McDonald's at Barstow Station

Barstow Station McDonald's
McDonald's. "I'm loving it!"
In the late 1960’s Fred Rosenberg opened McDonald's Restaurant in Barstow California just off the 15 Freeway on E. Main St. When this restaurant opened it soon became overwhelmed with tour buses traveling to and from Las Vegas and Los Angeles. It soon became apparent that he needed to create a travel destination for the highway travelers which could accommodate a large amount of tour buses all at a time. After several attempts to convince the McDonald's corporation that this unique location would be a great financial opportunity for all parties involved the idea that was to become Barstow Station was hatched!
Basically, Barstow Station McDonald’s is one of several buildings attached to one another with train cars. The original 15 train cars were well insulted produce cars that predated refrigeration so they were decommissioned. There was a group of creative young architects from the San Francisco area who found the train cars to be purchased as the attraction for Barstow Station but as construction evolved 2 more cars were purchased and used for more seating for the public. Currently there are 17 train cars that make up the Barstow Station complex.
Barstow Station opened with great fanfare from all of the residents in Barstow and highway travelers who had continued to stop in to see what was to be the largest McDonald’s Restaurant in the United States. Barstow Station McDonald’s and the main floor of Barstow Station and her shops opened for business July 10, 1975. During the 1970’s the Barstow Station McDonald’s restaurant was the largest grossing franchise in the McDonald's Corporation. When McDonald's went global this location stayed in the top grossing franchises but was no longer number 1.
In 1986 tragedy struck the Barstow Station McDonald’s when a drive thru customer’s car caught on fire and burned the restaurant closing not only McDonald’s but all of the shops in Barstow Station. Mr. Rosenberg was not deterred he worked with the McDonald's corporation once again and built the then nicknamed “Super Mac” renovated Barstow Station and was open for business in less than a year after the fire.
The McDonalds Corporation bought the franchise from Rosenberg in the early 1990’s and has since had several franchisees operate the very successful location. However, Mr. Rosenberg retained ownership of the property to preserve the integrity of the complex.
In 2013 The Barstow Station McDonald’s underwent and extensive renovation and now has a contemporary appearance that showcases the train cars and offers a two-lane drive thru for the customers. This location is still a family favorite and features a life size Ronald McDonald figure for everyone to take photos with in the lobby.
For more information about Barstow Station, McDonald's, or to learn more about our history, please call one of our staff members at 760- 256-0812 .