History of McDonalds
The business initially began by two brothers named Dick and Mac Mcdonalds in San Bernardino in California. Their introduction of the Speedee Service System in 1948 established the concept of the modern fast-food system.
The first Mcdonald's restaurant opened in Amerca,Canada,Costa Rica,Japan,Holland,Germany,Austraila,France,ElSalvador and Sweden in order of openings.
The present corporation dates its founding to the opening of a franchised restaurant by Ray Kroc, in Des Plaines, Illinois on April 15, 1955[7] , the ninth McDonald's restaurant overall. Kroc later purchased the McDonald brothers' equity in the company and led its worldwide expansion and the company became listed on the public stock markets in 1965.[8] Kroc was also noted for aggressive business practices, compelling the McDonald brothers to leave the fast food industry. The McDonald brothers and Kroc feuded over control of the business, as documented in both Kroc's autobiography and in the McDonald brothers' autobiography. The site of the McDonald brothers' original restaurant is now a monument.[9]
With the expansion of McDonald's into many international markets, the company has become a symbol of globalization and the spread of the American way of life. Its prominence has also made it a frequent topic of public debates about obesity, corporate ethics and consumer responsibility.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mcdonalds
INNOVATIONS ADAPTED BY MCDONALDS
Nationally Adopted Franchisee & Regional Innovations
Many of the products and features people commonly associate with McDonald's today did not originate in the McDonald's Corporate offices, but rather were developed by local franchisees or regional leaders, in response to specific customers needs they saw. Here are some examples.
Ronald McDonald, 1959
Washington, D.C. operators John Gibson and Oscar Goldstein (Gee Gee Distributing Corporation) sponsored a children's show on wrc-tv called Bozo the Clown, in an effort to attract children and families to their McDonald's stores. Bozo was played by Willard Scott on the TV show, and after the show was cancelled in 1962, Scott continued as the new mascot "Ronald McDonald" in a series of TV commercials. The character eventually spread to the rest of the country in an advertising campaign with a revised costume, and was no longer played by Scott. Later, an entire cast of McDonaldland characters was developed.
Filet-O-Fish, 1963
Restaurant operators in Roman Catholic neighborhoods of Cincinnati, Ohio, noticed their hamburger sales falling significantly during Lent, when many of their customers avoided eating meat on Fridays. Although Ray Kroc had long vowed that McDonald's would never sell sandwiches other than hamburgers, following the successful local introduction of a fish sandwich, McDonald's Corporation perfected the recipe and released it nationally the following year.
The Big Mac, 1968
A McDonald's franchisee in Uniontown, Pa., introduced this double-decker hamburger, which was later picked up nationwide and became a huge success, partly due to heavy advertising. (It is essentially a copy of a double hamburger first sold by a competing chain, Bob's Big Boy.)
Shamrock Shake, 1970s
Invented by a franchisee in Connecticut, as a special promotion for St. Patrick's Day
Scratch-off Game Card Promotions, 1970s
Invented by the Los Angeles franchisee advertising cooperative in partnership with Simon Marketing.
First Drive-Thru, 1975
Most standalone McDonald's restaurants offer both counter and drive-thru service, with indoor and sometimes outdoor seating. Larry Ingram, a regional manager based in Dallas, created the first drive-thru window in 1975 at a store in Oklahoma City. Customers from the nearby Tinker Air Force Base had recently been forbidden to leave their cars off base if they were not in uniform, and this innovation allowed them to buy their food at McDonald's. With a 28% increase in sales in the first year, this store was the first of eventually 90% of free-standing McDonald's locations in the U.S. to have a drive-thru window. Drive-thru service now accounts for more than 50% of sales.
Happy Meal, 1979
Regional advertising manager Dick Brams and the Kansas City-area franchisee advertising cooperative developed a clever package featuring a circus train design, and containing a hamburger, French fries and a soft drink. The idea was successful, and similar Happy Meal packages are sold nationally.
McSnack, 1982
A smaller McDonald's restaurant with a limited menu that fit into a small space in a shopping mall was the innovation of regional manager Jim Klinefelter in Minneapolis.
http://trex.id.iit.edu/~davidm/assets/McGaw-ID-McD-study.pdf
Mcdonalds Management
The McDonalds managers have adapted to a changing market over time - for instance, there is now more of an emphasis on healthier eating options to reflect current trends. Innovation at McDonalds has been used to good effect over the years, with successful promotions and menu options boosting sales.
