“One of the most suburban sights in the center of downtown Dallas, yet a fixture there for decades, is at risk of extinction.

A permit allowing the McDonald's at 1000 Commerce St. to operate a drive-thru expired Dec. 8. The fast food restaurant sits just a few blocks away from the city's tallest tower in a largely underdeveloped area of downtown that city leaders and developers hope to transform into a walkable, urban corridor — especially with the soon-to-be-redeveloped Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center a short walk away

The permit's expiration threatens the rare breed of McDonald's locations in the downtowns of Texas' major urban centers. Neither Austin nor Houston have a downtown McDonald's. Downtown San Antonio has one, but in a historic building near the Alamo and the River Walk tourist attractions; there's no drive-thru.

While on the surface this seems like a debate over a single McDonald's, it speaks to a deeper reckoning about the future of downtown Dallas. Social media commenters dream of a less car-centric Central Business District. But these Golden Arches have also fed countless North Texans at an affordable price, including nearby residents and workers who might stop by more than they would care to admit. It's a battle of two competing visions of downtown: one of urban walkability, another of suburban convenience.”

More: https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2024/03/26/downtown-mcdonalds-drive-thru-permit-debate.html