Infographic: How McDonald's Super Sized the Fast Food Franchise Business

No other restaurant in the world enjoys the same level of popularity and success as McDonald’s. From humble beginnings, the Golden Arches have risen worldwide. Promising quick and predictable fare, consumers continue to love what the company offers.

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Getting Down to Business

1940 – Founded as a single barbecue joint by Mac and Dick McDonald in San Bernardino, California with 20 carhops and 125 vehicle stalls

1952 – First franchise sold to Neil Fox of Phoenix for $950. His restaurant featured the first Golden Arches.

1955 – Ray Kroc, a Multimixers salesman, opens his first McDonald’s franchise

1958 – McDonald’s sells its one hundred millionth burger

1961 – Ray Kroc buys the exclusive rights to the McDonald’s name for $2.7 million

1966 – Ronald McDonald appears in his first TV commercial, people instantly love him

1967 – First international franchise opens in British Columbia, Canada

1971 – First restaurants open in Japan, Holland, and Australia

1975 – First ever drive-through location opens in Sierra Vista, Arizona

1988 – 10,000th restaurant opens in Dale City, Virginia

1990 – First restaurant opens in the Soviet Union

1996 – McDonalds.com launches

1998 – New “Made For You” platform allows restaurants to customize orders with greater ease

2001 – McDonald’s Co. Japan first appears on Nasdaq exchange on July 26

2003 – “Plan to Win” initiative launches, with focuses on People, Product, Place, Price, and Promotion

2008 – 31,967 locations in 118 countries

2010 – Over 28,000 store locations offer free WiFi to customers

2011 – McDonald’s operates in 119 countries after opening first locations in Trinidad & Tobago, Bosnia and Herzegovina

2012 – McDonald’s renews Olympic Games TOP Sponsor status all the way through the 2020 Games

2015 – Some locations start using touchscreen kiosks to take customer orders

2017 – First-quarter results show enhanced all-day breakfast increased same-store sales by 1.7% nationwide

2017 – “Experience of the Future” initiative unveiled, including delivery of food to tables and restaurant makeovers

2017 – Over 36,000 restaurants worldwide, over 80% of locations franchised, 1.9 million corporate and franchise employees

Big Menu Shakeups

1948 – Menu selection slashed from 25 to 9 items to speed up food production. Barbecue didn’t make the cut.

1949 – French fries replace potato chips

1968 – Big Mac launches

1973 – Quarter Pounder debuts

1975 – Egg McMuffin launches nationwide

1979 – First Happy Meal introduced, has a circus wagon theme

1982 – McRib first appears

1983 – Chicken McNuggets join national menu

1984 – McDLT with two-sided hot and cold container introduced

1989 – McPizza launches in select markets

1991 – Chicken Fajitas and Breakfast Burritos introduced

2000 – Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait launches

2002 – Dollar Menu introduced

2003 – Premium Salads join the national menu

2006 – Snack Wraps launched

2011 – New Happy Meal launches, with healthier food options

2012 – Shamrock Shake spreads nationwide

2015 – Swaps iceberg lettuce for romaine, baby spinach, and baby kale in premium salad blends

2016 – Nationwide all-day breakfast menu launched

2016 – High fructose corn syrup removed from buns, McDonald’s commits to using antibiotic-free chicken

2017 – Grand Mac and Mac Jr. join the Big Mac burger lineup

Heavy Social Conscience

Ray Kroc believed firmly in giving back to society. His most lasting philanthropic contribution has been the Ronald McDonald House, which provides a home away from home for parents to stay while children are being treated in a distant hospital. Staff and volunteers provide meals, clean the facilities, etc. so parents can concentrate on their children. The first Ronald McDonald House, located in Philadelphia, opened its doors in 1974. Today, there are over 359 locations worldwide.

The Art of the Burger

Hamburger University was founded by Ray Kroc in Elk Grove Village, Illinois in 1961. It taught franchisees how to properly run McDonald’s restaurants. Over 80,000 people have graduated from the program.