This One-Of-A-Kind McDonald's Is A Massive Colonial Mansion In Maine

It isn't hard to spot a McDonald's as you're going by. They have a uniform look (which used to be playfully colorful, but has been redesigned as neutral-toned and minimalist) with the iconic golden arches logo prominently displayed. But there's one McDonald's in Freeport, Maine, that's easy to miss because it's located inside an actual historic mansion.

The Gore House mansion in the coastal town that's home to L.L. Bean's flagship store was built in the 1850s by wealthy merchant William Gore. McDonald's acquired it in 1984, but because of Freeport's building codes, it was required to maintain its appearance in the character of the town. McDonald's did very little to the exterior, which has a Colonial look with gray clapboard siding and black shutters. The inside was initially renovated with carpeting and mahogany tables and chairs. In more recent years, however, it got a similar modern makeover as other McDonald's, complete with digital ordering kiosks. A drive-thru in keeping with the mansion's style was added in 2000.

A narrow red sign with "McDonald's" in gold lettering is above the front door. The only other indication that it's a Mickey D's is a small wooden lawn sign out front with the golden arches. The interior has a fireplace and photos from the history of Freeport and the Gore House, and there's an outdoor garden area for eating. The same familiar food is on the menu, including the best-selling item McDonald's serves nine million pounds of daily. True to its New England location, it once had the McLobster lobster roll, one of McDonald's menu items that failed.

The Gore House McDonald's isn't alone among all the fast food giant's locations around the world in being so unique. There are more one-of-a-kind McDonald's than you might think, and some of them also look the way they do because they had to abide by local building code restrictions, including others in the U.S.

One of them is a McDonald's in Sedona, Arizona that's in the Southwestern adobe style to fit into the area, with sandstone and rust colors, a blocky look, and the golden arches logo in turquoise blue. An Independence, Ohio McDonald's that also had to match the neighborhood look has been dubbed "The White House of McDonald's" by locals. The two-story building has a red brick exterior with white columns at the entrance, full-wall windows, and chandeliers inside.

A McDonald's located in a 19th-century Georgian mansion in New Hyde Park on New York's Long Island didn't follow building regulations, but local sentiment. Area residents were upset when they learned about the chain's plans to tear down the Denton House mansion, which was once a farmhouse belonging to a descendant of a town founder. McDonald's agreed to restore the two-story mansion for the restaurant instead, which has a white exterior with black shutters and a grand staircase inside.