Founded in 1955 by Maurice and Richard McDonald, mcdonalds is the world’s largest quick-service restaurant chain. It operates more than 31,000 restaurants in 119 countries on six continents. Almost half of its restaurants are company owned, while the rest are run by franchisees or joint ventures with local businesspeople.
In addition to its famous Big Mac hamburger, the fast-food giant has expanded its menu to include chicken sandwiches, salads, wraps, desserts, soft drinks and other items. The company also serves breakfast items, including eggs, bacon and hash browns.
Kroc’s vision and dedication to quality were key to the company’s success, as he established exacting standards for McDonald’s outlets from food preparation to cleaning. He also created a training program for franchisees and introduced drive-through windows.
Realizing that the restaurant’s growth was primarily dependent on its franchisees, Kroc began establishing franchises as soon as possible. This allowed him to control the uniformity of the restaurants, and also to give his franchisees price breaks. He was cautious, however, about giving his company too much control over the quality of its products; he wanted to ensure that the products were made by high-quality suppliers.
His commitment to customer service was another key factor in the company’s success. He encouraged employees to wear uniforms, and he set strict rules for adherence to the same standards across all stores.
He aimed to have his restaurants open at 6:00 a.m., and he hired counter staff to handle customer orders. He was a self-described “people person,” and he made it a point to visit each of his restaurants daily, to make sure that they were doing well.
As Kroc opened more and more McDonald’s stores, he gradually developed the company into an international powerhouse. In 1961 he bought out the McDonald brothers and became the sole owner of the company.
In the years that followed, McDonald’s restaurants grew exponentially, fueled by the increasing popularity of suburban living and the rise of the automobile in the United States. It also expanded its menu to accommodate changing consumer tastes and preferences. In the 1980s, for example, McDonald’s added Chicken McNuggets to its repertoire, and in 1987 ready-to-eat salads were added to its lineup.
By the 1990s, mcdonalds had surpassed its competition in sales volume and systemwide revenue. It was also a leading player in the fast-food industry, serving more than 46 million people a day.
Today, mcdonalds operates more than 31,000 restaurants in 119 markets worldwide, with systemwide sales exceeding $46 billion. About 9,000 of these are company owned, while the remainder are operated by franchisees or by joint ventures with local businesses.
The mcdonalds brand has grown to become synonymous with the American way of life. It has changed the way Americans eat, and it is becoming more and more popular around the globe as consumers look for a fast-food experience they can find anywhere.
Having achieved a dominant position in the United States, McDonald’s is now focused on expanding its reach abroad and diversifying its menu to appeal to consumers who want more than just a burger and milkshake. Its strategy, known as “think global, act local,” includes such diverse offerings as the gazpacho burger in Spain and the black-and-white burger in China.
