Abandoned MCDONALD'S on ADAK ISLAND in Alaska

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  • čas přidán 12. 01. 2023
  • I flew to Adak Island - a remote Alaskan island in the north Pacific Ocean - to explore its abandoned US military base. Surprisingly, the base included a McDonald's that opened in July 1986. But the restaurant was closed in 1994 as the Navy gradually decommissioned the base. Its original menu sign and other aspects of the building remain frozen in time.
    More than 6000 people lived on the base at its peak in the 1980s. However, the base closed in March 1997, and most buildings were abandoned. Now, Adak Island has only 33 permanent residents.
    Instagram ⇢ / chrisluckhardt
    NOTE: this video and its Instagram Reel were stolen and copied by a TikTok account. This is the original version filmed in August 2022.
    A B O U T
    Past the Present Future is a film series by globally recognized photographer Chris Luckhardt. The series views the PAST through a lens in the PRESENT with an eye to FUTURE development.
    B I O G R A P H Y
    Chris Luckhardt has documented and photographed some of the most iconic and viral images of abandoned places around the world. He was among the first photographers to publish photos in the press from legendary abandoned places like Hashima Island, Nara Dreamland, Michigan Central Station, and Six Flags New Orleans. His body of work has led to interviews and collaborations with The White House, Netflix, Ford, GQ China, ABC News, Good Morning America, Scholastic Canada, Yahoo Japan, and many more. In 2016, the Obama administration invited Chris to photograph a private citizen "haunted" tour of The White House.
    M U S I C L I C E N S E D
    Decades, by AK (via uppbeat.io/t/ak/decades)
    #Abandoned #McDonalds #Alaska #Military #PastThePresentFuture #ChrisLuckhardt #AbandonedPlaces #Urbex

Komentáře • 238

  • @chrisluckhardt
    @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +4

    NEXT VIDEO → "Ghost Town in the Sky - Abandoned Wild West Mountain Top Theme Park"
    czcams.com/video/P9WZtNiqMSw/video.html

  • @DerelictToDecay
    @DerelictToDecay Před rokem +60

    Man that menu is such a good throwback, brings back those childhood memories.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +1

      I didn’t see it on this menu but I remember the insanity of trying to eat a Jurassic Park themed triple cheeseburger lol

  • @sammy56ism
    @sammy56ism Před rokem +91

    We were there from 1984 to 1986. I remember how excited we all were when the McDonald's was built. It was a real moral booster!

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +16

      It must’ve felt like a little McSunshine from civilization arriving on Adak!

    • @codemisterz
      @codemisterz Před 8 měsíci +1

      That's crazy!

    • @sammy56ism
      @sammy56ism Před 3 měsíci +12

      @@corporatemcmahon2815Why would I lie? What sort of proof do you need? 🤔 Thousands of people, military and civilian, were stationed on Adak over the years. We were there from mid 1984 to mid 1986. We also experienced the earthquake that occurred in early May 1986. I was expecting our son at that time and our daughter was 4 years old. We left in June and I was glad to go!

    • @sammy56ism
      @sammy56ism Před 3 měsíci

      @@corporatemcmahon2815 This was the mid 1980s. Except for a few folks who had camcorders, no one else had anything but cameras. We certainly could not afford a camcorder, so we have no videos to show from that era. My husband is a 20 year Navy vet and I served 6 years. We're certainly not "pretending." Just Google the earthquake on Adak in May 1986 and you'll read all about it. I don't do TikTok at all; I'm 67 years old and don't pay any attentions to "trends." Your remarks are insulting and you can stand by whatever you feel you need to do. We're done here.

    • @sammy56ism
      @sammy56ism Před 3 měsíci

      @@corporatemcmahon2815 This was the 1980s. Some people had camcorders but we certainly could not afford one, so I have no video to post. We just had ordinary cameras with film in them and we took plenty of photos and slides. I know nothing about TikTok trends. So you believe what you want. My husband served 20 years in the USN and I served 6 years. We're 75 and 67 years old, respectively. We don't lie to make ourselves look good. I think we're all done now.

  • @shillsdontspookme9208
    @shillsdontspookme9208 Před 4 měsíci +24

    We lived in Sandy Cove when my dad was stationed on Adak. He made Chief on this little island in the early 90s. I used to ride my bike to this McDonald's with my babysitting money and I always got the two cheesburgers meal! Man, nostalgia hurts so weird. . .
    Birthplace of the wind ❤

  • @Scorptique
    @Scorptique Před rokem +21

    Hearing the wind blow while watching the grass dance is therapeutic ☺

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +2

      I'm glad you like the more immersive format. 😊 I filmed the same video the day I arrived while it was overcast, more windy, and rainy. This experience with the sun and wind seemed a little more appropriate for the published version.

