When McDonald's closed its doors in Iceland (Globle answer for Jan 22) on October 31, 2009, few could have predicted that the country's final burger and fries would become a national curiosity.

Hjörtur Smárason purchased the last McDonald's meal sold in Iceland not to eat it, but to see what would happen. His experiment in decay, or rather the lack of it, captured global attention when the burger and fries showed remarkably little decomposition over the following years.

The meal first lived in Smárason's garage, then a museum, and eventually found a permanent home at the Snotra House hostel in southern Iceland, where it sits in a glass case for visitors to observe in person.

McDonald's departure from Iceland wasn't dramatic. It was simply economics. The 2008 financial crisis devastated the Icelandic króna, making imported ingredients prohibitively expensive. Importing onions alone cost more than the entire burger sold for in other countries. The franchise owner, Lyst Hr., determined that raising prices high enough to remain profitable would drive away customers entirely.

Iceland remains one of the few Western nations without a McDonald's presence, though the golden arches' absence hasn't meant a shortage of burgers. Local chains filled the gap, and Icelanders seem largely content without the American giant.

The famous last burger continues its vigil at the hostel, serving as a peculiar monument to globalization, economic vulnerability, and the unsettling preservative powers of fast food. Travelers passing through southern Iceland can stop by to witness this oddly immortal relic of fast food history for themselves.

Learn more: Atlas Obscura

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