This Is the Farthest Away You Can Be from a McDonald’s in the Continental U.S.

hxdbzxy/Shutterstock

In the United States alone, there are more than 14,000 McDonald’s restaurants. Most big cities teem with them, and there’s only one U.S. state capital that doesn’t have one within city limits. So naturally, the omnipresence of McDonald’s got foodies wondering—what’s the farthest you can possibly be from a McDonald’s in continental America?

In 2009, one food-loving blogger set out to find the answer—not only the farthest distance, but the geographical spot itself. Dubbing it the “McFarthest Spot,” Stephen Von Worley examined a detailed map showing the locations of every Mickey D’s in the continental U.S. He finally pinpointed the spot—located between two tiny towns in South Dakota, 107 miles (as the crow flies) from the nearest McDonald’s.

However, that’s not the answer—not anymore. In 2010, a California McDonald’s shut its doors, creating a slightly larger McDonald’s-less expanse. But this didn’t escape Von Worley’s notice, and he made it his mission to find the new McFarthest Spot. Assessing the data, he located it in northern Nevada, in the middle of the desert. It’s slightly farther from its nearest McDonald’s than the previous title-holder was. Now, you can never be more than 115 miles from a set of Golden Arches in the continental U.S.A.–you’re never too far away from a McRib sandwich.

After solving the mystery, Von Worley was determined to visit this spot, and he did. But he didn’t just visit it. He went to the nearest McDonald’s to it and ordered a veritable feast: two Quarter Pounders, three orders of fries, a Big Mac, and chicken nuggets. Then, he drove (and at times mountain biked) the full distance, documented his arrival, and ate his McDonald’s meal. That’s commitment! Check out Von Worley’s full McSaga on his blog.

Next in Mickey D’s-related superlatives, this is the most expensive McDonald’s in the world.

[Sources: Consumerist, Eater]