Widely recognised as one of the most iconic fast food chains in Malaysia, McDonald’s, or fondly known as Mekdi, has hundreds of outlets across the country since its first landed on local soil in 1987 and set up the very first outlet in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.
But would you be willing to spend time and money in visiting every outlet in a single state?
If your answer is no, then you probably can’t call yourself a true McDonald’s fan like how Albert Ng is, who has patronised all outlets within the Klang Valley.
All began with a receipt number
In an interview with FMT, Ng said that his quest in visiting every McDonald’s outlet in the Klang Valley began after spotting a number on his receipt.
“I was eating at the Masjid Jamek branch when I happened to stare at my receipt. At the very top, I saw ‘#101’ printed. I was curious whether this was the branch number.
Armed with the knowledge that the Bukit Bintang branch was the oldest in the country, I took a train there and confirmed for myself that the receipt indeed had ‘#1’ printed on it.
From that day on, Ng began to embark on an incredible journey in visiting all outlets in the Klang Valley just for the sake of seeing each branch number for himself.
Gained a deeper look into McDonald’s history
The 39-year-old Android phone programmer added that his unusual quest had also helped him learn more about historical trends.
“Bukit Bintang was relevant then, and a lot of businesses started here first. The next place they opened at was Yow Chuan Plaza. It was a ‘happening’ place back then, as the old folks will tell you.
“Then the third outlet opened on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. It has always been relevant. A&W and KFC both opened their first outlets there,” he said.
Ng also praised McDonald’s Malaysia for making effort in preserving its history through the issuing of branch numbers on the receipt.
This is very different from McDonald’s Singapore, where the outlet numbers aren’t shown and the very first branch to open there no longer exists.
Since his journey began in 2013, Ng has successfully visited all 168 outlets throughout Selangor and KL, including those that have faded into obscurity.
He also revealed which outlets had left the deepest impression on him.
“I’ve been to the Sabak Bernam branch. It took a two-hour journey just to get there. The Genting Sempah branch was the one that impressed me the most. It is on a hill and it takes quite a climb to get to the restaurant.
“As for the one in Sri Serdang, it has now been replaced with by a laundromat and hair salon, yet both places have kept the McDonald’s tiles,” he said.
No further plans for other states
Despite his incredible feat, Ng said that he actually isn’t a fan of McDonald’s but admitted that the restaurant chain has done a food job in maintaining its food standards.
He also confessed that he’s been a loyal customer for years, where he described Petaling Jaya’s Section 14 outlet as his childhood hangout spot.
When asked whether he plans to do the same in other states, Ng said that it was highly unlikely as he dislikes travelling.
However, he expressed interest in visiting the oldest outlet in the state he visits, like what he had done in Melaka and Johor previously.
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Cover image: FMT