We all know the now iconic golden arches. We can spot them miles away as we drive down the road. And nine times out of 10, they’re there to save you when you need a quick, cheap meal or a hangover cure to sober you up quickly.

While everyone in America is trying to figure out what time McDonald’s closes for breakfast or what’s the secret in the Big Mac sauce that makes it taste so good – we’ve rounded up five surprising facts about Mickey D’s that you didn’t know!

1. Justin Timberlake sang the “I’m Lovin’ It” Jingle

Everyone on the planet knows the McDonald’s jingle and has shamelessly hummed it before, but did you know that McDonald’s got a boy-band turned pop sensation to sing it? Yes that’s right, McDonald’s got Justin Timberlake to sing the jingle during a 2003 TV spot commercial. And JT made some pretty nice bank on singing just three words. Reportedly, Justin was paid $6 million dollars to sing the jingle.

2. There’s a UFO-inspired McDonald’s

This iconic spaceship shaped McDonald’s in Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, England, was photographed back in 1993. This McDonald’s location was built in 1990, originally intended to become a UFO-shaped restaurant called Megatron. 

Their plans changed in 1993 when it became a McDonald’s instead and was the only UFO shaped McDonald’s location in the world. Its life was only brief because it closed down in 2003 due to high maintenance costs. The building stayed up and in tack, just abandoned for a few years until it was finally demolished in 2008. But, in recent years, former McDonald’s employees who worked in the flying saucer spot spilled all the hot gossip on what it was really like working in such an odd shaped location.

3. Thank you for your service… and for creating the drive-thrus 

The first McDonald’s drive-thru was built in 1975 in Sierra Vista, Arizona. And everyone has the military to thank for it. The Sierra Vista McDonald’s location was close to a military base. Obviously some of them would swing over to the golden arches to grab some burgers for lunch, but they weren’t allowed to leave their cars wearing their uniforms. So, the restaurant built a drive-thru lane so that they could still serve the soldiers, and the soldiers didn’t violate any military rules. To this day, drive-thrus have become a staple in the fast-food industry that we can’t even imagine a day before we had them. 

4. McDonald’s Coca-Cola reigns superior over other restaurants

Have you ever had a friend say that “McDonald’s Coke just hits different?” Now, you may think they’re nuts, but they’re actually on to something! 

So normally when a restaurant or fast-food place gets their shipment of Coke syrup delivered, it is packaged in a plastic bag – similar to how the Canadians package their milk. But, when McDonald’s gets their shipment of Coke syrup delivered it is packaged in stainless steel tanks. These tanks preserve the freshness and taste of the syrup compared to the plastic bags. So the next time you want a flavorful, crisp Coke – you know where the best spot to get one is.

5. Some of the biggest celebs are former McDonald’s employees 

You’ve seen their movies, listened to their music, followed their every move. Either you love or hate them, but these celebrities got their starts at none other than at McDonald’s. Some real A-listers – from actors like Rachel McAdams, Mark Hamill, Sharon Stone, to artists like Pharrell Williams, P!nk, Shania Twain, and even Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezos – worked there as a cook. Looks to me like Mickey D’s breed superstars. See the complete list of over 40 celebrities who worked for Ronald McDonald before their big break.

The post Did You Know These 5 McDonald’s Facts? first appeared on History In Memes.

No picture is more late 80’s and early 90’s than this one. This photo showcases so many icons from Macaulay Culkin to Reebok sneakers to a DeLorean. 10-year-old Macaulay Culkin, best known for his role as Kevin McCallister in the Christmas classic movie, Home Alone, is photographed standing next to a DeLorean car. 

Macaulay Culkin: An Iconic 90s Movie Star

At this time Macaulay Culkin was just on the cusp of reaching global stardom as he rose to becoming one of the most-well known child actors. Culkin dominated the 1990s as being Hollywood’s “it” kid and making audiences fall in love with him in his starring roles in both Home Alone and Home Alone 2, as well as My Girl and Richie Rich.

Why This Photo Is So Iconic

Culkin is pictured with the DMC DeLorean vehicle. You probably recognize this car from the Back to the Future films. As a refresher, this was the car turned time-machine that Doc and Marty McFly used to go, well, back to the future. 

The gull-wing doors and the fact that time-traveling Marty McFly drove around in the DeLorean made it the dream car of every 90’s kid. I mean who doesn’t want to skirt around town in a time machine? And to top it all off – Macaulay is rocking the Reebok Pump Twilight Zones. The Reebok Pump Twilight Zones originally launched with the price tag of $170 for a pair. But Malcuay wasn’t the only name in Hollywood to rock these shoes. Atlanta Hawks small forward, Dominique Wilkins,  played in these sneakers on the court during the 90s. 

All the pieces that make up this photo from the Home Alone movie, Back to the Future Part 3 movie, and Reebok Pump Twilight Zone sneakers – were all released in the year of 1990! 

Man, this photo makes me feel old.

The post Kevin McCallister Goes Back to the Future first appeared on History In Memes.

If you think your mom losing you in the grocery store for five minutes is bad, imagine your country letting you float around in space for almost a year! That’s exactly what happened to this cosmonaut named Segei Krikalev. He went out on a mission and ended up stuck in space for 311 days. 

So how did he get stuck up there for so long? And how was he eventually saved and brought back to Earth? Keep reading to find out!

The Original Plan for the Cosmonaut

Segei Krikalev had prepared all during the spring of 1991 for a five month mission in space. That was the initial time frame he had trained for and planned to embark on. But that was not how it played out at all. By January of 1992, Segei was now stuck in space for eight months and had no clue when he would be able to return home. 

Why This Cosmonaut Ended Up Stuck in Space

The reason Segei couldn’t come home was because the country that was supposed to bring him back, the Soviet Union, no longer existed. 

So by the time the mission was completed, Segei was the last Soviet citizen and was nicknamed the “last citizen of the USSR.” This nickname stemmed from the Soviet Union dissipating in 1991, while Segei was on his five month mission in space after launching in May of 1991. 

Therefore, there were no government funds available to bring him home. Segei return mission fell on the back burner of the government’s priority. While it may have been a political issue to work out his return home, obviously Segei and his family and friends were more concerned for his physical health. The longer he was in space, the more his bone and muscle mass would deteriorate. 

This mission lasted a total of 311 days – twice as long as it was originally intended to last. Segei finally returned home on March 25, 1992. He had left a Soviet Union citizen and returned home as a Russian citizen. 

The Aftermath of the Cosmonaut’s Mission

When Segei returned home finally in March of 1992, his physical health had taken a toil. He needed assistance walking when he got off the shuttle. But, this mishap didn’t cause Segei to retire. No, no, no. 

Segei flew multiple missions throughout the 1990s. He moved up the ranks to commander in 2005 and was promoted two years later to Director of Human Spaceflight at Roscosmos. 

How Many Days Has the Cosmonaut Spent in Space? 

803 days. He sits behind two other cosmonauts who have spent 827 and 878 days respectively in space.

The post The Last Soviet Citizen: How the USSR Left This Cosmonaut Stranded in Space for 311 Days first appeared on History In Memes.