The other night I was looking for a quick meal to take back to the room so I decided to go through McDonalds for a sandwich and a soda. I drove along the road where the store used to be, but it wasn’t there. I turned around and drove back along Route 60 and where I was pretty sure the McDonalds used to be, I saw the big M sign (turned off) and a McDonalds with all the lights off. “They must be closed,” I thought. Problem was, in addition to not getting a good dose of fat, calories, and cholesterol, McDonalds also hosted the only wifi hotspot within 20 miles of Oudenaarde! I was quite disappointed that the place was closed.

The next day I asked about the McDonalds at work and found that it was indeed closed — because the place had caught on fire. A daylight picture shows the damage. The roof is gone and there is a lot if internal damage. According to people at work, the building will be torn down and completely replaced. A spotlight on the roof illuminating seasonal decorations overheated and shorted out causing the fire. Last year I remember McDonalds complaining that they hadn’t sold as many gift certificates as expected. Apparently the holidays aren’t good for McDonalds in Oudenaarde in several different ways. Meanwhile, there is no place to get an internet connection. There must be a conspiracy at work here!