Adam Thompson
- A Hong Kong McDonald's is on the brink of becoming the busiest of the chain's locations worldwide.The Admiralty Centre branch serves over 1,000 customers an hour during peak times, per McDonald's Hong Kong.I had lunch at the branch during the busiest time of day, and it was a scene of controlled chaos.
I live near what may soon be the busiest McDonald's in the world: the Admiralty Centre location in Hong Kong's central business district.
I'm not a die-hard McDonald's fan, but the hype around this particular branch piqued my curiosity. What does fast food look — and taste — like at hyperspeed
I decided to find out over lunch.
In a LinkedIn post shared by Hong Kong McDonald's in March, the company said its Admiralty Centre branch has averaged about 1,000 customers an hour during peak times since 2015. That's roughly 17 meals a minute, or one every 3.6 seconds.
The current record holder is the Liverpool Street branch in London, a Hong Kong McDonald's representative told me.
A representative from McDonald's UK was unable to confirm the ranking and wrote that "information about comparative sales and volume is not something we would usually share publicly."
But with its newly redesigned lobby, built to handle more than 1,200 guests an hour, the Hong Kong location felt like one I had to check out for myself.
Faye Bradley
A visit to the Golden Arches
The Admiralty Centre location sits just above one of Hong Kong's busiest transit hubs — a "super interchange" connecting four major railway lines. It's prime real estate for a high-volume McDonald's.
I showed up with a friend at around 12:30 p.m. on a Thursday last month, right in the middle of the lunch rush.
It was packed, but surprisingly smooth. Most people seemed to have ordered ahead through the app, and even the self-order kiosks had short lines. I only waited behind two or three people, and we made it to the front in under two minutes.
Faye Bradley
Interior design upgrade
In addition to being Hong Kong's flagship location, the restaurant recently got a makeover. The revamp, unveiled in May, coincided with its 50th anniversary.
I was born and raised in Hong Kong, but this branch has been here longer than I have.
The 9,000-square-foot space gave off a futuristic vibe, thanks largely to a 72-foot-long curving digital screen that shifts color throughout the day.
Seating ranges from round tables with lounge-style chairs to long dining counters with high stools, diner-style booths, and more.
Faye Bradley
From touchscreen to tray
After browsing the menu on the screen, we ordered two burgers, Shake Shake Fries, McWings, McPops, and an iced Uji Bubble Latte.
Both the fries and the drink are regional menu items: the latte is an iced green tea with milk and chewy tapioca balls, while Shake Shake Fries are regular McDonald's fries served with a seasoning packet and paper bag. I added the honey barbecue flavor I'd chosen and gave the bag a good shake
Faye Bradley
Hong Kong was the first place to serve the fries, debuting them in 2005.
The bill added up to 176 Hong Kong dollars, or $22.40.
I figured the lunchtime rush might slow things down, but true to the "fast food" name, our order was ready in just seven minutes. Surprisingly, there was no chaos.
Despite every table being taken when we arrived, turnover was fast. People ate, left, and I could always spot a seat opening up.
It moves like clockwork.
Faye Bradley
A fast food glow-up
Looking around, the place is a microcosm of Hong Kong life: white-collar workers in button-downs, grandmas feeding grandkids, teenagers FaceTiming with fries in hand.
It's the fanciest McDonald's I've ever set foot in, and definitely the one most packed with office workers.
There may not be a singing manager like Richie Rich Walker at the Liverpool Street branch (yes, it's true, look him up on Instagram), but this one has a surprising air of class.
I never thought I'd describe a McDonald's as bougie. At least for McDonald's standards.
Faye Bradley
A few tables appeared to double as casual work meetings. At one nearby table, I spotted a man in a blazer chatting with people who seemed to be his colleagues. They were all munching on Big Macs.
It resembled a coworking space, as if WeWork and a high-end airport food court had a love child. Plenty of people were in suits: half deep in meetings, the other half probably pretending not to eavesdrop. It's hard to resist when you're sharing tables.
I didn't see any laptops, but plenty of people were treating their phones like mini offices. They were scrolling, messaging, and even jumping on video calls.
The place had a transactional energy, like productivity came with a side of fries.
Faye Bradley
Meet the regulars
I had expected to see more people. A 17-year-old employee told me that the outlet's busiest hours are usually between noon and 1:30 p.m. "Sometimes there aren't enough tables, and people have to wait 30 minutes," he said.
Luckily for me, this was not the case when I visited.
During lunch, I spoke with people about what keeps them coming back.
For a 38-year-old clerk, it's the fries and proximity. "I come about twice a month," she said. "I always order ahead on the app, so I skip the line."
A 46-year-old French expat working in insurance likes the consistency: "It's always fast, always the same. I come two to three times a month for a Big Mac meal."
Others, like a freelance designer in his 40s, use the spot as a casual office. "I don't have a workplace, so I come here to eat and relax. It's cheap, comfortable, and fast. It works for everyone."
Faye Bradley
When this McDonald's closed for renovations earlier this year, it had already served over 24 million customers, along with 4 million packs of fries, 7.5 million McNuggets, and 2.3 million cups of coffee, according to the LinkedIn post.
"I'm so proud that in just one month since reopening, the team shattered records — unmatched customer satisfaction, record-breaking table service, endless compliments," Randy Lai, CEO of McDonald's Hong Kong, wrote on LinkedIn.
As a kid, McDonald's meant Happy Meals and birthday parties. These days, it feels more like a coworking lounge. McDonald's is evolving, and in a city where time is money, it's doing it fast.
