The remodeling effort took about six weeks and was completed in February with the theme of “extreme sports.” Sports gear is featured throughout the restaurant, with kayaks “floating” on the ceiling amid a “river” of blue neon. The restaurant’s new colors are earth-toned, with rock, bark and pebbles mingling with new tables and chairs and modern lighting. Three television monitors in the dining area show extreme sports, and a piece of sports equipment displayed by the new self-serve beverage area will be given away to a lucky winner every few months. Outside, the playground was removed and replaced with a rock fountain and park benches.

In addition, a second drive-thru lane was added for efficiency, since this McDonald’s does about 60 percent of its business via the drive-thru. The North Bend restaurant is the second-busiest McDonaldOs on the Eastside, and Regional Operations Consultant Christopher Christian said he expects it to soon beat the Redmond location for the No. 1 slot.

Other changes the local restaurant has adopted are the ability to accept ATM cards, with the capability of giving cash back, and “new taste” menu items, including the new hot ham and cheese sandwich.

“We want to really encourage people to come in and see the new look and taste the new flavors,” Christian said. “The remodel and new tastes are all about the care of the people who patronize us.”

The North Bend McDonald’s is company-owned, as opposed to a franchise, and has two general managers, Wayne Clark and Tracy Matthews, five assistant managers and a crew of 58. It was originally built and opened in 1987