    • @dona3554
      @dona3554 Před rokem +4

      There isn’t a day on Adak that you don’t hear the wind while outside. It definitely wasn’t therapeutic while I was stationed there. 🤣

    • @Tam_Eiki
      @Tam_Eiki Před 10 měsíci +3

      @@chrisluckhardt Overcast and windy was an every day thing on Adak. It was coined, "Adak, the Birthplace of the Wind". They had a thing called "Sunshine Liberty" where everyone who wasn't absolutely necessary got the rest of the day off when the sun came out because it was so rare. The first time I heard of it, I'd just started high school and a kid came running down the hall yelling about sunshine liberty. Everyone started packing up their stuff and left. The teacher explained what it was to me but I thought it was a joke on the new kid because I'd just moved to Adak from San Diego. 🤣

    • @MitchellBrown-su9dc
      @MitchellBrown-su9dc Před 2 měsíci

      🤣😂🌬️🌬️💨💨💨💨💨💨💨💨💨💨💨 I Know Exactly 👍 What U Mean 😭

    • @MitchellBrown-su9dc
      @MitchellBrown-su9dc Před 2 měsíci

      🤣😂🙀👀

  • @robwilcox9296
    @robwilcox9296 Před rokem +15

    I pulled into Adak while in the service. We saw those golden arches while pulling in, got excited, then found that it had closed. Total bummer, but was a nice reminder of home in that very desolate place.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +3

      Amazing! Must’ve happened after 1993 while the base was slowly closing down?

    • @robwilcox9296
      @robwilcox9296 Před rokem +3

      ​@@chrisluckhardt December 94.

  • @BigSplenda1885
    @BigSplenda1885 Před 4 měsíci +6

    Omg i remember those little swinging doors on the drive thru windows!!!

  • @sequoiaedwards4782
    @sequoiaedwards4782 Před rokem +14

    Bobby's world??? That really took me back to the 90's!!

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +1

      Jurassic Park did it for me! The OG movie still looks great too.

  • @AmberTheFangirl
    @AmberTheFangirl Před 8 měsíci +15

    I just wanna keep that menu. The pricing… the Bobby’s World toy line… it screams 1990’s😭

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 8 měsíci +3

      No love for the Dino Sized fries? 😂

    • @michaelperez9966
      @michaelperez9966 Před 3 měsíci +2

      Those prices were actually pretty high for 1997, probably because it was Alaska. A small soda was 99¢, but McDonald’s was charging $1 for a small soda in New York in 2020. Small fries were also 99¢, but small fries were on the $1 menu in New York until about ten years ago.

  • @dw7094
    @dw7094 Před 10 měsíci +10

    I was there in late 1994 when McDonald's Corporate sent a crew to Adak to retrieve the arches that stood by the main road. Once unearthed, they were taken down to Sampson's area and palletized and barged off-island, concrete abutments still attached.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 9 měsíci +2

      First, it's amazing that you were there to see it. And second, that's a lot of expense considering they left everything else behind.

    • @MrWolfSnack
      @MrWolfSnack Před 8 měsíci

      I think the main paranoia McDonald's has is someone setting up the building as their own restaurant and using the MCDonald's name to run the business. Without the signage and no way to get any, it's just a junked building. @@chrisluckhardt

  • @galgotgame3376
    @galgotgame3376 Před 10 měsíci +11

    I lived here for four years in the early 90s as a kid, so weird to see it like this now!

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 10 měsíci +3

      Do you remember how busy the McDonald's was at that time? And can you see your house in the other Adak videos I published?

  • @DennisRetzlaff
    @DennisRetzlaff Před 3 měsíci +6

    I'm here from german newspapers. Really cool footage, it took me back to the good old times a bit.

  • @the5gen
    @the5gen Před rokem +17

    Wonderful footage. My grandfather spent time here in the 1950s.
    I hope the DoD & Navy consider to reopen this base as a pivot to both the Pacific and the Arctic region. With Russia militarizing in the Arctic and China pushing out to the Pacific having this base (and potentially an icebreaker stationed here) as a practicality.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +9

      Thank you! If only the walls could speak and share the veteran's and family's stories about their time on Adak! I read that the Navy went back to Adak in 2019 for the first time since 1997 to do training exercises. I'd rather live in a world without militarization but humans haven't evolved enough yet. I saw a study years ago that stated if the US gave 1% of its military budget to NASA that it would double NASA's budget! Idealist thinking from a space exploration enthusiastic, I know...

    • @chico7469
      @chico7469 Před 4 měsíci +1

      Your suggestion is possibly being considered as of this moment, pull it up online, the Navy is looking into reactivating this place

  • @davemyers3863
    @davemyers3863 Před 4 měsíci +5

    On Adak 90-92 and I have never had a quarter pounder hamburger since as good as what I got on Adak.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci +2

      I’m going to guess the reason is Adak experience nostalgia combined with McDonald’s being not as good as it was 30 years ago.

  • @LadyCatFelineTheSeventh
    @LadyCatFelineTheSeventh Před rokem +14

    I remember that McD's being packed. Too bad you couldn't get inside. And that sun! Very lucky. Surprised to see the houses still standing. They were is horrid condition when they were new - leaky roofs with lots of structural problems. I think people only lived in then 1 or 2 years before the base was closed, then they were used as a 'hotel" for visitors (which was how I got to stay in one.) Not sure if that is still happening (probably not.)

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +4

      What you've described matches what my host told me about the houses. Some of the houses close to the McDonald's were solid but other houses were built cheap and for a different climate (right side housing at 0:20). I was able to rent an entire house from my fantastic host Steve - it's in the cluster I mention at 5:17.

