McDonald’s on the Las Vegas Strip
There are over 110 McDonald’s restaurants in Las Vegas, including six on the Las Vegas Strip.
Unlike Burger King or Wendy’s, which are few and far between on the Strip, you’ll usually be within close walking distance to a McDonald’s when you are gambling and playing on Las Vegas Boulevard.
Of the six McDonald’s on the Las Vegas Strip, two are inside casinos, and four are separate. The two casino hotels that have a McDonald’s inside their property are the Circus Circus and the Strat.
In addition to the McDonalds inside Circus Circus and Strat, here are the four McDonalds sprinkled up and down the Las Vegas Strip.
Although we don’t count it as a “Strip McDonalds” there’s another restaurant, very close to the Strip, on E. Sahara Avenue, across from the Sahara Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. All seven of these Strip-area McDonalds are represented by orange pins on this map below:
(Go here for the closest Burger King to the Las Vegas Strip).
Harmon Corner McDonalds
Perhaps the most unusual McDonald’s is the one by Planet Hollywood. It’s not IN Planet Hollywood, but rather, it’s part of the shopping complex attached to the resort (called the Harmon Center), just south of the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. It’s around the corner from the huge Walgreens at the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard (The Strip), and Harmon Avenue. Its outside entrance is near the pedestrian bridge that takes you over to toward the Cosmopolitan and Aria.
Opened in the spring of 2012, it’s called a Metro McDonalds, and has contemporary decor, over 6,700 square feet, two levels, free Wi-Fi. It’s open 24 hours a day.
This Planet Hollywood McDonald’s is the closest McDonald’s to Bally’s, Paris Hotel and Casino, the Cosmopolitan, and of course, Planet Hollywood. It’s the closest McD’s to the Bellagio.
McDonalds by Harrah’s
Another semi-unusual McDonald’s, you’ll recognize the enormous golden arch sprouting from the Strip sidewalk rising up in this busy location between Harrah’s and the Casino Royale. Under the arch, you’ll see an escalator and Panda Express and Chipotle signs.
Like its newer Metro cousin to the south, this McDonald’s is two story restaurant with decor not found at your typical fast food joint. There’s is for example, pretty art painted on the ceiling – sort of like at the Sistine Chapel – if the Sistine Chapel served Quarter Pounders. It has an outside patio, and this place is always hopping.
This is the closest McDonald’s to Harrah’s, The Linq Hotel and Casino, the Flamingo, Cromwell Hotel & Casino, Caesars Palace, the Mirage, and Casino Royale. It’s open 24 hours a day.
Viva McDonalds
Just south of Slots O’ Fun, by Circus Circus is the Viva McDonald’s, which was built in 2008. It sits next to what had been one of the oldest McDonald’s on the Strip (now demolished). I remember in the early 80’s thinking how cool it was to see the golden arches lit up in bright yellow neon – a nice Vegas-y touch to the traditional McDonald’s sign.
This bustling Viva McDonald’s is reportedly the 3rd busiest McDonalds in the United States.
It’s the largest McDonald’s in Las Vegas, at around 8,600 square feet in size. It also has, (surprisingly), two separate kitchens.
There are TV screens here that broadcast the “McDonald’s channel.” There is also free Wi-Fi, a slick contemporary decor resembling a Starbucks, and even souvenir items available for purchase to take home with you.
It’s open 24 hours a day on weekends, and up to 1 AM on weekdays.
The is the closest McDonald’s to the Wynn/Encore, Venetian/Palazzo.
Mandalay Bay McDonalds
On the less fancy side, on the opposite end of the Strip, there sits a McDonald’s in the little strip mall directly across from Mandalay Bay at the intersection of Four Seasons Drive and the Las Vegas Strip.
This location is also open 24 hours a day.
McDonalds Restaurants inside Casinos
Strat Hotel & Casino – This one is open 24 hours a day.
Circus Circus Hotel & Casino – This busy location closes at 10 PM on weekday, and midnight on weekends.
In the past, there were McDonald’s franchises in several casinos. These included McDonalds at four different MGM Resort casino/hotels: the Excalibur food court, the MGM Grand food court, the Luxor food court, and at the former Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino (now the Park MGM).
However in the spring of 2016, MGM Resorts ended their partnership with the fast food chain.
(Top photo courtesy of Christian Haugen via Flickr. Bottom photo from gamboool.com).