Don't worry. You can still see the guy's big-screen TV from the drive-through. For regular Palolo McDonald's nighttime customers, a special part of the experience is seeing into the window of the house across Palolo Avenue. On Wednesday night, the featured entertainment was "Leahey and Leahey" for the line of cars idling in the reconfigured drive-through. A wholesome, witty show appropriate for general audiences. Sometimes, later in the evening, it's a different channel, and you have to distract the children and avert your eyes.

These days there are lots of new things to see at the Palolo McDonald's — or as the media kit grandly calls it, "McDonald's of Palolo".

The fast-food restaurant — the favorite hangout of Sacred Hearts students, retirees nursing a coffee and the sports page and grandmas desperate to get their grandchildren to sit quietly and eat something — shut down earlier this summer for a face lift. Well, more of an extreme makeover than a little nip and tuck. It reopened this week and it was like a collective sigh of relief went up from Kapahulu to Saint Louis Heights.

The new look borrows a little from a Stanford Carr Hawai'i Kai development, a little from California Pizza Kitchen. Outside are bright yellow awnings, huge umbrellas and the single word "aloha" over the automatic doors. (Automatic doors at McDonald's? Brilliant!) Inside, it's earth tones and pendant lighting, a fancy stone facade and various wood-look finishes. Starbucks with the lights on. Hawaiian Air's Executive Lounge with hot snacks. You almost expect old Ronald McDonald himself to come bopping in wearing a black silk collarless T-shirt, linen pants and a Bluetooth on his ear.

In the dining area, there are many signs promoting the new line of McDonald's coffee drinks called McCafe. The coffee selection includes stuff like iced mocha, vanilla cappuccino, hazelnut latte. It's Starbucks for less money, less waiting, more predictability. Knowing what to expect is a good thing when it comes to coffee.

Knowing what to expect is what makes McDonald's McDonald's.

For all the upgrading, Palolo McDonald's is still the same. It still smells like McDonald's, not like burnt frou-frou coffee. The old favorites are still on the menu. The servers charmingly ask, "Whatchoo like?" with friendly smiles on their faces. During peak times, there's still no place to park in the expanded lot and the drive-through still backs up onto Wai'alae Avenue, and you can still watch whatever that guy is watching on his big-screen TV.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.