  • @RareCnC
    @RareCnC Před 4 měsíci +4

    A lot of those old signs and posters are worth they’re pretty penny to the right collector, especially being vintage and original

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci +1

      Unfortunately, getting those signs off Adak would be insanely expensive due to shipping costs. The island is further west than Russia’s easternmost point.

  • @trainnerd3029
    @trainnerd3029 Před rokem +5

    The menu sign brings back, a lot of memories of my youth…

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +1

      All it's missing is McPizza!

    • @trainnerd3029
      @trainnerd3029 Před rokem +1

      @@chrisluckhardt how do you not have 100,000+ subscribers my friend? Stumbled onto your channel a few days ago and I’ve watched almost all of your videos and subscribed! Very cool stuff!

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +2

      @@trainnerd3029 I'm mostly known as a photographer but I've been filming abandoned places for 20 years. My subscriber count is low because I didn't start the channel until 2 years ago. But the CZcams algorithm recently pushed a batch of my videos to a wider audience so I'm guessing that's how you stumbled across my channel. Thanks for the support!!!

    • @trainnerd3029
      @trainnerd3029 Před rokem +1

      @@chrisluckhardt thoroughly enjoy your stuff Chris! Best of luck with the channel!!

  • @ESUNintel
    @ESUNintel Před 3 měsíci +3

    I had one of those Bobby’s World toys - number 3. Used to love that show 😊
    Thanks for sharing this awesome video. Didn’t know about this island; seems pretty peaceful.

  • @rzoo5113
    @rzoo5113 Před 3 měsíci +2

    I miss the old McDonald happy meal toys. And sure remember those drive through windows. Best days ever.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 3 měsíci

      Let’s not forget those delicious cardboard McDonaldland Cookies!

  • @GameDjeenie
    @GameDjeenie Před 4 měsíci +4

    Holy cow ! Those prices !! Please bring me back ! not even 3 bucks for a full breakfast lmao

  • @redmustangredmustang
    @redmustangredmustang Před rokem +12

    That's what happened to many of these basis after the Cold War was over, it got closed down and many places like this people moved out and fled. These places really are stuck in a place in history.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +6

      I've explored a few abandoned military bases. They're all like this - frozen in the period they were closed. Except this base had great french fries!

    • @ervinthompson6598
      @ervinthompson6598 Před 4 měsíci +1

      ​@chrisluckhardt McDonald's used to have hand cut fries - you got a bag in which they were all the same length instead of the haphazard scraps sold today - and the taste was heavenly. We used to buy extra bags at 5 and 10 cents just to feed the cute little sparrows hopping around in the parking lot !!

  • @aaronknezevich8491
    @aaronknezevich8491 Před 3 měsíci +2

    USNS OBIS. 5 trips to Adak in the early 90’s. Don’t miss it one bit and I wasn’t even stationed there.

  • @Trumpasaurus
    @Trumpasaurus Před rokem +4

    It's neat to see they put in the effort to make it look like a MCD's in the building shape too. My friend's dad was stationed at another Aleutian base called Shemya that was also closed down. I can't even imagine being so isolated.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +1

      McDonald's dictates the appearance updates of each building based on the franchise agreement. A few restaurants were able to retain older architecture via loopholes. I'm guessing this one would've been updated eventually if the base remained open.

  • @Mina_Fox_90
    @Mina_Fox_90 Před rokem +5

    The interior (until they gutted it alongside repainting the exterior walls to some tint of yellow) was definitely original/80s along with the fixtures on what their chairs, tables, and others looked like during that time period.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +3

      That's all correct! The owners' son commented in a Twitter thread that their McDonald's opened in July 1986 and closed in 1993/94. My host told me the interior was partially gutted around 10 years ago and converted into a lunch service for the nearby fishery plant. It was boarded up around 2019 due to vandalism but the original 1986 seating was still visible near the front windows.

    • @remixedcat
      @remixedcat Před 6 měsíci +1

      that was the best now it's almost dystopian looking

  • @JohnSaylock-ec4cd
    @JohnSaylock-ec4cd Před 6 měsíci +3

    Wife and I lived a hop skip and jump from mc ds. Only ate it rarely. We were both on comrats.

  • @Link-Man
    @Link-Man Před rokem +13

    What an amazing place, certainly has a edge of the world vibe to it. Never thought I'd see footage from one of those islands.
    Keep up the great work showing us highly unusual places we never would have heard of otherwise.
    Have to say I sort of miss your commentary like you did in the earlier videos.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +6

      Adak is beautiful and your description is perfect - "edge of the world" is exactly how it felt being out there. And I loved the beauty and slightly unsettling feeling of being way out there!
      And thanks for the feedback! The change of format was an intent to provide a more immersive experience for the viewer. I love the art of photography and video and sharing my work everywhere, but I also feel awkward anytime I get too close to the "influencer" vibe. This format is true to myself and how I want to present my work.

  • @yendor2043
    @yendor2043 Před rokem +7

    Thank you for taking the time to travel to remote location and document it so well.

  • @ArtimusDragon
    @ArtimusDragon Před rokem +4

    I'm here from Reddit. Thanks for the tour!

