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Ray Kroc was born on October 5th, 1902. Then he died January 14th, 1984 at the age of 81. He was 52 years old when he first started and bought McDonalds in 1961.

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Ray Kroc had also made two movies. One that he was in called "Some Call it Greed" and the other a autobiography about him titled "The Founder". He made lots of money in his life time and was said to have about $500 million when he died.

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Roy had 3 wifes each ended shortly after. He got married to the first, Ethel Fleming, in 1922 then divorced in 1961. The second one, Jane Dobbins Green, they got married 2 years after in 1963 then later on divorced in 1968. The final one got married in 1969 and stayed together till he died her name was Joan Kroc.

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The first ever McDonalds was opened in 1940 by brothers Maurice and Richard McDonalds in San Bernardino, California. In 1948 the brothers revamped the business and made it better quality food with low prices. In 1949 the restaurant was known for their 15 cent hamburgers, fries, and shakes. McDonalds became a huge success and the brother continued their career with 10 other restaurants.

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McDonald's Corporation (McDonald's) is one of the world's largest and most recognized fast-food chains, known for its hamburgers, french fries, and name-brand sandwiches such as the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, and Egg McMuffin, as well as the child-focused Happy Meal.

Based in Chicago, it is one of the most successful brands in marketing history. From its modest beginnings in the 1940s as a drive-in restaurant, McDonald's has undergone several transformative eras marked by pioneering innovations, milestones, and periods of controversy.

Business structure and charitable work

Although McDonald's is an iconic fast food chain, it is also a real estate company. The company owns-or has a long-term lease on-the land and building for each franchised location. Each franchisee pays for equipment, signs, seating, and decor. McDonald's Corporation's revenue is made up of rent, royalties, and fees paid by franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. It is also one of the world's largest private employers, with more than 150,000 company employees and 2,000,000 workers at franchised locations.

The first Ronald McDonald House, which housed families near hospitals where their children were receiving cancer treatment, was opened In 1974. By the early 21st century, more than 360 such houses existed around the world. Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) was established in 1987. In 2022, McDonald's customers and franchisees donated over $182 million to RMHC, which provided 2.2 million overnight stays around the world. McDonald's Corporation itself donated $20 million to RMHC in 2022, part of a $100 million pledge.

The company also donates millions of dollars to international relief efforts and local nonprofit organizations each year, and provides hundreds of thousands of dollars in community grants and scholarships. In 2022, more than $20 million was awarded in tuition assistance through the Archways to Opportunity program.

1940-1948: The birth of fast-food pioneers

The first McDonald's drive-in was opened in 1940 by brothers Maurice ("Mac") and Richard McDonald in San Bernardino, California. In 1948 the brothers revamped the business, and a newly envisioned McDonald's restaurant was created to produce huge quantities of food at low prices.

The brothers developed a simple, efficient format that they named the Speedee Service System, including a self-service counter that eliminated the need for waiters and waitresses. By 1949, the menu was condensed to include 15-cent hamburgers, shakes, and fries. Customers received their food quickly because hamburgers were cooked ahead of time, wrapped, and warmed under heat lamps.

McDonald's was a huge success, and the brothers began a franchise program of 10 restaurants plus their original San Bernardino location.

1954-1961: The Ray Kroc revolution

In 1954, Ray Kroc, a distributor for a special milkshake mixing machine, was intrigued by the McDonald brothers' need for eight mixers. Realizing there was great promise in their restaurant concept, Kroc became a franchise agent for the brothers. In April 1955, Kroc launched McDonald's Systems, Inc., later known as McDonald's Corporation, in Des Plaines, Illinois, where he also opened the first McDonald's franchise east of the Mississippi River. In 1961 Kroc bought out the McDonald brothers.

1961-1975: Standardization and expansion

Realizing that franchisees were vital to the company's success, Kroc developed exacting standards for how each McDonald's should be run, from food preparation to cleaning. To ensure the standardized operation of the outlets, he created a program in 1961, later known as Hamburger University, to train franchisees. In addition, he eventually changed the format of the restaurants, adding counter staff to take orders.

During this time McDonald's also introduced features that would define its brand and further public recognition:

In 1963, the public face of the company was introduced, a clown named Ronald McDonald; however, criticism over marketing to children and the growing negative perception of clowns resulted in the company largely sidelining the character in the early 21st century.

In 1968, McDonald's added the Big Mac to its national menu; the iconic hamburger went on to reportedly become the company's top-selling item after french fries.

During the 1960s the chain refined its logo, eventually debuting the famous double-arch M design, which became its enduring symbol and one of the most famous logos in the world; it was inspired by the tall yellow arches that had dominated earlier McDonald's restaurant rooftops.

