Golden arches are appearing in two new locations in Ames and Story County.
A newly built McDonald’s restaurant is celebrating its grand opening in Huxley, and a new location has been approved in a growing business district in Ames.
More: Dreams do come true. Ames’ first Olive Garden finally has an open date
The City of Ames approved a site plan for a new McDonald’s restaurant in late 2025 at 1920 SE 16th St., in the undeveloped lot east of the new Olive Garden.
Olive Garden officially opens June 1 at 1820 SE 16th St. Construction on the new McDonald’s has not yet started and a timeline has not been established.
Vacant land on South 16th Street and Dayton Avenue is proposed for a new McDonald’s site in Ames, Iowa. Photo taken on May 14, 2026.
Olive Garden opens door for new restaurants
When the Olive Garden was announced in the spring of 2025, city officials predicted the Italian restaurant with “never-ending breadsticks” would be a catalyst for other business growth.
Plans for a McDonald’s in the Highway 30 corridor is evidence that philosophy rings true.
Dylan Kline, director of business development for the Ames Regional Economic Alliance, has long viewed Olive Garden as a strategic win for the area.
More: Dreams do come true. Ames’ first Olive Garden finally has an open date
McDonald’s and Olive Garden will join several nearby businesses, including Kwik Star, El Azteca, Theisen’s, Flip ‘N Jacks Pancake House and a swath of hotels.
“That’s a developing corridor that has available commercial land around it,” Kline said in a previous interview with the Tribune. “Once you plant the Olive Garden flag in an area, they tend to act as a catalyst for other business development.”
Huxley gets its first McDonald’s
A grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at noon, Tuesday, May 19, at Huxley’s first McDonald’s, 904 N. US Highway 69. The event is a collaboration between the City of Huxley and the Ames Regional Economic Alliance.
John Dasher, manager of the new McDonald’s restaurant on South Duff Avenue, his wife, Linda Dasher, and Ronald McDonald hosted members of the Ames business community in March 1971 during grand opening festivities at the restaurant.
When did Ames’ first McDonald’s open?
Ronald McDonald visited Ames for the grand opening the community’s first McDonald’s restaurant on March 27, 1971, according to an Ames Tribune archive on the Ames History Museum’s site.
Managing owner John Dasher and his wife Linda Dasher welcomed guests, including many city and business officials at the fast food joint, which still stands at 129 S. Duff Ave.
John Dasher was also the owner of Mr. Steak in Ames.
In March 1971, Ronald McDonald holds the ribbon while then Mayor Stuart Smith operates the scissors at the ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by the Ames Chamber of Commerce. Others pictured include Paul Nelson, Ed Lewis, Marv Walters, John and Linda Dasher, Terry Adams and Art Skeie.
Free hand puppets, flying hamburgers and Ronald McDonald autographs were offered at the grand opening.
McDonald’s boasted almost 1,700 U.S. restaurants in 1971 and nearly 8 billion hamburgers sold. McDonald’s has grown to have more than 45,000 locations worldwide, with nearly 14,000 in the United States.
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The SE 16th St. location will be the third McDonald’s in Ames, with other sites at 3621 Lincoln Way and S. Duff Ave.
Ames first McDonald’s opened at 129 S. Duff Ave. in 1971 and still serves a steady stream of customers.
Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rfaaborg@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Ames, Huxley welcome new fast-food restaurants
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