14. The First McDonalds School Cafeteria Opened In 1976
In Benton, Arkansas, a portrait of Ronald McDonald was hung on the wall to mark the first opening of a McDonalds in a high school cafeteria. Thirty years later, one in every five government-funded schools in America sold branded fast food in their cafeteria, which according to administrators was an attempt to replicate places where teenagers hung out. The truth was that reduced spending on education forced them to sell exclusive cafeteria rights to fast food chains, thus providing them with funds for teachers, desks and computers without having to convince parents to pay higher taxes.
Ian Watson is the author of 'Midnight Movie Madness', a 600+ page guide to "bad" movies from 'Reefer Madness' to 'Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead.'
