McDonald’s is set to reopen in less than two weeks on the ground floor of Penn’s new six-story facility at 40th and Walnut streets.
The renovated restaurant will reopen the week of Sept. 23 after a 20-month construction process, and a grand opening celebration will take place the weekend of Oct. 4. Revamps include an improved service experience, digital ordering system, and new design, according to a spokesperson for the University City location said.
“We are excited to be a part of the UPenn community and provide a customer-focused experience with all the latest technology and design,” Ryan Doane, owner and operator of the restaurant, wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian.
The restaurant is returning to its previous location, which has been redeveloped into a University-owned multi-use building. Before construction began, the restaurant had been operating on the land for 50 years, and entered an agreement with Penn to share ownership of the land in 2021. The plans for the new building's development were announced in late 2022, and construction began in January 2023.
Executive Director of Real Estate Ed Datz wrote in a statement to the DP that the "revitalization" of the McDonald's has been an "investment for Penn for decades through phased projects and initiatives."
"The reopening of McDonald’s at this location as a fully modernized, urban restaurant is a step further in the repositioning of this pivotal intersection," Datz wrote. "We are thrilled to have worked with the new McDonald’s operator to ensure they remain an active and integral fixture in the neighborhood and continue to serve the surrounding community in exciting new ways."
The new construction, which has an estimated cost of $35 million, is part of Penn's ongoing investment in the 40th Street Corridor. The six-story building will house Penn administrative offices, including Penn Global, Penn Career Services, and University Life. The lease of the building was originally approved at a Board of Trustees Meeting in November 2023.
The restaurant is owned by Doane Family Enterprises, a family business that operates 26 McDonald's franchises in the Philadelphia region. The owner, Rich Doane, expressed his confidence in the business, writing to the DP that this location "will be the flagship of Philadelphia."
The McDonald's construction operated independently from Penn, and the restaurant will begin operations ahead of the full building's leasing term, which starts on Jan. 1, 2025. The building is expected to open for the spring semester.
General Manager Isabella Borgesi expressed her excitement for the new location.
"Whether it be for an early morning iced coffee, a study break pick-me-up, or a late-night delivery, we look forward to serving you,” she wrote in a statement to the DP.
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