Think McDonald’s and you’d probably imagine a crowded restaurant in the city or heartlands. But did you know that Singapore has a beautiful garden McDonald’s in Queensway?
The branch has been around for many years now, but may not be familiar to younger folks.
Away from the hustle and bustle and far from any mall or MRT station, it makes for a perfect escape from city life.
Look out the window while cruising along the Queensway Underpass and you’ll probably notice a huge parking lot with several huts nearby.
While most drivers stop there to visit the florist, families often spend a longer time at the McDonald’s outlet just next to it.
Overlooking a pond and surrounded by greenery, stepping into the restaurant will make you feel like you’ve entered a whole other realm.
Munching on fries and biting into your McSpicy at this McDonald’s outlet is sure to be a refreshing experience.
Apparently, this picturesque location has been there for decades, long before it became a McDonald’s outlet.
According to Roots.gov.sg, Ridout Tea Garden where the McDonald’s is at used to be the site of Singapore’s first Japanese-themed community garden.
Then called Queenstown Japanese Garden, it opened to the public in 1970 as a recreational spot for residents living in the nearby flats.
A fire at a furniture shop there on 26 Jun 1978 engulfed the entire garden in flames, though thankfully nobody was hurt.
The Housing & Development Board (HDB) built a new garden there in 1980, which they renamed Ridout Tea Garden.
For several years, KFC occupied the space, before McDonald’s eventually took over.
In its early years, the McDonald’s outlet was rather huge, taking up multiple huts as the only restaurant there.
There was even an entire section for children to host birthday parties, a practice many 90’s kids would likely recall fondly.
Sadly, as time passed, several different establishments have come and gone, replacing the party area and reducing McDonald’s floor space significantly.
What’s left now is a rather tight dining space, so we’d suggest going on a weekday to avoid crowds.
Smaller space aside, the Ridout Tea Garden McDonald’s still makes for a perfect spot to chill out, and while your weekend away.
Chope a table by the pond and have your meal there, so you can watch the terrapins and fishes swimming.
But if you can’t take the heat, sitting inside and enjoying the aircon is fine too, as you can still bask in the natural sunlight from the large windows.
Raring to drop by soon? Here’s how you can get there:
McDonald’s Queensway
Address: #01-580 Ridout Rd, Tea Garden, Singapore 149066
Opening hours: 24 hours daily
Nearest MRT: Commonwealth Station
Looking for a cool restaurant to bring your fam to for meals doesn’t have to be a headache when places like McDonald’s Queensway exist.
Not only will you get to dine on a budget in a beautiful setting, you’ll get some quality down time there too.
Jio the fam to the outlet some day, and let everybody relax while munching on some piping hot french fries.
Have news you must share? Get in touch with us via email at hello@mustsharenews.com.
Featured image adapted from Google Maps, Google Maps and Google Maps.
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