89-852: McDonaldland is a McDonald's media franchise and the fictional fantasy world inhabited by Ronald McDonald and his friends. Starting with the creation of Ronald McDonald in 1963, it is primarily developed and published by McDonald's. Initial attempts to expand the McDonaldland universe by marketing agency Needham, Harper & Steers were seemingly retconned due to legal issues, but ongoing aspects were expanded in McDonald's projects in collaboration with Data East , Virgin Interactive , Treasure , SEGA , and Klasky Csupo . The series centers on an adventuring magical clown named Ronald McDonald, who has red hair, white and red face paint, and wears
178-565: A Western -themed area, several portals to real world McDonald's restaurants, the Moon , and Ronald's home. The namesake for McDonaldLand is the McDonald's restaurants founded by Richard and Maurice McDonald , popularized by Ray Kroc . Ronald McDonald was originally portrayed by Willard Scott , a former Bozo the Clown actor. In 1963, he and Washington, D.C. franchisee Oscar Goldstein created
267-420: A good guy . The Hamburglar, also originally a villain, was a thief that targeted hamburgers and sandwiches, but he is now more of a lovable rogue character. The most often occurring regions, as seen in numerous McDonaldland commercials and video games are a forest , town , sea , and outer space . Their exact geographic layout is unknown, but within these regions are several locales including Grimace Island,
356-478: A hamburger restaurant in San Bernardino, California , owned by Richard and Maurice McDonald. Kroc was impressed with the efficiency and speed of the restaurant's operations, and he convinced the brothers to allow him to franchise the concept. Under Kroc's leadership, McDonald's grew rapidly, and he implemented several key innovations, including the creation of a standardized menu and the development of
445-491: A synth and tweak sounds with special effects. On the river Elbe in Hamburg, Germany, is the world's only "McBoat," a float-through service (similar to drive-through ) for people on the river. In 2006, McDonald's introduced its "Forever Young" brand by redesigning all of its restaurants, the first significant redesign since the 1970s. It resembles a coffee shop, with wooden tables, faux-leather chairs, and muted colors;
534-569: A "Walk-Thru" service in place of Drive-Thru. McCafé is a café -style accompaniment to McDonald's restaurants. The concept was created by McDonald's Australia, starting with Melbourne in 1993. From 2015 to 2016, McDonald's tried a more flexible burger service and restaurant concept based on other restaurants such as Shake Shack and Grill'd . It was rolled out for the first time in Australia in early 2015 and expanded to China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Arabia, and New Zealand, with ongoing trials in
623-537: A $ 100,000 fine from Commissioner Bowie Kuhn . Frustrated with the team, he handed over operations of the team to his stepson-in-law, Ballard Smith . "There's more future in hamburgers than baseball," Kroc said. After his death, the Padres in 1984 wore a special patch with Kroc's initials: RAK. They won the NL pennant that year against his hometown team Chicago Cubs and played in the 1984 World Series , which they lost to
712-464: A $ 200 million donation to National Public Radio as she believed deeply in the power of public radio. In addition to that, she also donated to community centers serving socially deprived neighborhoods throughout the country. In 1980, following a stroke , Kroc entered an alcohol rehabilitation facility. He died four years later of heart failure at a hospital in San Diego on January 14, 1984, at
801-533: A corresponding food item but are constantly foiled by Ronald. In 1973, Sid and Marty Krofft sued McDonald's, claiming that the entire McDonaldland premise plagiarized their television show H.R. Pufnstuf . In Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions Inc. v. McDonald's Corp. , the Kroffts also claimed that the character Mayor McCheese was an infringement on their copyrighted character H.R. Pufnstuf (a mayor himself); Pufnstuf's voice actor, Lennie Weinrib ,
890-490: A franchise agreement with the McDonald brothers, Kroc sent a letter to Walt Disney . They had met as ambulance attendant trainees in Old Greenwich, Connecticut , during World War I. Kroc wrote, "I have very recently taken over the national franchise of the McDonald's system. I would like to inquire if there may be an opportunity for a McDonald's in your Disney Development." According to one account, Disney agreed but with
