The first McDonald's restaurant was established in 1940, run by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States.
The McDonald's Corporation was founded in 1940 as a restaurant run by Richard and Maurice McDonald in San Bernardino, California. The Golden Arches logo was used for the first time in 1953 in Phoenix, Arizona, when the company changed their business setup to a hamburger stand.
In 1955, Ray Kroc, a businessman, joined the company. Later, he bought the chain from the McDonald brothers. McDonald's former global headquarters were in Oak Brook, Illinois, but the company moved to Chicago in June 2018.
As of 2022, McDonald's is the biggest restaurant chain in the world. Each day, it serves over 69 million customers in over 100 countries in more than 40,000 restaurants. Rent, royalties, and fees are paid by the McDonald's Corporation's franchisees. Sales in company-operated restaurants also help pay these costs.
Two reports from 2018 say that McDonald's is the second-largest private employer in the world, with 1.7 million employees. As of 2020, McDonald's is ranked ninth in the world for brand value.
How did McDonald’s start?
Richard and Maurice McDonald, founders of the McDonald's restaurant chain, opened their first location in San Bernardino, California. In 1948, the brothers introduced the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant that White Castle had followed in the same year.
McDonald's introduced the Golden Arches as its universal mascot in 1962. Then Ronald McDonald was introduced as a mascot by McDonald's. He appeared in advertisements targeted towards their target audience of children.
On May 4, 1961, McDonald's filed a trademark application for “McDonald's” with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. McDonald's sought to trademark a new logo featuring an overlapping M symbol.
Previous to this, McDonald's used a single arch for their buildings. The current version of the Golden Arches logo was not used until November 18, 1968, when the company received a U.S. trademark.
The present corporation credits its founding to Ray Kroc, a franchised businessman, on April 15, 1955. Kroc was known for being a tough business partner who got the McDonald brothers to leave the business.
In his book, he wrote that he and the McDonald brothers fought over who would control the business. In 1961, he purchased the McDonald brothers’ share of the company and began to expand it worldwide. The sale cost the company more than $2 million. In 1971, the San Bernardino restaurant was destroyed, and in 1998, the site was sold to the Juan Pollo chain.
Juan Pollo's headquarters is now located in this area, as well as a McDonald's and a Route 66 museum. Because McDonald's has opened many stores in different countries, it has become a symbol of globalization.
FAQs
Q. Where was the first McDonald’s?
A. The first McDonald’s was located in San Bernardino, California, United States.
Q. Who founded McDonald's?
A. Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald’s, but since Ray Kroc initiated the franchise corporation that McDonald’s is today, he is often referred to as the founder.
Q. How old is McDonald’s?
A. The original brand is 82 years old, while the franchise corporation was founded in 1955, making it 67 years old.
Q. When did McDonald’s start?
A. McDonald’s was founded on May 15, 1940.
