McDonald's Day

The celebration of McDonald's Day is on April 15^th every year in order to commemorate the founding date of a McDonald's in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955.

History of McDonald's Day

McDonald's Day is celebrated on the anniversary of 1955 when Ray Kroc opened a McDonald's in Des Plaines, Illinois. This is his first restaurant franchise, but McDonald's ninth restaurant overall. Kroc helped make McDonald's the best known fast food restaurant in the world, but the story doesn't start with him.

Brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald opened a barbecue restaurant in 1940 in San Bernardino, California. In 1948, they changed their restaurant and introduced the "Speedee Service System". Instead of having waiters bring food to the table, their restaurants have self-service counters. They used some kind of assembly line in the kitchen. Prepared food is wrapped and placed under a heat lamp. They also simplified their menu to include only burgers, cheeseburgers, fries, chips, soft drinks, milkshakes and apple pies. All of these changes have made food preparation and serving quick and efficient, while keeping prices lower than competing diners. They sold their burgers for only 15 cents each.

Ray Kroc was a salesman who sold malts and milkshake mixers to the McDonald brothers. He stopped at one of their locations in 1954 and convinced them to let him open a franchise for them, which he does today in 1955. Later, Richard and Maurice McDonald published that there were about 15 million hamburgers served in comparison with the previous seven years. In 1961, Kroc bought the McDonald brothers for $2.7 million. Up to 1970, there were estimated 1,000 McDonald's restaurants and increased to 10,000 in 1988. By 2017 it was more than 37,000.

Over the years, McDonald's has expanded into other countries, while also expanding their menu. They set up shop in Canada in 1967, and are now present in over 120 countries. Their menu often reflects local tastes. For example, poutine is favorite dish of menus in Canada, and McLobster sandwiches are loved in some area of New England. Burgers and fries are still staples at McDonald's, but there are also a variety of other foods that can be found at most McDonald's stores. Filet-O-Fish was created by a Cincinnati franchise owner in 1962 so Catholic customers had something to eat during Lent. Big Mac was created by a franchise owner in Pittsburgh who wanted an adult sandwich. He uses ingredients that are already available at the restaurant. It was released nationally in 1968. Egg McMuffin was released in 1973 and Chicken McNuggets was released nationally in 1983.

Ronald McDonald has been the face of the restaurant since 1963, and for a time other McDonaldland figures, such as Grimace and Hamburglar, were also part of the company's marketing strategy. Happy Meals was introduced in 1979, where a toy was included in a child's meal. Yellow domes adorn the roofs of the original locations, but "M's" began appearing outside the restaurant in 1962, and has since become its most popular symbol.

McDonald's has been criticized for its role in the spread of obesity, although in recent years it has begun adding healthy items and eliminating fats. It also stopped providing "alternative" sections. The company has also been criticized for underpaying workers. On the other hand, the company has been praised for its philanthropic work. Ronald McDonald House was founded in 1974. It provides families with children in the hospital a place to stay. Until now, more than 360 Ronald McDonald Houses are born. The Ronald McDonald House Charity was founded in 1987 and has been involved in various charitable endeavors, focusing on children.

How to celebrate McDonald's Day

Celebrate the day by dining at McDonald's! You can visit where Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald's in 1955. The restaurant was torn down in the 1980s and then rebuilt as a museum. Sadly, the museum has also been demolished since then. There's a McDonald's across the street where you can eat! The first restaurant the McDonald's brothers had, located in San Bernardino had long since closed. However, you can still visit the site, as there is a museum there and part of the original McDonald's sign remains. Do you know that the oldest McDonald's still is working and it has been serving burgers since 1953 and can be visited in Downey, California? You can also watch Super-Size Me, or The Founder, a biopic about Ray Kroc.