McDonald's - The Rise of Globalization and American Lifestyle

Founded by Ray Kroc, McDonald's has grown into a global company with more than 36,000 locations in 58 countries. It is a symbol of the rise of globalization and American lifestyle.

The first McDonald's restaurant opened in Des Plaines, Illinois, near Chicago, on April 15, 1955. Several years later, the company opened its first drive-thru window in Oklahoma City. In 1997, it became the largest fast-food chain in the world.

Kroc was a former salesman who knew that success would depend on the franchising of the business. He wanted to give franchisees a price break and to control the uniformity of the stores. He also believed that the quality of the product could be sacrificed in the name of profit.

Throughout his career, Kroc continued to improve his system. He developed the Hamburger University program to train new franchisees. He established exact standards for McDonald's restaurants.

He also changed the format of the McDonald's restaurant. He decided to add a self-service counter that allowed customers to order and pay for their food without a waiter.

When Kroc bought the company, McDonald's had fourteen franchised units. But after the brothers failed to license their restaurant, Kroc volunteered to franchise it. He purchased the company for $2.7 million.

He reorganized the Franchisee Relations Department into five independent geographic divisions. He added the "Did Somebody Say McDonald's?" advertising campaign to the company's arsenal.

In the early 1960s, McDonald's began to take off. It opened one restaurant every five hours. It began adding new products to its menu. In 1969, the company sold five billion hamburgers.