McDonalds Corporation

“My business is not hamburgers. My business is real estate.” That is why McDonald’s owns the most valuable real estate in the world. Ray Kroc and Rich Dad in Robert Kiyosaki Book understood that the purpose of a business was to buy assets.

In March 1955, Ray Kroc created McDonald’s System Inc., renaming it to McDonald’s Corporation 5 years later.

McDonalds Corporation History

He acquired franchise rights and opened up his first McDonald’s franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois in April 1955.

The next year, Kroc established the Franchise Realty Corporation, purchasing tracts of land to lease to eager franchisees.

By 1960, there were over 200 McDonald’s across the U.S.

By 1963, McDonalds Corporation had opened its 500th restaurant, served its 1 billionth hamburger and launched its famous clown, Ronald McDonald.

McDonald was on its way towards a well known international franchising business.

McDonalds Corporation

In 1965, McDonalds Corporation went public: 300,000 shares were initially sold at US $22.50 each, later jumping to US$49.

The McDonalds Corporation continued to expand rapidly; by 1972, there was one store for every 90,000 American citizens.

But, Kroc wanted more and embarked on an ambitious campaign for foreign markets. First, the U.K., then Europe, Kroc began to erect Golden Arches in almost every continent.

In 1974, Kroc stepped down as CEO of the company he single-handedly grew into a global empire, but remained on as Chairman, and later, Senior Chairman of McDonald’s Corporation.

He died of heart failure in 1984 at the age of 81, just ten months shy of McDonald’s selling its 50 billionth burger.

That is the legacy that he leaves behind him.

“The two most important requirements for major success: being in the right place at the right time, and doing something about it.” ~ Ray Kroc, founder of McDonals Corporation

Business Resources - Business informations you ever wanted.