McDonalds in Grimsby celebrating 40 years of 'dining at The Savoy'

Staff at Grimsby McDonald's have invited customers to a big party to celebrate their 40th birthday.

The Grinch will be a star guest for a celebration of the popular eating out venue which is "like dining at The Savoy."

The site on Victoria Street, Grimsby was formerly The Savoy Cinema which entertained generations of film fans. It closed in 1977 and had previously been known as The Gaumont, The Odeon and Focus.

On December 3, 1984, McDonald's opened Grimsby's first outlet. It too has served generations of Grimsby area families and its popularity led to five others being opened.

The restaurant opened two years after the breakfast menu launched, which was in 1982. The Happy Meal and McChicken Sandwich would not have been available at the time, as they launched in 1986 and 1989 respectively.

The Grinch will be coming to the store on November 30 at 1.15pm to help staff celebrate.

Management spokeswoman, Kay Plummer told Grimsby Live: "We are all excited and looking forward to welcoming as many customers as possible to celebrate the historic occasion.. We will have The Grinch and celebrations throughout the week with balloons and birthday cake."

Back in the 1980s, American-style fast food was considered to be revolutionary, with McDonald's managers aiming to serve customers within three minutes.

The Savoy Theatre, constructed by North East Lincolnshire firm Wilkinson and Houghton, opened on May 24, 1920 and was considered to be Grimsby's first luxury cinema. Above the Golden Arches there is a clue to the building's previous life as The Savoy Theatre. There is an iconic statue.

The Grimsby Telegraph's news coverage on McDonald's opening in Grimsby in 1984 reads: "Shed a tear for fish, chips and tea ... American hamburgers arrived in Grimsby today.

READ MORE: Take a sneak peek inside the lost cinema hidden in Grimsby's McDonald's

"McDonald's, the worldwide chain, opened its 152nd British outlet in Grimsby's Top Town creating 50 jobs and the first of thousands of hamburgers in the process.

"The doors of the former Focus Cinema in Victoria Street opened 20 minutes late at 10.20am. By 10.22 the first quarter-pounder was being eaten by a customer. By 10.25 he was gone. He didn't give a name because he should have been at a lecture at Grimsby Technology College." However, Daniel Enright, four, was photographed tucking into a Big Mac. Meals cost around 70p. They included the McMariner, which later became known as the Filet-O-Fish. There were also McNuggets.

McDonalds opened their first restaurant in London in 1974 and their first drive-thru was in Manchester in 1986.