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McDonald's Family Restaurants.
History
HistoryIt was founded in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald.
The January 23, 1979 'Leader' reported that the St Hilda's Anglican Church site, from Main Street to Fergusson Drive, had been sold to McDonald's; the price was not disclosed, but was reputed to be the highest price per square meter ever paid in Upper Hutt. The sale would enable the board to move the church to the Cruickshank Road site, and to build a church hall.
A drive-in window was introduced at the beginning of June 1981.
Paul Bardwell bought the franchise in 1982; before that, he had been at McDonald's, Taihape, after resigning from the Police as a senior sergeant. He sold the Upper Hutt business to McDonald Systems N Z Ltd in June 1988, after owning it for six years; Murray Lord would continue to operate it. Paul was moving to Brisbane.
Murray was described as manager in 1994, but had been named as owner in 1993.
A second branch opened in Silverstream. People queued from 3 a.m. on opening day, March 19.
Murray and Bronwyn Lord sold the businesses to Trevor and Tanya Campbell in January 2003.
The Silverstream building burnt 'beyond repair' on February 12, 2016. The replacement was scheduled to open in November.
Owners named in July 2016 were Chris and Liz Boon; franchise holders in Petone, Wainuiomata, Upper Hutt and Silverstream.
Sponsorships were many and varied:-
McDonald's took over sponsorship of the Upper Hutt Christmas parade from the 'Leader', probably in 1998.
The Wakefield Street building was extended to Main Street in 2001, and reopened in November after two weeks' closure..
From 1991 they sponsored annual parades of school children who had worked on pedestrian-crossing control, their clown symbol Ronald McDonald would lead the parade to a feed at the restaurant, and a film showing.
Also sponsored; Outdoors in Upper Hutt Children's Duathlon, Kids Creative Writing Programme, a Junior School Netball tournament, a Horowhenua McDonald's springtime tournament.
They had contributed to road-safety signs, which bore a cartoon of a car driven by 'Ronald McDonald' (both front wheels had become detached).
The January 23, 1979 'Leader' reported that the St Hilda's Anglican Church site, from Main Street to Fergusson Drive, had been sold to McDonald's; the price was not disclosed, but was reputed to be the highest price per square meter ever paid in Upper Hutt. The sale would enable the board to move the church to the Cruickshank Road site, and to build a church hall.
A drive-in window was introduced at the beginning of June 1981.
Paul Bardwell bought the franchise in 1982; before that, he had been at McDonald's, Taihape, after resigning from the Police as a senior sergeant. He sold the Upper Hutt business to McDonald Systems N Z Ltd in June 1988, after owning it for six years; Murray Lord would continue to operate it. Paul was moving to Brisbane.
Murray was described as manager in 1994, but had been named as owner in 1993.
A second branch opened in Silverstream. People queued from 3 a.m. on opening day, March 19.
Murray and Bronwyn Lord sold the businesses to Trevor and Tanya Campbell in January 2003.
The Silverstream building burnt 'beyond repair' on February 12, 2016. The replacement was scheduled to open in November.
Owners named in July 2016 were Chris and Liz Boon; franchise holders in Petone, Wainuiomata, Upper Hutt and Silverstream.
Sponsorships were many and varied:-
McDonald's took over sponsorship of the Upper Hutt Christmas parade from the 'Leader', probably in 1998.
The Wakefield Street building was extended to Main Street in 2001, and reopened in November after two weeks' closure..
From 1991 they sponsored annual parades of school children who had worked on pedestrian-crossing control, their clown symbol Ronald McDonald would lead the parade to a feed at the restaurant, and a film showing.
Also sponsored; Outdoors in Upper Hutt Children's Duathlon, Kids Creative Writing Programme, a Junior School Netball tournament, a Horowhenua McDonald's springtime tournament.
They had contributed to road-safety signs, which bore a cartoon of a car driven by 'Ronald McDonald' (both front wheels had become detached).
Photos
Details
Organisation typeReataurant and takeaway food.Geotag[1] First site[2] Second siteFunctionFast food; originally based on hamburgers; McCafe added later.
Geotag[1] First site[2] Second siteFunctionFast food; originally based on hamburgers; McCafe added later.loading google map....
McDonald's Family Restaurants.. Upper Hutt City Library, accessed 29/03/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/26161