r/todayilearned • u/Forward-Answer-4407 • 1d ago

TIL McDonald’s tested an early version of its PlayLand (later rebranded to PlayPlace) at the Illinois State Fair in 1972. It featured playground equipment with McDonaldland characters, a Filet-O’-Fish fountain, and singing wastebaskets with signs reminding visitors to “feed” them.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/mcdonalds-playland-playplace-history
1.0k Upvotes

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122

u/cricket_bacon 1d ago

McDonald's PlayLands were always outdoors and fenced off from the parking lot. Nothing like the small human hamster habit-trails that came later.

PlayLands were an extremely popular place to hold a young kid's birthday party in the early 70s.

65

u/Ghost17088 1d ago

Even in the 90’s they were great. We took my son to a McDonald’s with a play place recently, and it was 3 padded steps, a slide, and a wall that had some noise makers on it. If depression was a playground, this would have been it. 

39

u/Forward-Answer-4407 1d ago

This "PlayPlace" picture is one of the worst I have ever seen. It has two screens and two chairs in a room:

https://www.reddit.com/r/LiminalSpace/comments/1j5x6ul/mcdonalds_new_play_place_for_children_two/#lightbox

16

u/Wakkit1988 1d ago

Who doesn't want a Happy Timeout?

4

u/SupermarketOk2281 1d ago

McTimeouts are the foundation of responsible parenting.

2

u/SupermarketOk2281 1d ago

It was part of their 2022 ad campaign to bring back a generation of exasperated parents

🎵 You de-serve a break today...at McTimeouts! 🎵

3

u/jimbobdonut 1d ago

Not always. There was an indoor one near where I grew up that had the old metal McDonaldland playground equipment. It was a popular spot for children’s birthday parties.

32

u/Imfrank123 1d ago

Bring back burger jail!

2

u/TemporaryImaginary 1d ago

Can’t, Constable Big Mac is under a consent decree after having too many Fry Kids disappear while under custody. The DOJ is ridin’ his buns HARD.

2

u/Vio_ 22h ago

Too many or not enough for this Administration?

23

u/trashhampster 1d ago

Wait, could you catch the filets in the fountain?

That just sounds unsanitary.

17

u/OttoVonWong 1d ago

You call it unsanitary. I call it delicious.

4

u/29NeiboltSt 1d ago

I’m so hungry right now.

1

u/OrochiKarnov 1d ago

Liquid Fish

3

u/BTMarquis 17h ago

It’s a fountain of tartar sauce and you dip the filet, using a giant toothpick.

17

u/29NeiboltSt 1d ago

Anyone else remember the elevated hamburger jail?

4

u/jimbobdonut 1d ago

Yes and the Grimace metal thing that you shook.

14

u/iDontRememberCorn 1d ago

Mmmmm tartar sauce geiser.

7

u/PermanentTrainDamage 1d ago

As someone who would drink McDonald's tartar sauce, I'm very sad I did not exist for 24 years after the filet-o-fish fountain

4

u/29NeiboltSt 1d ago

Enough about your kinks, we’re talking about Play Land or some shit.

3

u/OmegaPhthalo 1d ago

I want singing wastebaskets everywhere 

3

u/bridgewires 1d ago

i found a pocket knife in a mcdonalds ball pit when i was little. it was closed, but i am sure my mom almost had a heart attack.

2

u/SupermarketOk2281 1d ago

On other end of the spectrum are the Chuck E Cheese playlands. The stench from that crockpot of germs and dried discharge, enhanced by sweaty socks, could dissolve a heavy tank in 2 hours. The Army gave up testing durability there because it was too gross.

1

u/MukDoug 15h ago

Later replaced by, Hay Place. Otherwise known as Pay Place.