In 1975 a McDonald's in Arizona opened the chain's first drive-through window, a feature that soon became ubiquitous.

These changes helped spur McDonald's growth. In less than 10 years after Kroc became the sole owner of McDonald's, the number of the chain's outlets topped 1,000. Boosted by these numbers, the company's stock began trading publicly in 1965.

1980s-1990s: Global dominance and diverse menu

The chain continued to expand domestically and internationally. In 1967 a franchise opened in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, McDonald's first location outside the United States. By the early 21st century, there were some 34,000 outlets operating in more than 115 countries and territories. Growth was so swift in the 1990s that it was said a new McDonald's opened somewhere in the world every five hours. It effectively became the most popular family restaurant by emphasizing affordable food, fun, and flavors that appealed to children and adults alike.

Over the years McDonald's also expanded its menu. In addition, restaurants in foreign countries also adapted their menus to appeal to local customs and tastes.

In the late 20th century, McDonald's moved beyond the hamburger business by acquiring Chipotle Mexican Grill (1998), Donatos Pizza (1999), and Boston Market (2000) in the United States, and in the United Kingdom McDonald's purchased Aroma Cafe (1999) and an interest in Pret a Manger (2001), a sandwich restaurant chain. However, by late 2008 McDonald's no longer owned or had a stake in any of those companies, instead concentrating on its own brand.

2000s: Facing challenges and criticisms

The success of McDonald's brought increased criticism, much of which concerned its perceived association with a global increase in obesity. In the early 2000s various lawsuits were filed against the company in the United States, alleging that its food caused health problems. Although none of the plaintiffs prevailed, a number of states passed bills banning obesity lawsuits against fast-food companies. McDonald's also experienced a backlash following the popular documentary Super Size Me (2004), in which the filmmaker saw his health drastically decline while on a diet of only McDonald's foods.

McDonald's responded to the criticism by adding healthy items to its menu, and it began developing a vegan "hamburger," variations of which would appear under such names as McVegan, P.L.T., and McPlant. In addition, in 2018 McDonald's announced that it had stopped using preservatives in most of its hamburgers. During this time the company also eliminated supersize portions, and its U.S. and Canadian restaurants stopped using trans fat in a number of items. Such measures, however, did little to stem health concerns.

As one of the world's largest private employers, McDonald's faced numerous calls to increase wages. The term was added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary to mean "low-paying job." The company was criticized for its negative impact on the environment, especially its contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. In the early 21st century, McDonald's launched initiatives to reduce emissions at its restaurants and in its suppliers' production of beef. In addition, the company's packaging was a source of concern, and during this time McDonald's launched a program to move toward renewable or recycled bags, utensils, and other items.

Amid the controversy, however, McDonald's Corporation continues to grow internationally and domestically, continuing the core strengths established by Ray Kroc: delivering fast food at value prices and in a friendly atmosphere, with aggressive marketing of its restaurants. Its 2020s strategy calls this "Committing to the Core," with a focus on what it calls the 4 Ds: Digital, delivery, drive-through, and (restaurant) development.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Nancy Ashburn.

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McDonald's is an American fast-food chain that is one of the world's largest; it is known for its hamburgers, especially Big Macs. Other popular items include Egg McMuffins, Happy Meals, and Chicken McNuggets. Learn more about McDonald's, including its history.

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In 1954 Ray Kroc got intrigued by the brothers and their work. He became a franchise agent for them and their organization. In 1955 Roy launched his first McDonalds in Des Plaines, Illinois. Later in 1961 Roy bought out the brothers and became the new founder of McDonalds.

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Later on, Roy developed important standards for each McDonald's and how every step should be done. Roy made a university called "Hamburger University" where they would get taught all the rules and steps of working there. They started making lots of changes which McDonald is still known for now. 1963 is when the face of McDonald's "Ronald McDonald" came out. Later in 1968, they added the iconic Big Mac to their menu, immediately a key item. Then later on in the 1960s, they got their iconic M logo which is what they are now known for.

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It is one of the most American brands in the world. Right up there next to Coca Cola , Mickey Mouse and the Yankees there are the golden arches. Operating over 30,000 restaurants in over 100 countries, McDonald's is arguably the most successful restaurant in the entire world.

And it all started with a hot dog stand.

Founding of McDonald's

Brothers Maurice and Richard McDonald started the first McDonald's restaurant in 1948 by converting their drive-through barbecue restaurant into a burger and milkshake joint. Located in San Bernardino, California, the restaurant was actually the brothers' second venture into the food industry. Their first was a hot dog stand that the pair owned near the Santa Anita track.

