A Popular City In Florida Is Home To The Largest McDonald's In The World

Depending on your point of view, the ubiquity of popular fast food chains around the globe can be a blessing or a curse. Most travelers enjoy checking out local cuisine, but there is always the convenience and comfort factor of a familiar logo in an unfamiliar place. If you've just landed after a tiring 12-hour flight, sometimes you just want to grab a quick KFC rather than hunt down a more authentic option. On the flip side, spotting a Starbucks on a beautiful old town square can somewhat take the shine off the overall aesthetic. Then, of course, there is the global phenomenon of McDonald's, which has over 36,500 outlets in more than 100 countries, including some McDonald's in weird locations. It is the largest franchise on the planet, and American travelers can find the largest restaurant in the chain close to home in Orlando, Florida.

With over 13,000 McDonald's locations in the United States alone, it's fair to say that you are never too far away from a Golden Arches — especially in the eastern half of the nation, where the highest density of restaurants is concentrated. With almost 900 spots, Florida is the state with the third-largest number of McDonald's, working out to around one for every 24,000 people. One tends to be pretty much the same as any other, but the World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's, nicknamed the Epic McD, is a different beast altogether. Let's take a look inside and see what it has to offer.

You might assume that the World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's is a fairly recent construction built as the last word in McDonald's restaurants, but this monumental shrine to the Golden Arches was originally opened back in 1976. Located just three miles away from the gates of Universal Orlando Resort, it has received quite a few upgrades in the decades since, and it has a shiny modern feel to it. You're hardly likely to miss the three-story burger palace covering 19,000 square feet of floor space, but there is also a 30-foot high neon sign of Ronald McDonald by the entrance to catch your eye at night.

Inside, there are more things to do than just order food. Younger children will be delighted by the two-story play park with a twisty slide and giant hamster wheel, while older kids and teens will eagerly pump their pocket money into the machines in the large amusement arcade. Other nice little touches include fish tanks, flat-screen TVs, and touchscreen gaming terminals on some of the tables. It perhaps isn't as spacious as you might expect from the hangar-like exterior, but seating options include the opportunity to belly up to the bar and watch what is happening in the open kitchen, where special menu items are prepared. Not everyone will care what the largest McDonald's in the world looks like on the inside, so there is also a drive thru for a speedy order and getaway.

The World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's is open 24 hours a day, and the regular menu offers all the usual fare like Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets. Befitting its outsized status, however, the Epic McD also cooks up a range of items that you can't find in most other branches. The unique attraction is the pizza, which is a far cry from the much-maligned McPizza misadventure in the 1990s. Anyone who remembers those floppy creations will be encouraged by the sight of the wood-fired pizza oven in the open kitchen, where the pies are prepared separately from the regular burgers and fries. Orlando isn't short of quality restaurants to satisfy your pizza cravings, but it is fun to at least try it once at McDonald's.

Other special items include a build-your-own pasta bowl that comes with a side of garlic bread, the Philly cheesesteak (which might upset purists with the salad on top), and chef-prepared omelets and Belgian waffles. While some visitors reviewing the food on social media aren't totally enamored with these unusual offerings, everybody seems to agree that it is great to have your meal served on a proper plate with cutlery. For dessert, you can treat yourself to a slice of cake from the separate bakery or hand-scooped ice cream. All in all, the Epic McD's is just a McDonald's with a few bells and whistles, but it's worth swinging by when you're visiting Orlando.