Des Plaines McDonald's Museum to close

McDonald's Museum in 2014

As I've mentioned before, love it or hate it, McDonald's has changed the world. Ray Kroc changed the franchising model by not only making it easy for more McD restaurants to open, but insisting on uniformity standards that included special attention to cleanliness. Many other fast food chains followed.

The first McDonald's operated by Ray Kroc opened in 1956 on Lee Street in Des Plaines, Illinois. It later relocated across the street. But afterwards a replica McDonald's museum opened on the original site.

But yesterday McDonald's Corporation, which is based in nearby Oak Brook, will be razing the building.

The Des Plaines River Flood of 2013 caused significant damage to the foundation of the museum. There are no plans to rebuild.

Thanks to VV of Des Plaines for the story tip.