The original McDonald's focused on its burgers, fries and shakes, selling them for half the price and in half the time of competing restaurants. It did this by changing the way that a hamburger shop operated. Instead of relying on waiters and waitresses, the McDonald brothers installed a self-service counter. Instead of cooking each meal to order, they prepared their burgers ahead of time and kept the food warm under high-powered heat lamps.

Readers might recognize this as the basic design of the modern fast food restaurant, but at the time it gave McDonald's an overwhelming edge against its traditional competitors.

This format eventually brought the McDonald brothers to the attention of kitchen appliance salesman Ray Kroc who supplied the restaurant. Impressed by their business model, Kroc bought the rights to begin franchising McDonald's restaurants nationwide, although at the time the brothers had already licensed a small number of franchise restaurants in Arizona and California. In 1955 Kroc formed the McDonald's Corporation and Kroc opened his first franchised restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois.

While Maurice and Richard McDonald created the first restaurant and its food service business model, arguably it is Kroc who founded McDonald's as the world now knows it. He took the individual restaurant from its San Bernardino location and turned it mass-market. By 1961, Kroc had bought out the founders entirely and ran the company himself.

In doing so, Kroc made himself the most successful traveling salesman to ever pack a suitcase.

Timeline of McDonald's

Arguably one of the most impressive elements of McDonald's corporate history is how little modern history it has. During its first decades, McDonald's worked to establish its business model and brand. Since that time it has found an approach that works. The company's modern history is noteworthy specifically for its relatively few items of note. McDonald's has continued its rapid growth for nearly 70 years and, while it has gained and lost customers, new restaurants have opened at a steady pace.

To a degree that few other businesses can claim, the McDonald's approach can be described as "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

1937 - The McDonald brothers start their hot dog stand, getting into the food service business as a team.

1940 - They open their barbecue restaurant in San Bernardino, the world's first McDonald's restaurant. There is no current information on whether they sold barbecue rib sandwiches, but we would like to think they did.

1948 - The McDonald brother turn their restaurant into a hamburger and milkshake restaurant, and in the process are credited with inventing the modern service model of fast food. In later memoirs the brothers would credit their process to Henry Ford, saying that they modeled their restaurant around his assembly lines in Detroit.

1953 - McDonald's opens its first franchise restaurant in Phoenix. While not a focus of Maurice and Richard McDonald, they did open multiple restaurants in Arizona and California during the company's early years.

1954 - Ray Kroc, a traveling appliance salesman, visits the McDonald's restaurant to discover why a small hamburger shop needs as many milkshake machines as it does. He buys the rights to franchise McDonald's restaurants across the country.

1955 - Kroc opens his first franchised restaurant, arguably the first restaurant of the modern McDonald's company, in Des Plaines, Illinois.

1956 - Kroc and Harry Sonnenborn develop a financial model in which McDonald's would own the land on which its franchisees build their restaurants. That model continues to this day, and is often considered one of the most significant financial decisions the company has ever made.

1959 - Kroc names Sonnenborn the first CEO of the McDonald's company.

1961 - Kroc buys out the McDonald brothers for $2.6 million (approximately $22.3 million in 2019 equivalent). The brothers keep their original restaurant, renamed Big M. Kroc later opened a competing McDonald's nearby that drove them and the first-ever McDonald's out of business by the end of the decade.

1962/63 - McDonald's launches its two most recognizable logos: the golden arches and Ronald McDonald.

1965 - McDonald's launches its public stock.

1967 - Kroc pushes Sonnenborn out and takes the position of CEO himself. Meanwhile, McDonald's opens its first international restaurant in Canada.

1974 - The first Ronald McDonald House opens.

1984 - Kroc dies.

1990 - McDonald's opens a restaurant in Pushkin Square, Moscow. Given the cultural status of the restaurant, this is seen as a symbolic moment in the end of the Cold War. According to the restaurant's website, it served more than 30,000 Russian citizens on the first day.

1993 - The company opens its first McCafe, McDonald's attempt to run a coffee restaurant, in Australia.

1996 - McDonald's has entered an era of rapid growth. From 1988 - 1996 the company doubles its number of restaurants, opening location number 20,000 this year.

1998/1999 - McDonald's as a corporation begins to aggressively expand past its traditional business model. It acquires companies including Chipotle and Boston Market, although it would later divest itself of these holdings.

2000 - By the end of the 1990s, McDonald's has opened more than 11,000 restaurants outside of the U.S.

2013 - In another symbolic moment, McDonald's opens its first restaurant in Vietnam.

2015 - In an effort to create new energy around its brand, McDonald's launches its all-day breakfast menu. This has largely been regarded as a failure, as it generally regarded as splitting an existing customer base rather than bringing new customers into the restaurant.

