Dick and Mac McDonald
Encyclopedia
Richard James "Dick" McDonald (February 16, 1909 – July 14, 2009) and his brother, Maurice James "Mac" McDonald (November 26, 1902 – December 11, 1971) were early American
fast food
pioneers, who established the first McDonald's
restaurant at West 14th Street and 1398 North E Street in San Bernardino, California
in 1948. They introduced the "Speedee Service System" in 1948.
The McDonald family were of Irish origin. In the US Federal Census of 1910, both brothers (Maurice as "Morris") appear in Manchester ward 8, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, and their father Patrick J. McDonald is shown as originating from Ireland, having emigrated in 1877 as a baby. Their mother Margarete is also shown as Irish born, emigrating to the USA in 1884 as a child. In 1937 Patrick opened "The Airdrome" restaurant on Huntington Drive (Route 66) near the airport in Monrovia, California. In 1940 the entire restaurant was moved 40 miles (64.4 km) east to San Bernardino and renamed "McDonald's".
their successful restaurant chain in 1953, beginning in Phoenix, Arizona
with Neil Fox. The brothers' goal was to make one million dollars before they were fifty. At first, they only franchised the system, rather than the name and atmosphere of their restaurant. It has been said that when Richard went to check on Fox, he was shocked to see an exact replica of his San Bernardino store, right down to the name "McDonald's". When he asked Fox why he had kept the same design and name, rather than calling the restaurant "Fox's," Fox said "Why change it? It's great as it is". From then on, the brothers started franchising the entire concept.
Franchised McDonald's Restaurants were built to a standard design, created by Fontana, California
architect Stanley Clark Meston and featuring Richard's suggestion of the Golden Arches
. In the early days, there were literally two arches, one on each side of the building. The arches were lined with pink neon
that flashed sequentially and when seen at an angle formed the letter "M" for McDonald's. The second franchised restaurant was opened in Downey, California, the same year. , the Downey restaurant remains the oldest operating McDonald's franchise
http://www.preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/sites/western-region/oldest-surviving-mcdonalds.html. Additional franchises were granted for stores in Azusa
, Pomona
and Alhambra
, California, in 1954.
, who was a milkshake machine salesman at the time, became inspired by the evident financial success of the brothers' concept, immediately grasping the restaurants' enormous potential. He partnered with the brothers, and within a few years turned their small idea into the huge franchise that would become the McDonald's Corporation. The franchiser took only 1.9 percent of the gross sales, of which the McDonald brothers got 0.5 percent.
Kroc became frustrated with the brothers' desire to maintain only a small number of restaurants. In 1961, he purchased the company from the brothers for $2.7 million.
The agreement was a handshake agreement
between the parties. Kroc insisted on a verbal agreement due to his desire to keep the full royalty price from the investor
s he had lined up to capitalize on his purchase.
Although Kroc turned McDonald's
into a global giant, its guiding principles remained largely unchanged from those the McDonald brothers had developed in 1948.
restaurant chain to serve as their corporate headquarters. There is a private museum on site. Only part of the original sign remains of the first McDonald's, but plans exist for a company-sponsored museum.
In 1984, having been the first cook behind the grill, Richard McDonald served the ceremonial 50,000,000,000th (50 billionth) McDonald's hamburger
.
, on December 11, 1971, at the age of 69. His younger brother, Richard, died in Bedford, New Hampshire
, on July 14, 2009, at the age of 100.
Richard's wife, Dorothy, died soon after. Richard and Dorothy are survived by Dorothy's son, Gale French.
Cuisine of the United States
American cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from the United States of America. European colonization of the Americas yielded the introduction of a number of ingredients and cooking styles to the latter...
fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
pioneers, who established the first McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
restaurant at West 14th Street and 1398 North E Street in San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino, California
San Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
in 1948. They introduced the "Speedee Service System" in 1948.
The McDonald family were of Irish origin. In the US Federal Census of 1910, both brothers (Maurice as "Morris") appear in Manchester ward 8, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, and their father Patrick J. McDonald is shown as originating from Ireland, having emigrated in 1877 as a baby. Their mother Margarete is also shown as Irish born, emigrating to the USA in 1884 as a child. In 1937 Patrick opened "The Airdrome" restaurant on Huntington Drive (Route 66) near the airport in Monrovia, California. In 1940 the entire restaurant was moved 40 miles (64.4 km) east to San Bernardino and renamed "McDonald's".
Franchise history
The McDonald brothers began franchisingFranchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
their successful restaurant chain in 1953, beginning in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
with Neil Fox. The brothers' goal was to make one million dollars before they were fifty. At first, they only franchised the system, rather than the name and atmosphere of their restaurant. It has been said that when Richard went to check on Fox, he was shocked to see an exact replica of his San Bernardino store, right down to the name "McDonald's". When he asked Fox why he had kept the same design and name, rather than calling the restaurant "Fox's," Fox said "Why change it? It's great as it is". From then on, the brothers started franchising the entire concept.
