Here is what the first McDonald's menu looked like

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO the Golden Arches.

Originally a barbecue restaurant in San Benardino, California, here’s what was on the menu in Richard and Maurice McDonald’s eatery in 1940. 

Early McDonald's menus, from the days of "Aristocratic Hamburgers" to the "Tempting Cheeseburgers" era http://t.co/P9FwktYIpf

— kottke.org (@kottke) March 18, 2013

The brothers soon worked out that the majority of their business came from selling hamburgers, and this is what their restaurant looked like in 1948, after it was officially retooled as a fast-food burger joint. 

#OnThisDay in 1940 the 1st ever @McDonalds restaurant opened in #SanBernadino@California. Today there are 33,000+. pic.twitter.com/rHSI9dIG0C

— Kate Ashmor (@KateAshmor) May 14, 2014 

#McDonalds first menu item was #hotdog in 1937, menu changed in 1940 to #burger& #fries coz it was faster. #fact#RTpic.twitter.com/58oaZJ6Hyg

— Amusement Team (@AmuseMyFeed) November 10, 2014

Six years later the McDonald brothers had their franchise bought out from under them by 52-year-old businessman Ray Kroc, and the rest is history.

The world-famous golden arches and capital ‘M’ McDonald’s sign were first brought before the public in 1968.

Some more nostalgia – here’s what the franchise’s first ever UK restaurant and menu looked like in 1974: 

Someone dug up the first ever UK McDonald’s menu from 1974 - and everything is really cheap http://t.co/xwrhYymvjmpic.twitter.com/9rJrMN2Ilq

— Metro (@MetroUK) May 15, 2015

McDonalds finally came to Ireland in 1977, opening on Dublin’s Grafton Street, and that restaurant is still there to this day.

These days, the business is struggling to put it mildly – not helped by a series of hygiene and health scandals that have decimated its business in Asia, and new, hipper franchises like Five Guys that have eaten into its American dominance.

The company, under new CEO Steve Easterbrook is on a major reboot drive in order to win back its business.

Unfortunately this has led to the Hamburglar being hipster-ised…

The story behind McDonald's hot, hipster Hamburglar http://t.co/IUMZCVQQ1Vpic.twitter.com/dpI7jWzHtu

— Fast Company (@FastCompany) May 8, 2015

Honestly, what would 1980s Hamburglar think?

We still love you though Hamburglar. A very happy birthday to what, it’s probably safe to say, remains a worldwide institution.

SEE ALSO: McDonald's may be embracing a new ingredient

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