It won't be an exaggeration to say that McDonald's is one of the most popular fast-food chains across the world. According to McDonald's official website, it has more than 38,000 outlets in over 100 different countries across the seven continents. One of the main reasons behind its success is its availability in almost every nook and corner of the world. If you explore, you can actually find a McDonald's outlet at almost every highway, airport, market place or any such popular spot. In fact, McDonald's has always been known for occupying unique spots around the world. So, it comes as no surprise when we find a McDonald's outlet at any historical spot. For instance, you will find McDonald's outlet in a Georgian-style mansion (built in the 1700s) - situated on Long Island in the United States. This outlet is also deemed to be the most "the most beautiful McDonald's" in the country. Another such instance is the outlet on New Zealand's North Island. Here, the outlet is designed inside a plane that previously carried passengers for South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand during the 1960s and was also a crop duster.
To add on to its list of unique locations, McDonald's reportedly applied for a permit to move into Italy's Baths of Caracalla - a UNESCO-protected site boasting ruins of what was once Ancient Rome's second-largest public baths (thermae). Italy's Baths of Caracalla dates back to around 212 and 217 AD and are considered one of Rome's most impressive remains of the past. Reports further state that this is the second time that the fast-food chain has been denied a permit to build an outlet near this historical place.
McDonald's first applied for a permit in 2019. It was again sent for reconsideration in 2021, which finally got denied just before the New Year 2022, citing "pre-eminence of the needs for the protection of cultural heritage."