McDonald's 75th anniversary: Top 10 weirdest restaurants from Windsor Castle to Guantanamo Bay

Seventy-five years since the very first McDonald's restaurant was established in San Bernardino, California, on 15 May 1940, the franchise has grown to become the largest fast food chain in the world. Every day, 68 million customers are served in 119 countries, across 35,000 outlets.

McDonald's restaurants really are everywhere, from detention camps to royal castles – and here are some of the strangest.

Taupo, New Zealand

The fast food restaurant on the shores of Lake Taupo is the only location that includes a decommissioned DC3 plane as part of the store. The aircraft, a Douglas DC3, was built in 1943 and was one of three used by South Pacific Airlines of New Zealand from 1961 to 1966, before being finally pulled out of service in 1984. Once you have finished your burger, you can even check out the cockpit – which has been kept in excellent condition.

Roswell, New Mexico

Roswell became famous in 1947 after it was alleged an extraterrestrial spacecraft crash-landed in fields near the town. Although the unidentified object was later identified as a military Air Force surveillance balloon, the McDonald's still cashes in on the UFO theory with its spaceship-lookalike restaurant.

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

They say McDonald's are everywhere – like Starbucks – but this location proves a point. Surrounded by barbed wire, the restaurant is situated just outside the detention camp and is only accessible to the base's personnel. It is the only McDonald's in Cuba.

Negev Desert, Israel

Situated in the deserts of southern Israel, this McDonald's was built especially to serve tourists travelling through the parched area on their way to the country's holiday resorts – like Eilat on the Red Sea.

Windsor Castle, England

The royal residence in Berkshire is the only restaurant where there is a possibility of spotting the Queen over your Big Mac. It is directly opposite the castle, the same street where Prince Charles married Camilla in 2005.

Museum of Communism, Czech Republic, Prague

Located in an 18<sup>th-century aristocrat's palace, the Museum of Communism offers a snapshot into life behind the Iron Curtain during the post-World War Two Communist regime. Just underneath the museum is a McDonald's.

Barstow, California, United States

Barstow's roots lie in the rich mining history of the Mojave Desert following the discovery of gold and silver in the Owens Valley and in the mountains to the east in the 1860s and 1870s. As miners flooded to the area, railroads were built to transport goods and people. In keeping with the location, the restaurant is inside an old train carriage on Route 66, a popular destination with tourists.

Yangshuo, Guangxi, China

The province of Guangxi in southern China is renowned for its beautiful karst landscape, a scenic haven for tourists and rock-climbers. But, of course, even the remotest tourist destinations are incomplete without a McDonald's restaurant – particular one with its own bridge and next-door pagoda.

Freeport, Maine, United States

You have to look quite closely to work out that this impressive 1850s Greek Revival colonial home is actually a McDonald's – but the tell-tale golden arches in the windows are a sure giveaway. The company bought the house with the intention of razing it to the ground and popping up a more traditional restaurant, but members of the community and preservationists intervened. The result was a historic house-restaurant, complete with smaller rooms, a fireplace and even dining-room style chairs.

Lindvallen, Sweden

The Swedish ski resort of Lindvallen is part of the Sälen area, home to 145km of downhill skiing. Serving hungry skiers is the world's first ski-through McDonald's, where you can order without even having to take your equipment off.