u/TheAus10: "The reason all these fast food places are switching to buildings like this is because they're easier to sell if the businesses fail. Basically, when a McDonalds closes down and it looks like the 1st picture, a Taco Bell or Burger King (or some other fast food place) won't buy them because it looks like a McDonalds and that's bad for their brands. So now they're all super generic so that if they fail, any company will be more willing to buy the building."