Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All New Zealand Taupō McDonald's Airplane
AO Edited Gastro Obscura

Taupō McDonald's Airplane

Eat your Big Mac in a DC-3.

Taupō, New Zealand

Added By
linkogecko
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
  dacubsrule / Atlas Obscura User
  dacubsrule / Atlas Obscura User
  XPinger (Chris Sutton)
  mlinksva/mike linksvayer
  Aero Icarus
McDC9   Dixontrips / Atlas Obscura User
Get a plane cheeseburger   kclou / Atlas Obscura User
View from plane   CoupleofPassengers / Atlas Obscura User
The airplane, with Lake Taupo in the background.   bgabel
CoolestMcDonalds   Dixontrips / Atlas Obscura User
Golden Arches at Maccas   Dixontrips / Atlas Obscura User
Inside McDC9   Dixontrips / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Much like the country's capital, Wellington, has embraced the "world's coolest little capital" title bestowed upon it by Lonely Planet in 2013, many other New Zealand attractions now proudly declare themselves "the world's coolest." That's at least the claim the city of Taupō makes about its local McDonald's. Its rationale? The 20-seater airplane, decorated in the company's signature red, right outside its main building.

The Douglas DC-3's history begins with its construction in 1943. After serving as a passenger plane, then a top dressing plane (crop duster, for the American audience), it was decommissioned in 1984 and became a promotional feature in the parking lot of Taupō's Aeroplane Car Company, a car dealership. When the dealership's location was purchased in 1990 to be turned into a franchise of McDonald's (known locally as "Maccas"), the airplane was included.

Nowadays, the plane's interior features additional seating for diners, as well as the original cockpit, protected yet visible behind a clear screen. If you look around, you can find a timeline of the airplane's life as well as a list of its pilots.

Related Tags

Mcdonalds Airplanes Unique Restaurants & Bars Fast Food

Know Before You Go

The restaurant is open 24 hours, and the plane is visible from the street as well.

Atlas Obscura Adventures

Wild New Zealand: Exploring the North & South Islands

Stunning landscapes, unique wildlife, and rich Māori culture.

Book Now

Community Contributors

Added By

linkogecko

Edited By

cjinnz, dacubsrule, Dixontrips, kclou...

  • cjinnz
  • dacubsrule
  • Dixontrips
  • kclou
  • CoupleofPassengers

Published

December 25, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.lovetaupo.com/en/operators/mcdonalds/
  • https://www.insider.com/mcdonalds-plane-new-zealand-photos-2020-5
  • https://www.huffpost.com/entry/were-lovin-it-the-coolest-mcdonalds_b_5580624
Taupō McDonald's Airplane
48 Roberts St
Taupō, 3330
New Zealand
-38.68985, 176.071659
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Ngātoro-i-rangi Carving at Mine Bay

Taupō, New Zealand

miles away

Creel Tackle House & Cafe

Turangi, New Zealand

miles away

Devil's Bath

Waiotapu, New Zealand

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New Zealand

New Zealand

Oceania

Places 141
Stories 44

Nearby Places

Ngātoro-i-rangi Carving at Mine Bay

Taupō, New Zealand

miles away

Creel Tackle House & Cafe

Turangi, New Zealand

miles away

Devil's Bath

Waiotapu, New Zealand

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of New Zealand

New Zealand

Oceania

Places 141
Stories 44

Related Stories and Lists

14 Places to See a Transportation Transformation

List

By Jonathan Carey

12 McDonald’s Locations That Went Rogue

List

By Sam Lin-Sommer

New Zealand, Off the Beaten Path

Sponsored by Atlas Obscura Trips

25 Places Where Planes Are Right at Home on the Ground

List

By Jonathan Carey

Gastro Obscura's Top 20 Places to Eat and Drink

List

By Alex Mayyasi

8 Restaurants Hiding in Refurbished Planes and Trains

List

By Sam O'Brien

Related Places

  • Batumi McDonald’s.

    Batumi, Georgia

    Batumi McDonald's

    Fast food feels like fine dining at this award-winning modern Georgian building.

  • Look, Ma, no Golden Arches.

    Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

    Martinstor McDonald's

    Located in a heritage building, this Mickey D's is missing its Golden Arches.

  • The world’s first drive thru was at the Sierra Vista McDonald’s.

    Sierra Vista, Arizona

    World's First McDonald's Drive Thru

    Out of a desire to feed hungry soldiers, a franchise-altering idea was born.

  • On the upper floor of the McDonald’s.

    Subotica, Serbia

    World’s Only Art Nouveau McDonald’s

    Housed in a 1912 architectural masterpiece, this outlet of the Golden Arches is a real beauty.

  • Orlando, Florida

    World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's

    Opened in 1976, this monster-sized version of the fast-food franchise is sometimes called the Epic McD.

  • Rapid City, South Dakota

    McDonald’s Quarter Pounder Monument

    Calidum et Deliciose Succosum!

  • Sedona, Arizona

    Teal McDonald's Arches

    The world's only teal arches exist in a city that cares more about its aesthetic than an Instagram influencer.

  • Lodi, California

    The Original Home of A&W Root Beer

    A plaque and memorabilia collection mark where A&W got its start.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.