Darien McDonalds Celebrates New Look with Seven Weeks of Deals

After nearly four months of renovations, the Darien officially kicked off its grand reopening Thursday with a ribbon cutting.

The restaurant has a new, airy look that it will be celebrating with seven weeks worth of daily specials.

While the modern appearance of the Darien location is more common in southern California McDonalds, only two other restaurants look like it in the Midwest, said operations manager Justin Meo. 

Reconstructing the existing space turned out to be quite a challenge, said Brian Temple, also an operations manager. 

“I’d rather build three stores than have to deal with what we went through with this,” he joked. 

Now that the renovations are complete, however, customers will find the store looks little like the red and yellow fast-food joints of yore.

The restaurant has a subdued color palette and contemporary atmosphere, with round upholstered stools clustered around low tables. 

Those who like to eat on the fly will be able to do so more efficiently with the addition of a second drive-thru lane and a third drive-thru window. Temple said the kitchen is more spacious now so as to accommodate a greater volume of customers.

“McDonalds has been a great part of the city since 1970,” Mayor Kathleen Weaver said. “We’re very excited about this change in the look.”

Several of the McDonalds executives said that the restaurant would be getting more involved in supporting the community, starting with a fundraiser Friday. From 10:30 a.m. to midnight, 20 percent of all Chicken McBites sales will benefit the Athletic Club. At the ribbon cutting, the restaurant also made a $250 donation to the .

The Darien McDonalds will also be offering several specials to christen its new appearance. During breakfast hours Thursday, Egg McMuffins and Sausage McMuffins with egg will be 99 cents. The first 200 customers after 11 a.m. will get a free bottle of Coke Zero when they buy an Extra Value Meal.

There will be different daily specials every day from March 16 through May 5: 

Sunday: $1.50 cheeseburger or hamburger Happy Meal with purchase of an Extra Value Meal

Monday: Free Dollar Menu item with the purchase of an Extra Value Meal

Tuesday: Two for $3.50 Egg McMuffins or Sausage McMuffins with egg

Wednesday: Free small hot mocha or mocha frappe with the purchase of oatmeal

Thursday: Buy one, get one free snack-size McFlurry

Friday: Free medium Coke Zero with the purchase of an Extra Value Meal

Saturday: Two for $5 Quarter Pounders with cheese