McDonald’s is the largest fast-food restaurant chain with offices in more than 100 countries of the world and about 38 thousand establishments!
The history of the first roadside cafe began in the state of California, the city of San Bernardino. Dick and Mac MacDonald – thick as thieves, they always had fun together, it seemed like no one else was needed. What one said, the other picked up. Idea after idea. The brothers tried a lot and wanted more. So, after an unsuccessful attempt to become directors in Hollywood and the opening of a cinema, they tried something new at that time.
The 40s of the twentieth century in California are called a car boom. New and tempting propositions appear for new needs: open-air churches – “pray without leaving your car”; cinemas – “watch movies right in the seat of your car”; and so-called drives – restaurants where you could buy food right from the window.
The brothers decide to try to make a curbside restaurant. It was a successful endeavor that makes them rich over the years. Not such luck that being in business and not to face difficulties. No, the restaurant business was at its peak and there was nothing to complain about. But Richard and Maurice were observant and daring. Seeing teenagers and local youth making noise and quarreling, breaking dishes, flirting with waitresses – they began to look for a solution. Plus, the chefs were always asking for a raise, and there were many items on the menu that weren’t sold very often.
Richard and Maurice decide to take a risky move. They are told: “You are crazy, you cannot do that! You can’t close such a successful restaurant!” But the brothers, who always support each other, decide to revise the work of the institution and leave for reconstruction.
Maybe it was crazy to remove 87% of the items from the menu, leaving only the most frequently sold ones – hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and French fries. This also reduced the number of staff, who now had to wear a uniform – trousers, a shirt, and a cap, and bans on bright makeup, flashy jewelry, and perfumes appeared in the rules. The dishes were changed to disposable paper. The technological process of preparation was set up so clearly that now a customer received his order in 30 seconds! And what is even more surprising – all this could be observed behind the glass wall of the building – for the first time!
Brothers were happy, but they didn’t feel much different from those times when success was only a dream for them. They continued to remain homebodies- once a week to go to boxing and that’s all, otherwise, they still had enough of each other’s company. But apparently, the brothers themselves did not yet fully understand that their idea could gain popularity all over the world. Or maybe they didn’t want it.
To the questions “Would you like to feed the whole world with hamburgers?” Less ambitious guys answered that they don’t want to change their lifestyle, they don’t like to wander back and forth, they don’t want to live in motels and toil with additional taxes.
These conversations would have remained just conversations, if not for Raymond Kroc – the salesman, thanks to whom the whole world learned about McDonald’s.
Ray Kroc was not very successful at the time, but a very persistent and hardworking 52-year-old traveling salesman who was involved in selling mixers in the restaurant industry. Somehow, he received a large order from some roadside cafe, and he wondered who his customers were? Ray had a good intuition to go there. Having arrived at the establishment, the first thing he saw was huge queues at the window for issuing orders, but he was immediately reassured: “Don’t worry, everything is very fast here.” Indeed, Ray was stunned by the speed of the staff, and the order was also issued in paper packages – not heard or seen! He wanted to get to know the owners even more.
Their meeting was productive, especially for Ray. After all, he is now on fire with the idea of McDonald’s! Ray, being assertive and determined, tried to convince the brothers to sell him a stake in the business to sell franchises. To do this, he had to bring his house and all his property to the outpost, but Ray was ambitious and very brave.
Ray began his journey with lengthy and difficult negotiations with future investors. One day he came to the director of a large company, Mr. Ryder, and began to confidently “sell” the idea of an innovative McDonald’s burger. Mr. Ryder listened attentively and evaluated the already middle-aged businessman. He seemed to be remembering something. Raising his glasses, Ryder asks Ray: “Have we met somewhere?”. Ray is embarrassed because they crossed paths when the salesman advertised folding tables for the kitchen. Ray Kroc does not show this weakness and continues to be confident, passionately explaining the plans for the future restaurant.
Dick and Mac MacDonald are the brothers who created the perfect McDonald’s fast food system and are the founders of the very concept of fast food. They would have stayed with a small fast food restaurant, albeit very elaborate. Without unnecessary ambition and aspirations of the owners, it is not known how the share of this institution would have developed.
Ray Kroc, thanks to his incredible passion for business and assertiveness, achieved simply colossal results and became the owner of the McDonald’s corporation. The creation and management of such a giant corporation would not have been possible without a high level of emotional intelligence and fortitude!
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