  • @Trapphausmusic
    @Trapphausmusic Před 11 měsíci +5

    One of the most strategic places in the world.

  • @deanbryan1183
    @deanbryan1183 Před 3 měsíci +2

    Very soon, they might want this base to be reopened . what a waste to close in the first place

  • @patrickpatrick9132
    @patrickpatrick9132 Před rokem +3

    I was stationed there in 89 for eighteen months. I was glad to leave. Harsh weather.

  • @CasuallyCold
    @CasuallyCold Před 4 měsíci +2

    Just imagine living in a small town built on the edge of a active volcano & there's a McDonald's out there. The nearest other McDonald's would be in Kodiak near the Alaskan mainland. I wonder what life would be like there when it was a lively community. I'm still surprised people live there. There's around 171 people currently living there but I think it changed. & most of the buildings are abandoned so it adds a eerie vibe to it & the fact that what's left of the small town could be destroyed by the volcano right next to the town. It's also because it's in middle of nowhere.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci +1

      The closest volcano is 35km (22 miles) to the west on another island and poses no threat to Adak or its 33 permanent residents. That number was shared by Adak home owner Steven Carroll. He was my Airbnb host in a renovated house and Adak's fire chief in the 1970s.

    • @CasuallyCold
      @CasuallyCold Před 4 měsíci

      To the North of the town of Adak there's a volcano called Mount Adagdak. It said on the Wikipedia page that it's historically active. So my mistake by calling it an active one. It's probably dormant currently. I don't know the locals to area know it way better than me. I don't even live there. The reason why I said 171 people live there was because I looked it up. So the source for that information is outdated. I knew Adak existed but I didn't know that there was a McDonald's there.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci +1

      @@CasuallyCold The last estimated eruption of Mount Adagdak is several thousands of years ago according to local surveys. I drove up to it and enjoyed seeing dozens of eagles and other wildlife.

    • @CasuallyCold
      @CasuallyCold Před 4 měsíci +1

      Oh okay. If it's under 10,000 years, than that means it's still active but if it's higher it's either dormant or extinct.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci +1

      @@CasuallyCold Sounds right! But some people might see "active volcano" and think lava is flowing into Adak lol.

  • @heissteveland758
    @heissteveland758 Před měsícem

    Thanks for posting this video. I know i had talked to someone a year or so ago on twitter that posted something about this, but my parents actually owned that mcdonalds store. We lived there up until the base closed of course and left the island with the others. Fun to see this because i was only 6 or 7 when we moved so i dont remember much

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před měsícem

      Hey Steve! I saw your tweets while researching the McDonald’s. Your parents opened a couple of restaurants in Oregon after this one, and then did the same in Texas, right? Have you told them about this video? I’d love to hear their feedback and any stories about setting up and running the McDonald’s! Thanks!

  • @Astral_Dusk
    @Astral_Dusk Před 4 měsíci +2

    some potential mint condition Bobby's World happy meal toys in there

  • @TCooning_24
    @TCooning_24 Před 4 měsíci +1

    Bobby's World wow that's fond childhood memories.

  • @Iuxinterior
    @Iuxinterior Před 5 měsíci +1

    something about those drive thru windows is so aesthetically pleasing to me, i’m sure they stopped doing that because it was impractical to have something jutting out from the building but i love 80s boxy design lol

  • @randallanno2327
    @randallanno2327 Před rokem +1

    Those roofs look to be in perfect shape. My next roof will be metal like these!

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +1

      The building's construction seems to be rock solid, at least from my amateur perspective. Most of the houses out there are facing a continual battle with moisture issues (according to my host) but this McDonald's appears to be holding up well.

  • @bidmoon7957
    @bidmoon7957 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Man good stuff ☝️🥃🇺🇸

  • @Rockymountainhighlife
    @Rockymountainhighlife Před 3 měsíci +1

    Yum mountain rasberry .. nowadays, the flavors are purple and green

  • @xChromerSatanasx
    @xChromerSatanasx Před 4 měsíci +1

    I worked for ADAK FISHERIES in 05 and i have been inside this building. been all over this island and I wrecked my boat outside the SPIT Julia Ana and was rescued by F/V MISS MARRY. Place is very creepy

  • @introvertedwolf8424
    @introvertedwolf8424 Před 3 měsíci

    Omg the Bobby's world toys. The nostalgia. Where did all the time go.

  • @Johnniebhoy83
    @Johnniebhoy83 Před 2 měsíci

    A UK tabloid article from The Sun brought me here. It's crazy how the algorithms work. Subscribed to your brilliant channel.
    Much love from Scotland. 🥃 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 2 měsíci

      Thanks for the source info! You might be interested in some of my more intense adventures too! → czcams.com/video/e9H0O-gxJ4Y/video.html

  • @pandurlolgg5780
    @pandurlolgg5780 Před 3 měsíci +1

    I would really love to know what’s inside. Maybe some old cups or toys. That would be cool to see!

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 3 měsíci +1

      I rediscovered two of the interior photos that caught my interest more than 10 years ago: imgur.com/gallery/WVnKGEc
      Kitchen equipment was removed when the local fish processing plant used the restaurant as a lunch area from 2011-13. They went bankrupt and the building wasn't used again. But the seating area remained intact and appears to be in excellent condition in the photos. Vandals from, surprisingly, the Coast Guard broken windows just before the pandemic. So, the building was sealed with boards on all windows and entrances.

