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Post by AnthonyV on Apr 15, 2005 21:26:32 GMT -5
This week marks the 50th anniversary of the official national franchising of a McDonalds Hamburgers restaurant outside of California - the first being built in Des Plains, Illinois by Mc Donalds franchise agent Ray Kroc.
Contrary to what many falsely believe, Ray Kroc included, KROC WAS NOT THE FOUNDER OF MC DONALDS as he often claimed. That distinction goes exclusively to brothers Richard and Maurice Mc Donald who built and sold their original Mc Donalds 15 cent hamburgers out of San Bernadino, CA.
Just a little burger trivia.
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Post by FlyinGN on Apr 18, 2005 7:37:43 GMT -5
Then why was Ray Kroc naned the founder instead of the MacDonald bros? Thats seems odd.. Whats th erest of the story I wonder?
Frank
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Post by novacancy on Apr 18, 2005 10:10:02 GMT -5
Yes, I read about their story in the book "Fast Food Nation." Interesting book. Explains a lot about the "generisizing" of America and how our country has become a collection of towns that are no longer distinguishable from one another as everything looks (as really IS) the same. Kind of like Wildwood, hmmm.
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Post by AnthonyV on Apr 18, 2005 10:53:43 GMT -5
Frank,
Tell me this story doesn't resonate with some current familiarity!
I guess it's because Kroc was basically full of himself to a point. While competitive and determined to make McDonalds a giant franchise force, Kroc was almost like the PT Barnum of the fast-food industry he helped create!
You have to give the devil his due though: What Kroc did for McDonalds was expand the chain at an exceptional rate that was unheard of in the fast-food business.
Where the McDonald brothers thought no more than expanding their business regionally in and around California, Kroc thought on a much larger scale than anyone could have imagined for the franchise. What Kroc also did was "assembly line" the way hamburgers were cooked and served as fast-food.
The McDonald brothers were always very angry at the way Kroc was identified with their business and the way he took credit as the "foundeer" of their restaurants - especially after he bought them out sometime in the early '60s for a cool $2.7 million. After the sale Kroc forced the brothers to rename any of their existing stands that would not be operatingf as part of his McDonalds chain "Big M."
The truth is that McDonalds already had about 24 hamburger stands around California long before Kroc was hired, and had already began to revolutionize the fast-food industry through design and procedure.
Another good read is David Halberstam's 1993 book THE FIFTIES, which takes a good look at McDonalds and Kroc as it pertained to that decade.
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Post by FlyinGN on Apr 18, 2005 11:18:09 GMT -5
interesting Anthony. very interesting. I knew this .. Thanks..
Frank
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