(A collection of 8 European McDonald's reviews - spread across several years - #7)
Some McDonald's are interruptions to an important urban and historical landscape ... the most notable one is the one a stone's throw from Rome's Pantheon.
This one is near a key site in Porto. It is down from the raised-up plaza to the church of Sao Francisco, with its attached museum and its church with the heavily ornate interior, and immediately above the Ribeira District.
In its placement, this McDonald's does not intrude. It sits on a triangular site that slopes away on the other side of the road from Igreja de Sao Francisco. It's in a smartly tiled townhouse with shiny tiles that are not azulejos.
Here, the food was fine and the service was pleasant. The prices aligned with those throughout Portugal.
This one also stands for its large forecourt with outdoor seating near older tram lines and the double-decker 500 bus, which is part of the city's transit system. Then, inside, the seating is upstairs while the counters are downstairs.
It's pretty much all there but their conscientious attention via the extensive hardware and other requirements to make the eating areas in this "townhome-styled" McDonald's accessible takes this location up to four stars. It is certainly cleaner than, say, its counterpart near Milan's cathedral. When a restaurant visit includes using the restroom, cleanliness is important and McDonald's in Portugal tend to be cleaner than heavily trafficked Italian ones. While they charge for ketchup now, they charge less than do the Italians.
I did not realize that there is another McDonald's in this city that is considered the 'most beautiful McDonald's in the world.' I didn't make it to that one, so it remains on the "bucket list." However, this one in the Ribeira is recommended. read more