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The AP has a story today about the McDonald’s at 541 Sixth Avenue in Chelsea, which got an “upscale” redesign this fall that included knockoff mod furniture, laptop outlets, and other trimmings. Seriously, have you seen this place? It looks more like a W Hotel lobby than a Mickey D's. We got sucked in a while back and were so mind-boggled that we just had to snap some photos (see slideshow). The AP mentions that local office workers have started holding meetings here, but doesn't note that the place is already starting to smell a little like the lower level of the Port Authority Bus Terminal.

Can McDonald’s really pull off “European style”? It’s great that they’re trying to make the McRib experience a little classier, but really, it looks like Swatch had a baby with Ikea, and that is not a good thing. Aren’t lime-green walls and Paul Smith–style stripes going to look seriously dated once the greasy thumbprints multiply? And doesn’t the font they used for “Condiments” look like someone wrote it in cow's blood? Come on, guys: New York can do better than this! Unlike the Rock N Roll McDonald’s in Chicago, this is not the sort of place that Wesley Willis would pay tribute to.

Upscale McDonald's brings European style to NYC [AP via Google]