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McDonald's Controversies

McDonald's has been the target of a number of high-profile lawsuits during the company's lifetime. Most notably was the infamous "coffee lawsuit" of the early 1990s.

In 1994 Stella Liebeck sued the company after spilling a cup of their coffee that gave her third degree burns across her legs and thighs. McDonald's had heated the coffee to over 190 degrees, causing injuries that hospitalized Liebeck and led to more than $20,000 in medical bills. The company refused to pay for Liebeck's treatment. It instead offered $800 in compensation, ultimately leading to the lawsuit.

More consistently, McDonald's has been the subject of concerns about the health impact of its food. Critics consistently point to the chain as a symbol of American issues with obesity, and argue that its drive toward low-cost, low-quality meals has contributed substantially to this problem. Arguably the high point of this bad press came with the 2004 documentary "Super Size Me," in which the film maker Morgan Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald's meals and always accepted a cashier's offer to "super size" his meal. (This referred to a now-discontinued practice of offering customers one size bigger than large, known as "supersize.")

Spurlock's film focused on the dramatic ways in which eating only McDonald's food affected his health, including warnings from his doctor that this diet could kill him. Over the course of his month-long experiment he gained nearly one pound a day.

Critics of this movie have pointed out that it only shows what happen when you abuse a product. McDonald's in particular responded to Spurlock's film by arguing that it does not recommend that people eat there every day in the way shown.

Modern McDonald's

In recent years McDonald's has been one of many fast food restaurants targeted by the labor movement for its business and hiring practices. The Service Employees International Union has led multiple strikes against fast food locations around the country, frequently including McDonald's restaurants. This became known as the Fight for Fifteen, a push to raise the national minimum wage to $15 an hour.

While McDonald's has not taken an aggressive stand on the issue, it has slowly begun rolling out automated ordering kiosks at some of its restaurants. Then, in 2019, it acquired the artificial intelligence company Apprente. This acquisition is generally seen as a signal that McDonald's intends to further emphasize a low-employee, high-technology and self-service business model to cut down on costs.

Considering that the McDonald brothers opened their hamburger restaurant by firing all 20 of their waitresses in favor of self-service, a move which allowed them to offer hamburgers for only 15 cents apiece, this would represent nothing new.

McDonald's Stock

While McDonald's stock has fluctuated over the course of 2019, the year has shown a general trend of overall growth. The share price moved from $176 at the beginning of the year to a high of $221. Over several months prices have fluctuated within 20 points, but have not dipped below $200 a share since early June.

Arguably more important, this takes place in a context of strong historic growth. McDonald's has shared in the stock market's boom in the years since 2009, and in the past 15 years has seen a significant growth in share price.

In January 2004 the company's stock traded for approximately $25 per share. The years since then have seen that grow nearly tenfold.

Much of that growth has occurred in the past five years. In late 2015 McDonald's corporate stock had spent several years trending at or just below $100 per share. Starting in 2016 the price began a steady climb. Despite some dips, most noticeable in early 2018 when shares lost nearly 20 points of value, in the past four years McDonald's corporate stock has doubled in value to its current prices of $200 - $220.

At the time of publication, the author was long McDonald's.

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History of McDonald's: Timeline and Facts

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Big Macs. Chicken McNuggets. The legendary Egg McMuffin. It all started with a hot dog and a drive-through barbecue restaurant.

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There are so many McDonalds that there's said to be more McDonalds restaurants then hospitals.

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McDonalds is one of the largest disturbers of toys giving away around 1.5 billion toys each year.

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Multiple celebrities have worked at McDonalds before. Some are pink, Jeff Bezos, Rachel McAdams, Macy Gray, and more.

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The famous McDonalds jingle was co written by Pharell and recorded by Justin Timberlake.

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It started as a BBQ restaurant

Seventy-five years ago, in 1940, brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald opened up the first McDonald's restaurant-a BBQ joint-in San Bernardino, California (it's now a museum). Eight years later, they switched to burgers, shakes, potato chips, and pie. The McDonalds purchased several Multi-mixers for use in their establishment, and when Multi-mixer salesman Ray Kroc visited, he was impressed by their success and efficiency. Kroc purchased franchise rights from the brothers. In 1955, he opened his first franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois. Looking for more McDonald's facts? This is the first McDonald's menu ever.

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75 of the Craziest Facts About McDonald's

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Seventy-five years ago, in 1940, brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald opened up the first McDonald's restaurant-a BBQ joint-in San Bernardino, California (it's now a museum). Eight years later, they switched to burgers, shakes, potato chips, and pie. The McDonalds purchased several Multi-mixers for use in their establishment, and when Multi-mixer salesman Ray Kroc visited, he was impressed by their success and efficiency.