Friday Fun Facts

Today’s Friday Fun Facts come to you courtesy of my Organizational Development/Design class. Last night we watched a documentary over McDonald’s. Since I learned so much, I thought I’d pass the info on to you. It’s all part of trying to educate my readers. Feel free to brag about your new knowledge.

McDonald’s was started by two bothers. One of the brothers wanted to make 1 million dollars before he died. When he made the comment, he only had $8.50 to his name. He accomplished his goal.

McDonald’s was started because of a hot dog stand. The hot dog stand was making so much money that they figured food was the way to make money. The started McDonald's, which had car hops to deliver the food. After years of success they reinvented themselves to go along with the fast times.

The new McDonald’s had a simple menu- fries, hamburger, cheeseburger, floats, and soda. No car hops, self service, and was able to make a hamburger in 30 seconds.

Ray Kroc wanted to make McDonald’s a franchise. The brothers didn’t want to mess with making McDonald’s a franchise, they were happy with their one place. Kroc volunteered to do it for them, and sold 18 franchises his first year. All McDonald’s restaurants that Kroc got opened he made 1.9% of their sales, the McDonald’s brothers received 50% of Kroc’s 1.9%.

Ray Kroc, which I think Kroc is the coolest last name EVER, bought the McDonald’s empire for $2.8 million. He was tired of giving up his money.

Ray picked McDonald's locations by flying in a private jet and looking for churches. If he saw a church he thought good American families were around, which is who he wanted as customers.

Ray Kroc was a great sales man. He started out selling paper cups then moved on to selling the multi-mixer milkshake mixer. It made four milkshakes at one time.

He met the McDonald’s Brothers because they bought 4 multi-mixers when everyone else was closing their Soda Fountain Shops.

Favorite info I learned last night:
The McDonald’s Brothers sold the McDonald’s name and all the restaurants to Kroc. However, he the McDonald’s Brothers did not sell Kroc the first McDonald’s, but since Kroc owned the name the brothers had to change the name of their restaurant. The new name was The Big D. Kroc was so mad that the deal did not include the first restaurant that he went and built a McDonald’s a block away from Big D! The Big D went out of business.

Kroc developed some of McDonald’s biggest flop menu items. The Pineapple Burger! Hello, that’s gross.

Franchise owners are the ones that developed the popular menu items- Big Mac and Fish Sandwich.

SO there you have it-random info about McDonald’s!