Business Loop 70 McDonald’s to reopen Thursday

The original McDonald’s in Columbia will reopen Thursday after a complete rebuild.

The restaurant on Business Loop 70 near Providence Road is set to reopen at 5 a.m. after closing in August for reconstruction.

McDonald’s is planning several grand reopening events, including giving a year’s worth of free sandwiches to the first 75 guests on Thursday. A ribbon cutting ceremony will happen on Nov. 14, where city and business leaders will present a check Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Business representatives say the Business Loop location was chosen by Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald’s Corporation, in 1959 and was the first location in Columbia.

The new restaurant is expected to have free Wi-Fi, a side-by-side drive through, digital menu displays, digital ordering screens and a dual-point ordering system that will improve food delivery.