Still strong at 40, popular fast food remains open amid Greenbelt 1 redevelopment

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MANILA, Philippines — Since it opened its doors to the dining public in 1985, the McDonald’s store at Greenbelt 1 has been nothing short of iconic. Its location being so strategic, it instantly became a go-to place for weary souls and hungry travelers who needed a quick meal and some rest. Through the years, it has also transformed into a convenient meeting place for family and friends.  

Standing at the heart of the Makati Central Business District (CBD), McDonald’s Greenbelt 1 has truly been an important part of the daily lives of workers, residents, and visitors of the bustling financial and commercial area.

When the Greenbelt 1 mall was demolished in 2024 to make way for new developments, and McDonald’s Greenbelt, which stood beside it, was visibly left as the sole retail establishment still open in the area, many wondered if it, too, was closing soon.  

Anxiety went on high gear between August and October 2024, when the store’s drive-thru operations temporarily closed during the start of the demolition of Greenbelt 1, even though the store itself continued its 24/7 operations. When a newly refreshed McDonald’s Greenbelt was introduced come December 2024 with new self-order kiosks and menu boards, talks of it closing down for good slightly let up but did not completely go away.

Now, official word has been given that McDonald’s Greenbelt, or Store 009 to its employees, will stay. The ninth store opened by McDonald’s Philippines Chairman and Founder and master franchise holder Dr. George T. Yang will remain as one of the most important stores in the McDonald’s Philippines franchise, even as its network of stores has now grown close to 800 stores nationwide.

The truth is that the store — which opened in 1985 and has undergone a number of exciting transformations through the years to ensure that it keeps delivering feel-good moments that its customers have come to expect — is preparing to celebrate its 40th year of operations this December with the lease that has recently been renewed until 2027.

Fans of the store have been sharing memories and personal stories they have had at McDonald’s Greenbelt.

On Facebook, one fan wrote: “Breakfast meetups, late lunches, and late night snacks. So [many] memories for more than two decades.”

Also on Facebook, a long-time customer talked about their most memorable family stories from the 1980s onwards: “So many happy memories our family wrote in Greenbelt — from Greenbelt Aviary to Rizal Theater, to the first McDonald’s where the young Richard Gomez took the orders of our small daughters, to celebrating the seventh birthday of our youngest son.”

A former crew member also shared on Facebook: “From an introvert teenager to a confident crew [member], McDonald’s has become a big part of what I am right now… forever grateful.”

“McDonald’s Greenbelt is open and will continue to serve our customers in the Makati CBD. We’re very excited and thankful to have the opportunity to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the store later this year with our customers and employees, both past and present,” said Adi Hernandez, McDonald’s Philippines Assistant Vice President for Corporate Relations and Impact. 

She added: “Operating a store for 40 years in its same, original location is a testament to the community it has built. The success of McDonald’s Greenbelt is not just in terms of its sales, but also in the love and loyalty it has gained from its customers, managers, and crew through the decades.

“We want to assure our customers that McDonald’s Greenbelt is not closing anytime soon, and that they can continue to enjoy their McDonald’s favorites any time, whether dine-in, take-out, delivery, or via its newly renovated drive-thru lane.” 

Since George T. Yang opened the first McDonald’s store on Morayta Street, Manila, in 1981, McDonald’s Philippines continues to show robust growth, making the Philippines one of the top 10 largest McDonald’s markets in the world. It ended 2024 with 792 stores nationwide and is on the road to opening its 800th store in the near future.

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