Current and former students reminisced about their favorite local haunt after finding out that the Simpang Dago McDonald’s in Bandung, West Java, was among the top-10 outlets worldwide in terms of deliveries according to the 2019 Global McDelivery Records.

A photo of the rankings went viral after Twitter user @Nickwisely97 tweeted it on Sunday.

Saya bangga telah berkontribusi untuk membanggakan Indonesia masuk 10 besar dunia. Mari lestarikan makanan khas Kota Bandung pic.twitter.com/VEAbHBMcnM — Nick Wisely (@Nickwisely97) February 2, 2020

“I am proud to have contributed to Indonesia’s achievement in reaching the top 10 in this global ranking. Let’s preserve Bandung’s unique cuisine,” he said.

The photo showed that the Simpang Dago McDonald’s ranked eighth for most deliveries in one hour with 104 deliveries on Aug. 25, 2019. In the most deliveries in one day category, Simpang Dago McDonald’s ranked fourth with 1,158 deliveries on Oct. 12, 2019.

Sutji Lantyka, associate director of communications for McDonald’s Indonesia confirmed the rankings displayed in the photo.

“The data is valid, although it was only issued for internal use. Until now, we do not know who made this photo viral,” she told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

The tweet garnered dozens of responses, mostly from customers who shared their experiences about dining or ordering from the Simpang Dago McDonald’s.

Twitter user @AlfarusFG, for example, said the place had served as his office and place of study.

“McD Simpang Dago is not just a restaurant but also my office and campus,” he said.

Meanwhile account @vallyanelsmy shared her experience of crying at the same store.

“McD Simpang Dago is the most memorable place. Studying, hangout, finishing the thesis, meeting with my ex at midnight, also crying at 2 p.m.,” she said.

Simpang Dago McDonald’s is one of 12 McDonald’s branches in Bandung, all of which operate 24 hours a day.

The Simpang Dago branch’s location is particularly strategic, with at least five universities within a 1 kilometer radius of the eatery.

It’s no wonder then, that the outlet has become a favorite place for students of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Padjadjaran University, Indonesia Computer University, Harapan Bangsa Technology Institute and the Academy of Social Welfare.

When the Post visited the branch on Monday, there were many students hanging out on the second floor. Most of them sat inside the air-conditioned room, while some sat outside at the smoking area.

Tia Jasmine, a 20-year-old ITB architecture student, said the Simpang Dago McDonald’s was one of her favorite hangout spots. She said the strategic location, Wi-Fi and the availability of electricity plugs made the fast food place stand out compared to cafes or other dining places around the area.

“This place is like my second boarding home,” she said.

Riska Salsabila, 20, Tia’s friend, said they would often spend an entire night in the restaurant.

“We would get there at 3 p.m., buy a meal for dinner and go home the next day. We did it a lot during our freshman year,” she said, adding that she and her friends would often hold group study sessions and even watch Netflix together at the outlet, taking advantage of its fast Wi-Fi.

Dirga Hutama of National Technology University said the Simpang Dago McDonald’s was convenient for its abundance of electric plugs.

“I have visited other McDonald’s, but all the plugs at the Simpang Dago branch are functioning. It is also very close to campus,” Dirga said. (gis)