceed 1,000 restaurants by 2029.