McDonald’s is arguably the most recognizable fast food chain brand in the world right now. It operates in 100+ countries with 38,000 locations. For more than 80 years, it has held strong as an icon for American culture right up there with Mickey Mouse, Coca Cola and the Yankees. We spend more money at McDonald’s than any other fast food chain in the country.
But how did McDonald’s came about? Let’s take a closer look at the origin story of McDonald’s and how this brand has achieved such incomparable success.
What is the story behind McDonald’s?
In 1937, brothers Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald from New Hampshire moved to California in search of better opportunities. They had a simple idea: to open a fast food restaurant. They believed that focusing on simplicity and speed could completely transform the food industry.
Their very first McDonald’s was a drive-in which opened in 1940 in San Bernardino, California. Eight years later they decided to change the business in a way that would allow them to produce more food at low prices.
They designed a concept called Speedee Service System which took out the need for waiters and waitresses and replaced them with a self-service counter. Food was cooked in advance and warmed under heat lamps. They were able to sell their food items at half the price of local competitors.
McDonald’s was a huge success and it didn’t take long before brothers Mac and Dick started a franchise program of 10 restaurants along with the original location in San Bernardino.
What was the original concept that McDonald’s opened with?
According to this post by Business Insider, the very first McDonald’s restaurant was a barbecue joint. In fact, it was named McDonald’s Bar-B-Q, a drive in which delivered food orders to guests who sat in their vehicles. The brothers made over $200,000 annually.
By 1948, the brothers revamped the McDonald’s menu to include only nine items – hamburgers, cheeseburgers, soft drinks, coffee, milk, pie and potato chips. They sold their hamburgers for 15 cents each, or half the price of local competitors. In 1949 potato chips were replaced by French fries and they also added milkshakes to their menu.
In 1954, Ray Kroc, a salesman for the Multimixer milkshake machine became intrigued by the McDonald’s brothers’ 8 mixer requirement. Impressed by their restaurant concept and streamlined processes, Kroc was eager to get involved and so he became the first McDonald’s franchise agent. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Learn more about large fry at McDonald’s
When did McDonald’s start in the world?
If you’re familiar with the Ray Kroc story and how in 1955 he opened his very first McDonald’s in Des Plaines, IL, you’d probably think that this was when McDonald’s started. However, as I’ve discussed above, McDonald’s had a much earlier start – in 1940. The McDonald’s Bar-B-Que was a BBQ drive-in that was popular for their hotdogs and then eventually shifted to burgers sold at half the usual price.
Where was the first McDonald’s located?
The very first McDonald’s was located near Pasadena, or more specifically, in San Bernardino, California. The McDonald’s brothers initially opened a movie theater as they were attracted by the motion picture industry. But it wasn’t profitable so they moved on to their next business idea, a drive-in restaurant.
How did McDonald’s go global?
Time Magazine’s 2009 article titled “A Brief History of McDonald’s Abroad” gives us a glimpse of how this fast food giant expanded its reach to the world. Its first international franchise opened in 1967 in British Columbia, and a year later in Costa Rica. By 1971 it had locations in 3 other continents, Asia (Japan), Europe (Holland) and Australia (Sydney). By 1996, McDonald’s Corporation expanded to its 100th nation – Belarus.
Does the original McDonald’s still exist?
Unfortunately, the original McDonald’s location in San Bernardino, California was demolished in 1972. I drove by the area a couple of years ago while I was exploring Route 66 and was surprised to find out that the first McDonald’s has become the First Original McDonald’s Museum.
In this museum, you can find memorabilia including images of the very first logo and mascot (Speedy), a copy of the original McDonald’s menu, a prototype of ketchup dispensing gun, a piece of the original flooring, and so much more.
In a Nutshell
McDonald’s was founded in 1940 by brothers Dick and Mac McDonald’s. The very first McDonald’s location was in San Bernardino, California. The world’s largest fast food chain had humble beginnings and yet it continues to achieve great success 80+ years after it first started.