McDonald's 77

McDonald's #77 is a McDonald's restaurant located at 2100 Lathrop Avenue, at the southwest corner of Lathrop Avenue and 21st Street in Racine, Wisconsin. The location includes a PlayPlace and a drive-through. Originally built in 1957, the restaurant building was completely remodeled in 1973 and replaced in 2007. It is the first and oldest operating McDonald's location in Wisconsin.

History
McDonald's #77 was the first McDonald's location to open in the state of Wisconsin first opening on May 12, 1957. According to some sources, it was the seventh franchise sold by Ray Kroc. Ray and Hazel Anderson initially owned the franchise, and sold it to Richard Metz in 1965.

By 1972, the restaurant had been remodeled twice, but retained the chain's 1950s "golden arches" architecture. A major renovation starting late that year converted the building into the chain's 1970's brick-mansard style. The restaurant held a grand re-opening ceremony on February 17, 1973, attended by Ronald McDonald and Racine mayor Kenneth Huck, who used a cutting torch to help remove the store's neon sign which was to be replaced with a smaller, more "tasteful" one.

In the fall of 1977, employees at the restaurant filed a petition to join the Hotel and Restaurant Employees and Bartenders Local 322 labor union, which would have made the restaurant the only unionized McDonald's location in the United States. On November 19, 1977, 73 of the restaurant's 93 employees participated in a vote on union representation, with 65 voting to reject joining the union.

The restaurant temporarily closed on January 14, 2007, to be demolished and replaced with a new building. Demolition of the building began on January 22, and the new restaurant was built within 90 days, opening in time for the location's 50th anniversary in May 2007. In early May 2020, the restaurant was forced to temporarily close during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic after an employee tested positive for the virus, but had reopened by May 5.