The Avenue des Champs-Élysées and McDonald's 1973

I remember my first "Big Mac".

It was 1973 - we had ridden from our home in mid-Germany, to Paris. (900 Kawasaki motorcycle riding!).

The American's I worked with at the Air Force Base all talked about "McDonald's". I was clueless, as I had never seen a McDonald's in Australia, and the closest I'd come to it was 'Wimpy's' in London. Many of the guys said they were dying for a Big Mac.

Well, just so happens there is/was a McDonalds on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées in Paris, not far from the Arch. And my husband insisted that I have my first Big Mac.

Obviously it was long ago. Nearly 40 years. But I still remember. I think it had just newly opened. I remember it being slickly clean - I was used to family run food little shops that were a mish-mash of all kinds of things. But mostly I remember the crowds. It was SO crowded, SO noisy. People everywhere.

I think in line we were about 10th or so, in line. And there were about 8 lines.

Yup. I got a Big Mac.

There was nowhere to sit to eat it.

So I can brag ... I ate my first Big Mac sitting in the gutter on the side of the Avenue des Champs-Élysées!

I can remember it as being pretty good! I liked it a lot.

McDonald's finally came to Australia. I'm not sure when. The signs used to be in the millions sold, but now in the billions, of course.