McDonald’s Singapore Menu in the 80s Resurfaced, Showing Filet-O-Fish at Just $1.75

The McDonald’s menu in Singapore has evolved over the years, with the addition of Samurai Burgers, seaweed shaker fries, and more.

Have you ever wondered what McDonald’s menu in Singapore looked like decades ago?

Well, a McDonald’s menu from the 80s recently resurfaced online.

You will be surprised to see the menu from four decades ago, especially the stark difference in price points of the menu items then and now.

The menu invoked a sense of nostalgia among many folks of the generation. The design of the menu itself is nostalgic as the iconic clown character Ronald McDonald is depicted on the menu.

McDonald’s Singapore Menu in the 80s Resurfaced

On Monday (9 October), a Facebook user uploaded an image of Singapore’s first McDonald’s restaurant to the Heritage SG Memories group. 

The Facebook group is famous for Singaporeans posting things from the past to rekindle memories from streets, food scenes, and old buildings that no longer exist.

The post has gone viral with over 1,200 shares and 2,000 reactions as of today (12 October).

A Walk Down Memory Lane

Singapore opened its first McDonald’s on 20 October 1979 at Liat Towers in Orchard Road.

Back in the 80s, only roughly 12 items were available on the menu: hamburger, cheeseburger, filet-o-fish, quarter pounder, and quarter pounder with cheese.

The prices of the menu items in the 80s were significantly lower, and a hamburger back then cost even less than the cost of taking the MRT from the West to the East.

To illustrate this, a hamburger used to cost 95 cents in the 80s but is currently at priced at $2.30 for a la carte, according to McDonald’s mobile app.

Meanwhile, a filet-o-fish once cost $1.75 but is currently priced at $4.30 for an a la carte.

An apple pie that once cost 95 cents as well is now priced much higher at $1.50.

Changes in Food Packaging

After the Facebook post emerged, many folks also took to the comments to reminisce about other differences in the fast food chain then and now, such as the food packaging.

With modernisation comes a stark improvement in the food packaging design. 

In the past, their burger packaging was multi-coloured—blue, yellow, orange, or brown—to signify different burgers. Now, the burger packaging is uniformly white.

Evolution of McDonald’s Throughout the Years

Even outside of Singapore, the international fast food chain has undergone immense transformation in its overall branding, aesthetic and menu.

McDonald’s opened its first outlet in 1940 in San Bernardino, California, where it started as a typical drive-in featuring an extensive menu and car hop service.

The chain has expanded to over 40,000 branches worldwide, with each country offering special menu items to adapt to people’s palettes and local traditions.

This is why McDonald’s menu varies by country.

That’s why you will see a Nasi Lemak McD in Malaysia but nowhere else.

While McDonald’s has certainly changed its look, it remains a favourite among many people across the world for the nostalgia and comfort it brings.