Iconic Dinkytown McDonald's to reopen in November
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The new McDonald's. Photo: Audrey Kennedy/Axios
The golden arches will soon grace Dinkytown once again when McDonald's, a staple for University of Minnesota late-night diners for nearly 60 years, makes its triumphant return next week.
Flashback: The two-story building affectionately nicknamed Drunk Don's was a beloved neighborhood icon since opening in 1963, but was torn down in 2020 to make way for an apartment complex.
- It was rumored to be returning on the first floor of the new building, and after a three-year wait, owner Melissa Smith-Kennedy confirmed it will likely reopen next week, according to the Minnesota Daily.
Yes, but: There won't be a drive-thru like the last location, and the restaurant will be fully digital so people can order via kiosk.
What they're saying: "It's not like, 'Oh, they're just adding a McDonald's,'" U student Rachel Gerszewski told the Daily. "It's like, 'Oh my God it's coming back.'"
My thought bubble: Trying to communicate your order to a cashier while surrounded by chaotic, drunk college students at 2:30am was a University of Minnesota rite of passage. Kiosks just won't be the same.
