McDonald’s is the most recognizable brand name in fast food restaurants. It is a worldwide chain of quick service restaurants with approximately 14,000 locations in 58 countries and territories. The company specializes in hamburgers and other foods.
The story of mcdonalds began in 1940 when two brothers, Richard and Maurice McDonald, opened a small restaurant in San Bernardino, California. Their concept of using an assembly line to create a variety of fast-food products made the McDonald’s restaurants popular in their area. In 1954, traveling appliance salesman Ray Kroc visited the restaurant and realized the potential of their business model.
Kroc later bought the rights to franchise McDonald’s restaurants nationwide, a move that was instrumental in helping McDonald’s expand into new markets. In fact, the emergence of McDonald’s as a mass-market brand is often credited to Kroc, and his invention of the McDonald’s business model remains one of the most significant business decisions in the history of the restaurant industry.
As McDonald’s grew, it became increasingly concerned about the public image of its foods as being high in fat and calories. As a result, the company began introducing lower-calorie menu items and switching to a healthier cooking oil for its french fries.
In the late 1990s, McDonald’s began aggressively expanding outside of its traditional business model. During this period, it acquired Chipotle (CMG) – Get Free Report and Boston Market, although it later divested itself of these holdings.
These acquisitions helped the company diversify its menu, offering more than just hamburgers. It also expanded its global reach through a series of international agreements.
The company introduced the McMuffin in 1973, becoming the first major fast-food chain to offer a breakfast item. By 1987, one-fourth of all breakfasts eaten in the United States were served by McDonald’s restaurants.
During this time, McDonald’s introduced the Big Mac, its most famous hamburger, which became a staple on the American fast-food menu. In addition, the company expanded its menu internationally and began serving coffee at many of its locations.
A key to the success of mcdonalds was the ability of the company to quickly adapt to new markets and customs. For example, in 1995 the company launched its first kosher McDonald’s restaurant in Israel.
In the mid-1990s, McDonald’s began exploring new areas of growth, including salad bars and other non-burger alternatives. It also redesigned its corporate logo to reflect a more globalized company culture.
This shift in the corporate culture, along with a number of other moves, led to an increase in same-store sales over the next several years. However, these efforts were unable to reverse the sluggish sales trends at its core hamburger restaurants.
The company also underwent a major restructuring, led by then-CEO Frank Cantalupo. Cantalupo emphasized that he wanted to make a fresh start for the company by moving away from the reliance on opening new units to focus more on increasing sales from existing restaurants. He also reorganized the corporation, making it more focused on customer experience and product quality.