  • @tweezerjam
    @tweezerjam Před 10 měsíci +3

    Seriously it’s kinda cool McDonald’s would even attempt to put a restaurant there. I wonder how busy it got. 🤔

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 10 měsíci +2

      Former residents I’ve been in contact with said it was always packed during its initial years. But they closed because the base was being decommissioned and business declined accordingly.

  • @tonyamcintyre4400
    @tonyamcintyre4400 Před 3 měsíci +2

    Isn’t that strange that places like even exist? Why/how can it just poof go away? Just like nothing was there, and they leave the remnants behind. Just like the housing😦🤷‍♀️

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 3 měsíci +1

      It's surreal, isn't it? My channel is an example of documenting humanity's trascient creations as the planet fights back and wins every time.

  • @patrickledonne5547
    @patrickledonne5547 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Worked at a McDonald's in Illinois in '94/'95. The individual sandwich costs are not very much more here. A big Mac was $1.99, a cheeseburger $.89 where I worked. The value meals are a lot more expensive. Big Mac meal was $2.99 by me. $4.50 here.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 3 měsíci

      I remember crossing the border with my parents and everyone commenting on the extremely cheap McPrices after factoring in the exchange rate. A Big Mac meal in Ontario was nearly double the cost (if I remember correctly).

  • @joydubyadee
    @joydubyadee Před 3 měsíci +1

    “Inside Edition” brought me here 😊

  • @12milestyle
    @12milestyle Před rokem +3

    Jurassic sized fries. I feel like if you actually went inside there would be a raptor or 2 living in there and they’d attack you.

  • @winstonwolf3217
    @winstonwolf3217 Před rokem +4

    In Alaska and I bet that their ice cream machine is broken.

  • @tashaguerra7972
    @tashaguerra7972 Před 4 měsíci

    Wow, me encantaría conocer ese lugar, ojalá en el futuro vuelvan a vivir allí. ❤
    🇨🇴

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci

      Adak es una isla hermosa y tranquila, a pesar de todas las ruinas en deterioro.

  • @UrbanFury12
    @UrbanFury12 Před 10 měsíci +1

    Wish McDonald's brought those prices back! We're past Adak prices here in Florida.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 10 měsíci +1

      What’s a Big Mac meal there? It’s US 8.75 in Canada. And it’s $4.59 on the 1993 Adak menu ($9.69 today).

    • @UrbanFury12
      @UrbanFury12 Před 10 měsíci

      @@chrisluckhardt It's a little over $6 with taxes here in Florida. $8.75 is a lot! When I was younger I remember being able to gorge myself with $5 at McDonald's. Inflation has been so bad.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 10 měsíci

      @@UrbanFury12 I saw a Reddit post where someone ran the numbers. Big Macs are 15% more than the 1990s cost. I wouldn't doubt that 15% is on the low side compared to other inflationary prices. Consumers are being gouged.

  • @bundeswehrvet
    @bundeswehrvet Před 2 měsíci

    TDY at Adak for a week in 1991….we were all excited and wanted to go see bald eagles….one of our hosts said OK, follow me….we walked to the back of the McD’s….they had a trash dumpster out bqck….must have been 50 Bald Eagles sitting on the edges, waiting for someone to come outside and dump food scraps!!!!!!

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 2 měsíci +1

      50 bald eagles?!?! Amazing. I saw many bald eagles but they were all up at the decaying NSGA buildings.

  • @darkjdub13
    @darkjdub13 Před rokem +1

    I wonder if you can get in from the roof. It looks easy enough to get up there.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +2

      You’re right - it’s not too difficult to get up there and check if the hatch is sealed. I may or may not have done that… 👀

    • @darkjdub13
      @darkjdub13 Před rokem +1

      @@chrisluckhardt Right on! No stone left unturned. ")

  • @russelltaylor4752
    @russelltaylor4752 Před 4 měsíci +1

    That’s Looks Creepy

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci +2

      Understandable, but it's quiet peaceful. I live in the heart of Toronto but grew up on a farm, so I enjoy getting away from humanity and deep into nature in places like Adak. Choices are limited but the three dozen residents love it out there!

  • @bender7565
    @bender7565 Před měsícem

    Been over 50yrs since I saw Sanka on the menu, even spellcheck doesn't know it is a word. Except for the NEX and commissary EVERYTHING in Alaska is more $$, still sweet prices.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 28 dny +1

      Sanka amazingly still exists in other parts of the world. McDonald's switched in 2005 to Gaviña Gourmet Coffee in the US and Mother Parker's in Canada.

    • @bender7565
      @bender7565 Před 26 dny

      @@chrisluckhardt You know your McD's decaf!! You reply to many of your comments, good man.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 26 dny +1

      @@bender7565 Thanks, but it's a coincidence! An urban legend up here in Canada is that our most popular coffee chain, Tim Hortons, swapped coffee beans with McDonald's years ago as the reason Timmies coffee became terrible. The truth is Tim Hortons opened an internal roasting facility. Assuming you're American, now you know 1000% more about Canada than you'll ever need to know. 😂

  • @Thegonagle
    @Thegonagle Před 4 měsíci

    At 0:50 , near the center of the screen, is the smaller of the two red-roofed buildings a Pizza Hut?

