Richard and Maurice McDonald

Two brothers started a food shop. They were from New Hampshire. They moved to California.

They made a new way to cook. They made food very fast. This helped people on the go.

They sold burgers and fries. They also sold milk and pie. Meals were very cheap.

Many families liked to eat there. They did not have to wait. It was a big success.

A man named Ray Kroc helped them. He helped the shop grow. They sold the shop later. It became a famous company.

Richard and Maurice McDonald were two brothers from New Hampshire. They moved to California to start a food business. In 1940, they opened a restaurant in San Bernardino.

They wanted to serve food very quickly. They made a new way to work called the Speedee Service System. This system helped them make meals fast. They used a small menu to keep things simple. They sold burgers, cheeseburgers, and fries. They also sold drinks, milk, and pie. Most items were very cheap. A hamburger cost only 15 cents.

Families and drivers loved the new shop. People could get a meal without a long wait. The brothers wanted to grow their business. In 1953, they began franchising. A franchise is when you let others open shops using your name and rules.

They met a man named Ray Kroc. He sold milkshake mixers. In 1954, the brothers hired him as their agent. Kroc wanted the company to be much bigger. In 1961, Kroc bought the whole company for $2,700,000. This gave each brother $1,000,000 after taxes. The brothers were happy with the money. Their small shop helped change how the whole world eats fast food.

Richard and Maurice McDonald were brothers who changed how the world eats. They were born in Manchester, New Hampshire, to Irish parents. Maurice was born in 1902 and Richard was born in 1909. Their family moved to California in the 1920s. In 1937, their father opened a food stand in Monrovia. Later, the brothers opened their first restaurant in Los Angeles. They eventually moved to San Bernardino to build something new.

The brothers wanted a better way to run a restaurant. In the 1940s, they ran a drive-in. But they lost money on expensive food like barbecue sandwiches. They also lost money on broken dishes. To fix this, they created the Speedee Service System. This was a new way to make meals very fast. They rebuilt their shop in 1948 in San Bernardino. They picked only nine items to sell. These included 15-cent hamburgers and cheeseburgers. They also sold soft drinks, milk, coffee, chips, and pie. They later swapped chips for french fries.

In 1953, the brothers wanted to grow their business. They began franchising, which means letting others open shops using their name. Their first franchise was in Phoenix, Arizona. This shop was run by Neil Fox. During this time, they met a man named Ray Kroc. He was a salesman for Prince Castle milkshake mixers. The brothers bought eight of his Multi-Mixers for their shop. Kroc visited them in 1954. The brothers then hired him as their franchise agent.

Things changed when Ray Kroc wanted more control. He wanted many more restaurants than the brothers did. He also wanted to change their original plans. In 1961, Kroc bought the whole company. He paid $2,700,000 for the business. This deal gave each brother $1,000,000 after they paid taxes. The brothers were actually pleased with this money. However, they did not get much recognition from the new company. The original shop was even renamed "The Big M" for a short time.

The legacy of the brothers lives on in many ways. The original San Bernardino site eventually became a museum. It was located near Route 66 at 1398 North E Street. Richard McDonald lived a long life. He was the first cook behind the grill. In 1984, he was served the 50 billionth hamburger in New York City. Maurice died in 1971 in Palm Springs, California. Richard died in 1998 in New Hampshire. Their simple ideas created the fast food industry we know today.

Richard and Maurice McDonald were American entrepreneurs who changed the food industry forever. They founded the McDonald's fast food company. Maurice was born in 1902, and Richard was born in 1909. Their parents, Patrick and Margaret, were Irish Catholics from Dingle and Emlaghmore. The family moved to California during the 1920s. In 1937, their father opened a food stand in Monrovia. The brothers eventually opened their own restaurant in Los Angeles.

In the 1940s, the brothers operated a successful drive-in restaurant. However, they faced several problems that reduced their profits. Some expensive menu items, like barbecue sandwiches, were rarely ordered. They also used real dishes, which were frequently lost or broken. Furthermore, drive-ins were becoming places where teenagers hung out, which drove families away. To solve these issues, they redesigned their business in 1948. They rebuilt their restaurant in San Bernardino, California, to focus on efficiency.

The brothers created a method called the Speedee Service System. This system allowed them to produce meals very quickly. They reduced their menu to just nine profitable and cost-effective items. This menu included 15-cent hamburgers and cheeseburgers. They also sold soft drinks, milk, coffee, potato chips, and pie. Later, they replaced the potato chips with french fries. This simple menu appealed to families and drivers who wanted a quick, cheap meal.

In 1953, the brothers decided to begin franchising. Franchising means allowing others to operate restaurants using their name and system. Their first franchise opened in Phoenix, Arizona, and was run by Neil Fox. During this time, they met Ray Kroc. Kroc was a salesman for Prince Castle milkshake mixers. After the brothers purchased eight of his Multi-Mixers, Kroc visited their San Bernardino location in 1954. The brothers then hired Kroc as their franchise agent.

Kroc's relationship with the brothers eventually became difficult. Kroc wanted to expand the company much faster than the brothers desired. He also wanted to make changes to the original restaurant blueprint. The brothers refused to let him change their established way of doing things. Kroc eventually decided he wanted total control of the company. In 1961, Kroc bought the entire business for $2,700,000. This amount ensured that each brother received $1,000,000 after they paid their taxes.

The buyout caused some tension regarding the original restaurant location. The brothers told Kroc they were giving the property to their founding employees. Kroc was annoyed that he did not receive the rights to the San Bernardino site. Because the brothers had not kept the rights to the name, Kroc opened a new restaurant nearby. The original location was renamed "The Big M," but it closed six years later. Despite this, Richard McDonald reportedly said he had no regrets about the situation.

The brothers' impact on the world is visible in the massive scale of the industry. In 1984, Richard McDonald was honored in New York City. He was the first cook behind the grill for the company. At a hotel, he was served the 50 billionth McDonald's hamburger. The original San Bernardino restaurant eventually became a museum. It was located at 1398 North E Street, near Route 66. This site was later purchased by Albert Okura.

While the brothers were happy with their $2.7 million deal, they felt a lack of recognition. The 2016 film *The Founder* tells their story through a biopic. However, the film has been criticized for changing certain facts. For example, the film suggests the Golden Arches were created by Richard McDonald. In reality, an architect named Stanley Clark Meston designed them. Maurice died in 1971, and Richard died in 1998. Their Speedee Service System remains a standard for fast food today.