Look inside one of the fanciest McDonald's restaurants in the world, built inside a 150-year-old colonial mansion

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Look inside one of the fanciest McDonald's restaurants in the world, built inside a 150-year-old colonial mansion
  • Some McDonald's locations are designed to be sympathetic with the surrounding town, like this restaurant in Freeport, Maine.
  • Built inside a 150-year-old colonial mansion, this McDonald's is not your average location.
  • Inside, visitors can find classy furnishings, fireplaces, and, some years, seasonal lobster rolls.

"Fancy" and "McDonald's" usually don't belong in the same sentence.

This McDonald's location, however, was built inside a preexisting, 150-year-old colonial mansion.

Located in Freeport, a small seaside town in Maine, the building was converted into the town's only McDonald's in 1984. It's still the only McDonald's in the town.

Take a look inside this unique McDonald's location.

Read the original article on Business Insider
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The McDonald's location is in Freeport, a small seaside town in Maine.

The McDonald's location is in Freeport, a small seaside town in Maine.
L.L. Bean's headquarters in Freeport, Maine. Michael G McKinne/Shutterstock

It's only a few blocks from L.L. Bean's headquarters, an outlet mall, and luxury stores like Polo Ralph Lauren and Burberry.

In 1984, the historic Gore House was converted into Freeport's only McDonald's.

In 1984, the historic Gore House was converted into Freeport's only McDonald's.
McDonald's in Freeport, Maine. Gabe Souza/Portland Press Herald/Getty Images

William Gore, a prominent Freeport merchant, built the mansion in 1850, according to the New York Times and The Freeport Historical Society.

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The town of Freeport has strict building design codes, and McDonald's wanted to build a location in a residential zone.

The town of Freeport has strict building design codes, and McDonald's wanted to build a location in a residential zone.
McDonald's in Freeport, Maine. Lisa R./Yelp

Initially, Freeport's 6,200 residents were pretty evenly divided about the McDonald's construction.

However, McDonald's was eventually granted a permit to remodel the Gore House.

However, McDonald's was eventually granted a permit to remodel the Gore House.
Gore House sign inside the McDonald's in Freeport, Maine. Business Insider/YouTube

Freeport allowed its construction, but only if the restaurant retained the town's aesthetic.

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"What we are doing there is something we probably have never done before in terms of design and the amount of time and effort involved," said Stephen Leroy, manager of McDonald's media relations, in 1984.

"What we are doing there is something we probably have never done before in terms of design and the amount of time and effort involved," said Stephen Leroy, manager of McDonald's media relations, in 1984.
McDonald's in Freeport, Maine. Business Insider/YouTube

''We are willing to spend the money to make it compatible with the area, the history, the community, and the people who live there," he told the New York Times.

The house is undeniably beautiful, featuring classic wooden shutters and a front stoop.

Inside, it looks like a McDonald's but still retains that classic New England style.

Inside, it looks like a McDonald's but still retains that classic New England style.
McDonald's in Freeport, Maine. Business Insider/YouTube

Furnishings include carved wooden chairs and mahogany booths. The restaurant also features fireplaces and decorations around the holidays.

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The corporation built a drive-thru on the building's side, too.

The corporation built a drive-thru on the building's side, too.
Drive-thru at the McDonald's in Freeport, Maine. Business Insider/YouTube

The drive-thru is just one example of how the restaurant mixes modern and colonial elements.

The McDonald's is known to serve lobster rolls in the summer, but the menu item isn't always available every year.

The McDonald's is known to serve lobster rolls in the summer, but the menu item isn't always available every year.
McDonald's lobster roll. Lisa R./Yelp

"The lobster roll was very good, better than some we have had on our trip that were twice as expensive," Tripadvisor user Jim S wrote in a review in 2015.

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