Global
A man who spotted an opportunity and millions of satisfied customers turned McDonald’s into one of the most recognised brand names in the world.
Once Upon a Time …
In 1954, a milkshake machine salesman called Ray Kroc got an unusually large order from the McDonald brothers’ popular hamburger outlet in California. Curious to find out more, he paid them a visit and was fascinated by what he saw.
The menu was short, simple and cheap but the hamburgers were great, the fries were made from fresh potatoes and the shakes were thicker than the average milkshake. It seemed to be a recipe for success.
So Ray put a proposition to the McDonald brothers: “Let me open new McDonald’s stores and I’ll pay you for the use of the name and the idea”. The brothers accepted and Ray opened his first store in Des Plaines, Illinois, just north of Chicago.
By 1960 McDonald’s was a runaway success. Ray had opened 200 restaurants throughout the USA and within five years, the company went public and became the McDonald’s Corporation.
Today McDonald’s has more than 30,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. Every day, meals are served to more than 50 million people worldwide.
McDonald’s: A Brief History
1955
Ray Kroc opens the first McDonald’s in Des Plaines, Illinois.
1958
McDonald’s worldwide sold its 100 millionth hamburger.
1962
The Golden Arches™ became the company logo.
1963
The Filet-o-Fish is developed by Lou Green of Cincinnati, Ohio, for Roman Catholic customers who abstained from meat on Fridays.
1966
Ronald McDonald makes his first national television appearance. McDonald’s stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
1968
The Big Mac is added to the menu.
1974
The first Ronald McDonald House opens in Philadelphia, USA.
1975
McDonald’s celebrates its 20th anniversary. The Drive-Thru concept is unveiled in Oklahoma. The Egg McMuffin is added to the menu.
1978
The 5,000th restaurant opens in Fujisawa City, Japan.
1984
Ray Kroc, McDonald’s Founder and Senior Chairman, dies and Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities (RMCC) is established in his memory.
1986
McDonald’s opens its first restaurant near the North Pole, with the address McDonald’s, Santa Claus Lane, North Pole, Alaska.
1987
McDonald’s is serving 20 million people a day in nearly 10,000 restaurants in 47 countries.
1990
The world’s largest McDonald’s with 900 seats opens in Pushkin Square, Moscow. A McDonald’s restaurant opens somewhere in the world every 14.5 hours.
1993
The world’s first McCafé opens in Melbourne, Victoria.
1999
McDonald’s opens its 25,000th restaurant in Chicago, USA.
2000
McDonald’s is the Official Restaurant of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Australia. McDonald’s opens its first restaurant in American Samoa, its 120th country.
2001
The McFamily rallies to support those affected by the 11 September events through donations of food, services and money. RMHC is named one of the top 100 charities by Worth Magazine.
2004
The Happy Meal celebrates 25 years (1979-2004).
2005
McDonald’s celebrates its 50th Anniversary on 15 April.