Current:Home > MyVideo shows 'world's fanciest' McDonald's, complete with grand piano, gutted by Helene -Wealth Navigators Hub
Video shows 'world's fanciest' McDonald's, complete with grand piano, gutted by Helene
View
Date:2025-04-15 21:22:28
A pretty special McDonald's took a big hit after Hurricane Helene rolled into North Carolina, which caused unprecedented devastation and destruction to a number of states across the Southeast.
The McDonald's, located in Asheville, was one of many structures in the historic Biltmore Village, an 8,000-acre property affected by "catastrophic flooding," according to reporting by Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Biltmore Village is expected to remain closed until Tuesday, Oct. 15, but may remain shuttered longer as crews begin to assess the damages caused by the storm, which killed at least 200 people.
The McDonald's franchise, built in 2000, was renovated to exude the "high-society elegance" that other bars, restaurants, clothing stores within the Biltmore Village, and was dubbed the "world's fanciest" McDonald's, according to reporting by Atlas Obscura.
Before Hurricane Helene completely gutted the inside of the McDonald's, customers were greeted with red oak tables, wrought iron railings, "and luminous chandeliers under a sweeping pressed-tin ceiling, with every wood feature boasting a handsome finish," Atlas Obscura reported.
A baby grand piano stationed in the corner only elevated the dining experience, playing music as customers waited for their orders or tucked into Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets, Atlas Obscura reported. The McDonald's even had a giant stone chimney.
USA TODAY has reached out to McDonald's for additional information.
Watch: 'World's fanciest' McDonald's left in ruins after Hurricane Helene
As an Uber and Lyft driver, Vitor Sa drives by the corner everyday despite never eating there, he told USA TODAY on Friday. The fancy McDonald's is now caked by at least a foot of mud, Sa said.
"I have passengers this week that I picked up and their family is just like 'We're not going to be able to go to McDonald's and Wendy's anymore this week,' because they're all closed. They're completely destroyed," Sa said. "Their kids are missing the McDonald's that was there."
Contributing: Anthony Robledo
veryGood! (348)
Related
- McKinsey to pay $650 million after advising opioid maker on how to 'turbocharge' sales
- Parents demand answers after UIUC student found dead feet from where he went missing
- Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen talks inflation and Candy Crush
- Airstrike kills 3 Palestinians in southern Gaza as Israel presses on with its war against Hamas
- The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
- Plastic surgery helped murder suspect Kaitlin Armstrong stay on the run
- Revelers in festive dress fill downtown Tampa, Florida, for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest
- The Bachelor’s Joey Graziadei Reveals the Warning He Was Given About Fantasy Suites
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- Michigan case offers an example of how public trust suffers when police officers lie
Ranking
- Global Warming Set the Stage for Los Angeles Fires
- The Best Lunar New Year Gift Ideas To Celebrate The Year Of The Dragon
- Bullfight advocates working with young people to attract new followers in Mexico
- Coronavirus FAQ: How long does my post-COVID protection last? When is it booster time?
- Where will Elmo go? HBO moves away from 'Sesame Street'
- Motor City awash in 'Honolulu Blue' as Lions spark a magical moment in Detroit history
- Patrick Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson with Super Bowl at stake. What else could you ask for?
- Lionel Messi and Inter Miami are in Saudi Arabia to continue their around-the-world preseason tour
Recommendation
Juan Soto praise of Mets' future a tough sight for Yankees, but World Series goal remains
Science sleuths are using technology to find fakery in published research
Nearly 25,000 tech workers were laid in the first weeks of 2024. What's going on?
Tesla recalls nearly 200,000 cars over software glitch that prevents rearview camera display
Meta donates $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund
Will other states replicate Alabama’s nitrogen execution?
This one thing is 'crucial' to win Super Bowl for first time in decades, 49ers say
Ukraine says it has no evidence for Russia’s claim that dozens of POWs died in a shot down plane