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci +1

      It was a daycare center but is often mistaken for an abandoned Pizza Hut. Now, it's a grocery store named 100 Knot Stop and open a few hours per week. Google Maps shows photos inside the store.

  • @user-je7ot6ju9r
    @user-je7ot6ju9r Před 4 měsíci +1

    Damn.. Prices kind of high for early 90's.. Somebody lost their ass.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci +1

      Prices in northern and remote climates are 2-3x higher due to shipping costs. But I’ve heard from people who were there at the time that the McDonald’s was always packed!

  • @siewheilou399
    @siewheilou399 Před rokem +3

    Why there still so many vehicles there?

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +2

      Any vehicles seen in the video are used by Aleutian Outfitters (for hunting rentals), locals, or they're abandoned. The silver truck was my rental from my host Steve. He runs the Adak/Aleutian Experience.

  • @blakespower
    @blakespower Před 5 měsíci +2

    so it didnt even stay open 10 years 86 to 93

    • @jebbthetrainkid1281
      @jebbthetrainkid1281 Před 2 měsíci +1

      They started closing the Bases down on Adak. That's why it Closed.

  • @MrWolfSnack
    @MrWolfSnack Před 8 měsíci +1

    There's videos of the inside of this place. Someone took the boards off and went in and filmed. It is exactly as it was.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 8 měsíci

      That’s a different McDonald’s on the US east coast, filmed by the “Triangle of Mass” channel.

    • @MrWolfSnack
      @MrWolfSnack Před 8 měsíci

      Ah OK, I see that now. That's the one I saw. It appears in the related videos for this video so likely how it got mixed up. But the video from "Ron We-be-bassin" does show the interior and it has the same layout and design style but through the windows. @@chrisluckhardt

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 8 měsíci

      @@MrWolfSnack Wow, I hadn’t seen his video! It confirms what my Adak host said about the kitchen being gutted. It was boarded up just before the pandemic because several windows were smashed by vandals during a visit.

  • @the-enders
    @the-enders Před 5 měsíci

    Wish there was a way to see inside!

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 5 měsíci +1

      A few photos are online from before the plywood was put over all the windows. The kitchen area was gutted but all of the customer seating still looks like 1986.

  • @Baybay25
    @Baybay25 Před 28 dny

    Man, back then, a big Mac cost $2.45. Now it costs $7.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 28 dny

      Big Mac meal in the continental United States in the early 1990s was $2.99. That's around $6.50 with inflation now. So, it's doubled in price over the past 30 years with most areas charging around $15 for the same meal. Crazy!

  • @Olli_Hello
    @Olli_Hello Před 3 měsíci

    Hello, your video is a report in the German newspaper. from 01/29/24, best regards

  • @tristanwoodmansee477
    @tristanwoodmansee477 Před 7 měsíci +1

    Please talk about the places you explore..

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 7 měsíci +1

      I stopped doing scripts and voiceovers in most of my videos and views/engagement increased 1500%. But I plan to mix in occasional documentary-style videos with voiceovers in upcoming releases.

    • @tristanwoodmansee477
      @tristanwoodmansee477 Před 7 měsíci +1

      @@chrisluckhardt Ok. Sorry. Not trying to be rude. I just like hearing info on places people go to.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 7 měsíci +2

      @@tristanwoodmansee477 No worries - I didn't think you were trying to be rude! Just explaining why I stopped doing voiceovers for most of my videos. People have commented how they like the immersive experience, but I do add info bars and video descriptions for people who want more information. My website and upcoming book will include significant historical, architectural, and socioeconomic information about these amazing places.

    • @tristanwoodmansee477
      @tristanwoodmansee477 Před 7 měsíci

      @@chrisluckhardt Thank you!!

  • @davidh7142
    @davidh7142 Před 2 měsíci +1

    Was stationed there in 1988-90

  • @AdamAddictL
    @AdamAddictL Před 3 měsíci

    Soooo….Im guessing they’re out Bobby’s World toys??? 😂😂😂

  • @Rockymountainhighlife
    @Rockymountainhighlife Před 3 měsíci

    They closed all the fast food after they shut down the Air Force Base where I grew up in the mountains of upstate New York too

  • @FreeportHometown
    @FreeportHometown Před 2 měsíci

    I wish we could see inside, it’s probably untouched.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 2 měsíci

      Equipment was removed from the kitchen just over a decade ago when the building was being used as a lunch area for a now-bankrupt fish processing plant next door. A new floor was put in around the same time. But the seating is unchanged from 1994.
      Interior photos: imgur.com/gallery/WVnKGEc

  • @m0bilemechanix
    @m0bilemechanix Před 11 měsíci +3

    Too bad the prices aren't accurate for the time in most places. Being Alaska they were inflated quite a bit. The 1.09 cheese burger was most likely .89 cents in most places.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 11 měsíci +1

      The prices make sense considering Adak is a remote Pacific island. The cost of living and shipping was much higher than the mainland. Even last summer, I ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and Coke at Adak's only bar/restaurant and it cost me $45 lol.

