McDonald’s restaurant in Sarinah Thamrin, Central Jakarta, is reported to be permanently closing on 10th May 2020.
The closure is at the request of the management of the Sarinah building, made through an official letter dated 30th April 2020.
It is believed that the management of Sarinah will renovate the building and make changes to the business strategy going forward. “We will very shortly close the doors of McDonald’s Sarinah Thamrin permanently from Sunday 10th May 2020 at 10:05 pm,” tweeted the @McDonalds_ID account on Friday 5th May.
The news made enthusiasts of the American fast-food chain upset, particularly because the outlet was the first McDonald’s in Indonesia.
Opened in 14th February 1991, McDonald’s, or McD, has experienced significant development over the years and has become one of the most popular fast-food restaurants in Indonesia over the past 29 years.
McD also expressed their deepest gratitude to all consumers with a tweet, “We express our gratitude for all the unforgettable moments of togetherness at #McDSarinah. Smiling face with smiling eyes.”
The store operated 24 hours a day and many nostalgic memories and horrifying incidents have occurred for those who often eat there. McD Sarinah has also been witness to terrorist acts of at least six explosions, as well as shootings around the Plaza Sarinah area on Jalan MH Thamrin, Central Jakarta on 14th January 2016. Eight people died in the incident, four of them were perpetrators and four were civilians.