McDonald’s returns to Center City after losing previous restaurant to 2020 fire
After many fast-food outlets closed in Center City during the pandemic, McDonald's and Taco Bell are returning to the area around City Hall.
McDonald’s is coming back to Center City after its previous location was burned out during the civil unrest of 2020.
The new restaurant is slated for 1604 Chestnut St., site of the former Portabella clothing store. This marks the return of chain fast-food operations to Center City after many closed during the pandemic. Construction will also begin on a Taco Bell Cantina at 1614 Chestnut St. in January, although it will not serve alcohol.
“It sends the right message for Center City to have a major, maybe the most quintessential American brand, investing back into Philadelphia,” said Brett Feldman, a zoning attorney with Klehr Harrison, who represents McDonald’s. “That’s exactly what we need right now.”
Prior to these plans, the only remaining chain fast-food burger joint was the Wendy’s at 1515 Chestnut St. Popeye’s Fried Chicken has two locations in Center City, and there is also an older-format Taco Bell on the east side of Chestnut Street.
Most fast-food restaurants exited the Center City area because of soaring land values, as developers looked to demolish one-story businesses or drive out what are considered low-rent uses from new, high-end residential adaptive reuse projects.
Several of those ambitions have thus far come to nothing, including at the former Burger King at Eighth and Market Streets, the former McDonald’s on South Broad, and the former Wendy’s on 11th Street. Many of the high-end residential projects have been stymied by a development environment that saw interest rates and construction costs soaring at the same time as record levels of new apartments hit the market in Philadelphia, driving down rents.
McDonald’s is expanding in other parts of Philadelphia as well, recently inking a lease at 1401 66th Ave., off of Broad Street, and returning to its University City location at 40th and Walnut.
Feldman says that the University City location is representative of what will be coming to Center City. It is sleeker and more modern, with touchscreen ordering available. It is now on the first floor of a University of Pennsylvania office building, which replaced the one-story McDonald’s that had grown run-down.
“They’re a big, big fan of the city and its future,” Feldman said. “They also have been working on a new urban prototype that has a more upscale, cleaner look like what just opened up at 40th and Walnut.”
The timeline for the Center City McDonald’s is not clear, but the Art Commission is considering its application for signage on Wednesday. The company will also need a sign-off from the Zoning Board of Adjustment and will therefore be courting the Center City Residents Association, the influential local community group.
A representative of the property owner with MPN Realty Inc. said that the lease is not yet signed and declined to comment further.
“It’s a very, muted sign package [before the Art Commission]. They’re just looking to restore the outside of that building,” Feldman said. “No major changes to the facade. They just want to make sure that that building — which is a cute, quaint building — is in good shape.”