The History Of McDonalds

Brothers Richard & Maurice McDonald, together known as the ‘McDonald Brothers’, were successful entrepreneurs & the original founders of McDonalds. Their very first McDonalds location was opened in 1940 in California, where their primary focus was on high-quality and fast service. Upon meeting Ray Kroc, they were given a great business opportunity, where he was hired as their franchising agent. In franchise parlance, Ray Kroc transformed a small restaurant in an already busy city into a “destination”. His company, McDonald’s System Inc (to eventually become McDonald’s Corporation), continues to thrive today. They have expanded into many other countries over the past forty-five years.

It is easy to understand the story behind the company, and how the founder came up with the original idea. They are the best-selling fast food brand in the world, selling burgers, fries, coffee, milkshakes, breakfast items and more. McDonald’s has grown from being a local hamburger joint to a nationwide franchise, with more than 18,000 locations in the United States & 37,000 throughout the world. It is fascinating to speculate on how things may have turned out if only one McDonalds store had been opened in a particular area! A History of McDonald’s: The Making of America’s restaurant (Chronicle Press) is a book you won’t be disappointed if you are passionate about learning about history. It is a very fascinating story.

The book covers a lot of ground, from the beginning of the McDonald’s company all the way through to the present and what has been accomplished. The latest installment of the book explains how and why the founder of  McDonald’s decided on a color scheme for the iconic golden arches — there is a scientific reason behind it! The book also reveals how they approached marketing, what their original position was regarding franchising and how they modified their business strategy. You can also find valuable information about the legal structure and the best ways to go about franchising a company. It is worth reading about the brief history of McDonalds and get a better understanding of how McDonalds has been successful for so long. The highlight of the book is all about the franchise system and what has been achieved. It was 1950s fast food that gave the franchise its modern form, with not only McDonald’s but Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken and more. The entire company is covered in the book; everything starting with the most basic details, to business conduct, product or operating formulas to their entire operations. If you love franchises and have dreams of running your own McDonalds restaurant one day, this is the book for you.

The History of McDonald’s has three parts. The first chapter focuses on how McDonalds was founded, the initial McDonald’s experience, as well as how McDonalds have changed over the years. This section examines the many McDonalds locations around the globe and the changes they have undergone since being introduced. The third and final chapter looks at how the franchising company changed and how those changes have affected their franchisees around the world. Each section is impressive, and it will allow you to really get a better understanding of the company’s history and changes that have taken place over the years.

The first part of the book looks at the origins of the very first McDonalds restaurant. In 1954, Ray Kroc was passing through San Bernardino, California and came across a small hamburger stand, run by Dick & Mac McDonald. This was the original McDonald’s – a  small stand on the side of the road. Customers could order from a simple menu that consisted of just a few items: Fifteen-cent hamburgers, french fries & shakes. Although the McDonald brothers were able to envision their restaurant as a huge success, they needed some extra help in taking their business to the next level & yield impressive profits.

The History of McDonald’s Part 2 examines how the McDonald’s franchise concept was launched in America by Ray Kroc. There would be many franchises in the United States and all throughout the globe. The success of the fast food brothers would spark other similar ideas in other companies and as a result, today we have some of the most popular fast-food franchises. Because of the simplicity of their franchise concepts, companies like McDonald’s, Burger King, & KFC are hugely successful.

The very final chapter of The History of McDonalds focuses on the history of how another company, KFC was established and developed into a Franchise in the 50’s. KFC was originally founded by Colonel Harland Sanders, who began his business selling fried chicken from a roadside restaurant and was competing against the hamburger. Soon after, the business became to much for him to handle and from there he sold his company to a group of investors, with Brown Jr. & Massey who took charge. KFC was one of the very first fast-food chains who expanded and established global operations.

McDonald’s to this day remains one of the most profitable franchises to own. Franchising may not have become what it is today, if it wasn’t for the work of Ray Kroc and his incredible vision. He envisioned seeing restaurants like McDonalds all over the country, and the McDonald brothers were looking for just that. If you enjoy learning about great marketing stories, and how big names have built up their brand & made some of the best decisions based on a sound business model, then this is the book for you.