    • @m0bilemechanix
      @m0bilemechanix Před 11 měsíci +1

      @@chrisluckhardt yes that was exactly my point!

  • @marissasanchez2224
    @marissasanchez2224 Před 6 měsíci

    Back in 2013 it was the cookhouse for icicle seafood.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 6 měsíci

      My host (Steve Carroll) mentioned the kitchen conversion but no specific dates or company. You've filled in a few info gaps for me, thanks!

    • @xChromerSatanasx
      @xChromerSatanasx Před 4 měsíci

      I was working at the fish plant in 05 it was called ADAK FISHERIES

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci

      Adak Fisheries went bankrupt in 2009 and lost the plant. Icicle Seafoods took over in 2011 but closed the plant in 2013. I confirmed the dates via several online new sources.

    • @xChromerSatanasx
      @xChromerSatanasx Před 4 měsíci

      @chrisluckhardt yes, I went back to Adak on F/V LADY GUDNY in 08 And Piloted a boat called JULIA ANA which was owned by Kjettle The owner of Adak FISHERIES and I wrecked outside the spit

  • @55Reever
    @55Reever Před 2 měsíci

    There is power, water and sewage for the people that are living there?

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 2 měsíci +1

      Yes, the original Navy infrastructure is operational for the cluster of housing still in use.

  • @ericallen1046
    @ericallen1046 Před 5 měsíci +1

    I served on Adak from December 1994 to January 1996 🏔️🦅👍

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 5 měsíci +2

      You were part of the decommissioning crew? You didn't happen to be one of the people who wrote their name in the basement of NSGA?

    • @ericallen1046
      @ericallen1046 Před 5 měsíci +1

      @@chrisluckhardt NSGA was my duty station, I only went into the basement two or three times, I might have written my name in the basement, I don't recall. Yes, I was part of the decommissioning crew, when I was stationed there, between both duty stations there was maybe 40 people.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 5 měsíci +2

      @@ericallen1046 Thanks, I’ll check my photos. Walls down by the chapel and bowling alley are covered in signatures from those two years.

    • @ericallen1046
      @ericallen1046 Před 5 měsíci +1

      @@chrisluckhardt You're welcome, please let me know if I did or not. Also, would you please look for these other names as well, David Morton, Michael Seals and Kevin Albert. They are real good friends of mine, we served on Adak together. 😎👍

  • @thaboss821
    @thaboss821 Před 3 měsíci +1

    I wonder if it’s haunted the town itself

  • @Thegonagle
    @Thegonagle Před 4 měsíci

    I wonder why bollards were placed in the drive-thru lane. Someone thought it was necessary for some reason.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci +1

      The bollards surrounded a gas tank. It was added when the building was being used as a lunch spot for a now-closed fish processing plant. Photos of it appear on Google Images if you search for "adak mcdonalds".

  • @crusiethmaximuss
    @crusiethmaximuss Před 8 měsíci +1

    I wonder why people are coming here to Oregon... Anyways, it's depressing and simultaneously fascinating to see that derelict of the past. I wish I could reopen it.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 8 měsíci +1

      Oregon might've been their original/home state or maybe McDonald's offered the family that specific territory to restart the business. Just speculating.

    • @crusiethmaximuss
      @crusiethmaximuss Před 8 měsíci +1

      I am blocked from tagging you... Not sure if you'll see this. I just want to say, this is an interesting story

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 8 měsíci +2

      @@crusiethmaximuss I haven’t blocked anyone so it must be a glitch in the matrix. 👾

    • @crusiethmaximuss
      @crusiethmaximuss Před 8 měsíci

      @@chrisluckhardt I'm most likely still shadow-banned from some features

    • @crusiethmaximuss
      @crusiethmaximuss Před 8 měsíci

      Now this feature works.

  • @ReloadingPictures
    @ReloadingPictures Před 5 měsíci

    I just watched the whole video and the man didn’t even break in…. Shameful we must see the inside!

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 5 měsíci +1

      Locks were too rusty to open by unconventional methods, if you know what I mean. 👀 I also checked the roof for access before filming.

  • @ismailcoban3497
    @ismailcoban3497 Před 3 měsíci +1

    Sogar in der Eiswüste gab es diesen Dreck

  • @informationgiant7697
    @informationgiant7697 Před 10 měsíci

    i love barren places

  • @healthiswealth1452
    @healthiswealth1452 Před rokem

    Any gold out there still buried?

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +1

      I don't watch television so I learned about "Pirate Gold of Adak Island" after I arrived. A couple of locals told me the show was faked.

    • @healthiswealth1452
      @healthiswealth1452 Před rokem +1

      @@chrisluckhardt definitely seemed unrealistic when you watch it and then think about what they where doing

  • @HyperFoxKitsu
    @HyperFoxKitsu Před 5 měsíci

    Gods can we go back to these prices please? McDonald’s has gotten pricey. 😢

  • @greenamogus
    @greenamogus Před rokem

    Reddit gang where you at

  • @mollies13
    @mollies13 Před měsícem

    Why is it not supported anymore?
    although it may lasted 8 years wow....
    by the end of the year 2053 that steel bar will eventually be decompose itself.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před měsícem

      This McDonald's was abandoned in 1994. The family who had the franchise closed it as Adak's military base began decommissioning. The base was finally closed in 1997, and most of the island's population left. Only 33 permanent residents live there now. Also, the brand of weather-resistant steel used in construction there could last well beyond the year 2100.