Fontana, California
Fontana is a city of 196,069 residents in San Bernardino County, California. Founded in 1913, it remained essentially rural until World War II, when entrepreneur Henry J. Kaiser built a large steel mill in the area...
architect Stanley Clark Meston and featuring Richard's suggestion of the Golden Arches
Golden Arches
The Golden Arches are the symbol of McDonald's, the global fast-food hamburger chain. Originally, real arches were part of the restaurant design...
. In the early days, there were literally two arches, one on each side of the building. The arches were lined with pink neon
Neon lighting
Neon lighting is created by brightly glowing, electrified glass tubes or bulbs that contain rarefied neon or other gases. Georges Claude, a French engineer and inventor, presented neon tube lighting in essentially its modern form at the Paris Motor Show from December 3–18, 1910...
that flashed sequentially and when seen at an angle formed the letter "M" for McDonald's. The second franchised restaurant was opened in Downey, California, the same year. , the Downey restaurant remains the oldest operating McDonald's franchise
Oldest McDonald's restaurant
The oldest operating McDonald's restaurant is a drive-up hamburger stand at 10207 Lakewood Boulevard at Florence Avenue in Downey, California. It was the third McDonald's restaurant, and opened on August 18, 1953...
http://www.preservationnation.org/travel-and-sites/sites/western-region/oldest-surviving-mcdonalds.html. Additional franchises were granted for stores in Azusa
Azusa, California
Azusa is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 46,361 at the 2010 census, up from 44,712 at the 2000 census. Though sometimes assumed to be a compaction of the phrase "everything from A to Z in the USA" from an old Jack Benny joke, the place name "Azusa"...
, Pomona
Pomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
and Alhambra
Alhambra, California
Alhambra is a city located in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, United States, which is approximately eight miles from the Downtown Los Angeles civic center. As of the 2010 census, the population was 83,089, down from 85,804 at the 2000 census. The city's...
, California, in 1954.
Ray Kroc
In 1954, Ray KrocRay Kroc
Raymond Albert "Ray" Kroc was an American fast food businessman who joined McDonald's in 1954 and built it into the most successful fast food operation in the world. Kroc was included in Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century, and amassed a fortune during his lifetime...
, who was a milkshake machine salesman at the time, became inspired by the evident financial success of the brothers' concept, immediately grasping the restaurants' enormous potential. He partnered with the brothers, and within a few years turned their small idea into the huge franchise that would become the McDonald's Corporation. The franchiser took only 1.9 percent of the gross sales, of which the McDonald brothers got 0.5 percent.
Kroc became frustrated with the brothers' desire to maintain only a small number of restaurants. In 1961, he purchased the company from the brothers for $2.7 million.
The agreement was a handshake agreement
Gentlemen's agreement
A gentlemen's agreement is an informal agreement between two or more parties. It may be written, oral, or simply understood as part of an unspoken agreement by convention or through mutually beneficial etiquette. The essence of a gentlemen's agreement is that it relies upon the honor of the parties...
between the parties. Kroc insisted on a verbal agreement due to his desire to keep the full royalty price from the investor
Investor
An investor is a party that makes an investment into one or more categories of assets --- equity, debt securities, real estate, currency, commodity, derivatives such as put and call options, etc...
s he had lined up to capitalize on his purchase.
Although Kroc turned McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
into a global giant, its guiding principles remained largely unchanged from those the McDonald brothers had developed in 1948.
Legacy
The San Bernardino store was demolished in 1976 and the site was sold to the Juan PolloJuan Pollo
Juan Pollo is a restaurant chain based in Southern California that specializes in rotisserie-broiled Mexican-style roast chicken. It was founded in 1984 by Albert Okura. His first restaurant job was working at Burger King in 1970....
restaurant chain to serve as their corporate headquarters. There is a private museum on site. Only part of the original sign remains of the first McDonald's, but plans exist for a company-sponsored museum.
In 1984, having been the first cook behind the grill, Richard McDonald served the ceremonial 50,000,000,000th (50 billionth) McDonald's hamburger
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
.
Deaths
Maurice J. McDonald died in Riverside, CaliforniaRiverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, on December 11, 1971, at the age of 69. His younger brother, Richard, died in Bedford, New Hampshire
Bedford, New Hampshire
-Demographics:As of the Census of 2000, there were 18,274 people, 6,251 households, and 5,125 families residing in the town. The population density was 556.6 people per square mile . There were 6,401 housing units at an average density of 195.0 per square mile...
, on July 14, 2009, at the age of 100.
Richard's wife, Dorothy, died soon after. Richard and Dorothy are survived by Dorothy's son, Gale French.