Ray Kroc

Ray Arthur Kroc (October 5, 1902, Oak Park, Illinois – January 14, 1984) was founder of the McDonald's Corporation in 1955, although not of the restaurant chain itself, which was started by Dick and Mac McDonald in 1940. Dubbed the Hamburger King, Kroc was included in the TIME 100 list of the world's most influential builders and titans of industry and amassed a $500 million fortune during his lifetime. Kroc was of Czech ancestry and was survived by his third wife, Joan B. Kroc.

McDonald's

An ambulance driver in the First World War, Kroc had tried his hand at a number of trades by the early 1950s, when he was a Multimixer milkshake machine salesman traveling across the country peddling his wares. He found out two brothers, Dick and Maurice "Mac" McDonald, were using eight of his machines at their innovative San Bernardino, California hamburger restaurant. Immediately realizing the potential of the brothers' business, which they had already begun to franchise, Kroc went into business with them and acquired franchising rights to open a McDonald's restaurant of his own, in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955.

Related Topics:
First World War - 1950s - Multimixer - Dick - Maurice "Mac" McDonald - San Bernardino, California - Hamburger - Des Plaines, Illinois - 1955

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Although the McDonald brothers had themselves invented the "Speedee Service System" in 1948, establishing the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant, and had begun franchising their restaurants before they met Kroc, it was he who recognized the enormous potential their restaurant had. He encouraged the brothers to put him in charge of franchising, and founded McDonald's Corporation (originally "McDonald's Systems, Inc.") with the opening of his first franchise.

Related Topics:
1948 - Fast-food restaurant

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Kroc's enthusiasm for the company was strong, and in his first year with McDonald's he unsuccessfully attempted to convince Walt Disney, a fellow WWI ambulance driver with whom he had been acquainted, to let him open a restaurant in the forthcoming Disneyland.

Related Topics:
Walt Disney - Disneyland

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In 1961, Kroc bought out the McDonald brothers for US $2.7 million. Their relationship was not harmonious, and Kroc denied them the rights to the McDonald's name for their first restaurant, opening a new McDonald's nearby to force them out of business. Under Kroc, McDonald's promulgated a version of its history that emphasized Kroc as "McDonald's founder," barely mentioning the role the McDonald brothers played. Kroc's first restaurant was inaccurately claimed to be "McDonald's #1" (it was actually the 9th McDonald's restaurant), and the company dated its founding to 1955, not 1940.

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In the early 1970s, Kroc became owner of the San Diego Padres and one time got on the stadium public address system to crticize the team during a poor performance.

Related Topics:
1970s - San Diego Padres

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In 1977, he wrote his autobiography, "Grinding It Out".

Related Topics:
1977 - Autobiography

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