There Are Only 5 McDonald’s PlayPlaces Left in Maine You Can Take the Kids

Who doesn't remember going to McDonald's with your family as a kid and plowing through your Happy Meal just so you could go play at McDonald's PlayPlace? I sure do! Times change, though, and only five of the 61 McDonald's in Maine still have a PlayPlace.

McDonald's restaurants, in their effort to appeal to children and convince their parents to take them to McDonald's, added their very first McDonald's PlayPlace in 1971. I remember when the South Paris McDonald's added their PlayPlace. It was an outdoor playground at the front of the restaurant that looked just like all the McDonaldland characters you saw in the TV commercials. There's one guy that loved it so much, he bought a bunch of those vintage playground pieces.

According to Mashed.com, a couple of things contributed to McDonald's PlayPlace's disappearance. McDonald's had to cut back on the space they used for seating and PlayPlaces, as fewer and fewer people dined it thanks to the drive-throughs and mobile ordering. Health concerns over the cleanliness of the PlayPlaces also contributed to the demise of many PlayPlaces.

Here's a list of the five McDonald's in Maine that still have PlayPlaces.

332 Saint John St, Portland

The modernized McDonald's in Westbrook kept their PlayPlace, but you won't see any signage for it. It's located on the left side of the building.

336 Main St, Waterville

Waterville's McDonald's modernization did include a sign letting everyone know the PlayPlace is there.

85-87 Bangor St, Augusta

Augusta's McDonald's has a Play Place front and center as you pull in.

95 Main Street, Westbrook

The Westbrook McDonald's PlayPlace isn't very obvious from the outside, but walk inside and you'll find it.

2 Chandler Drive, Bath

The McDonald's in Bath had a PlayPlace pre-modernization, and kept it when they remodeled.

The Presque Isle McDonald's has a PlayPlace, but our sources say it is closed to the public and they don't plan to reopen it.

The Forest Avenue McDonald's has a PlayPlace, but the restaurant is currently being modernized and we're unsure if the PlayPlace will remain.