    • @mollies13
      @mollies13 Před měsícem

      @@chrisluckhardt will that make since. thank you

  • @jackbudgen8858
    @jackbudgen8858 Před 5 měsíci +1

    Couldn't even be arsed to clean up after themselves, classic Americans

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 5 měsíci +1

      The US Navy did the minimum legal required cleanup and then transferred it to the local native community. There’s all sorts of contaminants and buildings left all over the island.

  • @americantimemachine7128

    Probably not many reprecussions if you broke in

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před rokem +1

      A group were caught vandalizing the new church a few years ago and were fined $15000. One could argue that picking locks is fine but those locks were severely rusted.

  • @coryholliday8473
    @coryholliday8473 Před 5 měsíci

    Maybe there’s a way in thru the roof

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 5 měsíci +2

      I checked. I’m sure I could’ve forced my way inside but it’s not my style and I probably would’ve missed my flight back to the mainland. It was leaving in one hour after I filmed this sequence.

    • @xChromerSatanasx
      @xChromerSatanasx Před 4 měsíci

      ​@chrisluckhardt what were you doing there in 2013? I abandoned ship there in 05, F/V JUILIA ANA and I worked for ADAK FISHERIES.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci +2

      @@xChromerSatanasx I was on Adak in the summer of 2022.

    • @xChromerSatanasx
      @xChromerSatanasx Před 4 měsíci +1

      @chrisluckhardt that is awesome, I really enjoyed your video thanks for publishing it

    • @xChromerSatanasx
      @xChromerSatanasx Před 4 měsíci +1

      @chrisluckhardt LOL we actually have been inside that building. there was access back in 05 through back door

  • @NoahMizrahi
    @NoahMizrahi Před 4 měsíci

    wow those prices are higher then they are today in 2024, i can get a big mac for 55 cents with a coupon NOT 4 dollars and 60 cents i wasnt even born then

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 4 měsíci +1

      Prices in northern and remote climates are 2-3x higher due to shipping costs. But apparently the restaurant was packed during all hours according to people who were there at the time.

  • @johnquezada2564
    @johnquezada2564 Před 11 měsíci

    Imagine the untouched copper just sitting there 👀

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 11 měsíci +1

      The base has been vandalized extensively. But it’s too challenging to get precious metals out of the infrastructure and off the island. It’s the ACTUAL “gold” on Adak rather than what was shown on that reality show!

  • @agentofficerthomasa.porter107
    @agentofficerthomasa.porter107 Před 10 měsíci +1

    Nothing Last Forever. Only The Tragic Illnesses🥵📋✍👨‍⚕🏥🚑Fast Foods🍔🤮🍟🤮🌭🤮Cause To The Human Body & Shorten Life🚐⚰🌹🪦🌹Span From Eating The Chemical⚗☠🧪☠Processed Foods🤮Sold💵.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 10 měsíci +2

      Your emoji game is impressive, most impressive. 🍔🍟

    • @agentofficerthomasa.porter107
      @agentofficerthomasa.porter107 Před 10 měsíci +1

      @@chrisluckhardt 🗣🎙Thank-You👏👏🏿👏🏻👏🏾👏🏼Thank-You Very Much. It Started Out Using Just One Emoji🤠. It Then Developed Into A Well Orchestrated🎶Flowing🌊Ensemble🎹🎻🎻🎺🎷🎸🪗🪕🥁, Enhanced With Design🎨Expressions🤪To Remain With Solid Story📚Lines Over The Past 15+ Years World🌐Wide. (c.) Footnote: Have Used Ronco🔪Inc. To Distribute😱! They Have Always Been On The Cut'n🩸Edge In Product Placement😁!

  • @jeffreyellis5837
    @jeffreyellis5837 Před 4 měsíci +1

    So what you are saying is there is still hope that i can buy a dirt cheap house in America? Lol

  • @epereyralucena
    @epereyralucena Před 4 měsíci

    just give me a free house and good internet and ill move there no questions asked

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 3 měsíci +2

      Houses are around $5k with thousands more for necessary restoration. Adak doesn't have Starlink yet, so you'd be paying $3500+tax for 512k up/down speed with a 15GB monthly cap. Crazy, right?!

    • @MitchellBrown-su9dc
      @MitchellBrown-su9dc Před 2 měsíci

      🤣😂

  • @BongMilker2006
    @BongMilker2006 Před 10 měsíci

    You should've broken into the mcdonalds to record what was inside. That island seems practically lawless.

    • @chrisluckhardt
      @chrisluckhardt  Před 10 měsíci +1

      It’s in the video - a remodelled kitchen and some of the original 1980s seating. The locks were too rusted to open and I didn’t have room for bolt cutters in my carry-on lol.

  • @jurekjureczki9323
    @jurekjureczki9323 Před 2 měsíci +1

    Odkryły ciebie polskie wiadomości pewnie polacy tu przyjdą 🎉🎉