979-556: A highly efficient assembly-line system for food preparation. Kroc also focused on aggressive expansion, opening new restaurants across the United States and eventually in other countries as well. He became the owner of McDonald's Corporation in 1961 and was credited as its founder. After retiring from McDonald's, he owned the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1974 until his death in 1984. Kroc
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#17327902989661068-708: A kid-friendly magazine titled "McDonaldland Fun Times", which published six issues a year. A direct-to-video animated film titled The Adventures of Ronald McDonald: McDonaldland Treasure Island was released in 1989, featuring much of the McDonaldland characters from the 1980s. Video games featuring the characters were also released, such as M.C. Kids and McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure . From 1998 until 2003, Rugrats creators Klasky Csupo and McDonald's released an animated direct-to-video series exclusively on VHS titled The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald . The series depicted Ronald, Grimace, Birdie,
1157-497: A line dedicated to The McNugget Buddies, as well as some characters thought to be retconned like Mayor McCheese & Officer Big Mac. These characters have not appeared since the 1980s, and the reason remains unknown. Though many assume it had something to do with the lawsuit, this might be incorrect as Mayor McCheese and Officer Big Mac both appear in the 2020 Funko McDonaldland Pop! Vinyl! figures. McDonald%27s McDonald's Corporation , doing business as McDonald's ,
1246-444: A milkshake mixer salesman for the foodservice equipment manufacturer Prince Castle. When Prince Castle mixers sales plummeted because of competition from lower-priced Hamilton Beach products, Kroc was intrigued by Richard and Maurice McDonald , who had purchased eight of his mixers for their restaurant in San Bernardino, California . Kroc visited the brothers in 1954 to see why they were making so many milkshakes. After finalizing
1335-437: A number of innovative changes in the food-service franchise model. Chief among them was the sale of only single-store franchises instead of selling larger, territorial franchises which was common in the industry at the time. Kroc recognized that the sale of exclusive licenses for large markets was the quickest way for a franchisor to make money, but he also saw in the practice a loss in the franchisor's ability to exert control over
1424-613: A seasonal basis, McDonald's offers the McRib sandwich. Some speculate the seasonality of the McRib adds to its appeal. During March of each year, McDonald's offers a Shamrock Shake to honor Saint Patrick's Day . In addition, the chain also sells some items within the United States on a regional basis; for example, the Hatch Green Chile Double Cheeseburger, which is topped with New Mexico green chile ,
1513-515: A shopping mall. Other McDonald's are located in Walmart stores. McStop is a location targeted at truckers and travelers who may have services found at truck stops . In Sweden, Happy Meal boxes can be used as goggles, with the game Slope Stars . In the Netherlands, McDonald's has introduced McTrax that doubles as a recording studio; it reacts to touch. They can create their own beats with
1602-407: A single arch for the architecture of their buildings. Although the "Golden Arches" logo appeared in various forms, the present version was not used until November 18, 1968, when the company was granted a U.S. trademark. The present corporation credits its founding to franchised businessman Ray Kroc on April 15, 1955. This was the ninth opened McDonald's restaurant overall, although this location
1691-635: A small amount of complex carbs to aid in satiety more quickly. There are over 36,000 McDonald's restaurants globally. Over a third of these (14,146 restaurants) are in the United States alone. The second highest number is in Japan, with 2,975 restaurants, followed by China, with 2,700. These three countries make up the majority of global McDonald's stores. In the United States, most standalone McDonald's restaurants offer both counter service and drive-through service, with indoor and sometimes outdoor seating. Drive-Thru, Auto-Mac, Pay and Drive, or "McDrive" as it
1780-470: A stipulation to increase the price of fries from ten cents to fifteen cents, allowing himself the profit. Kroc refused to gouge his loyal customers, leaving Disneyland to open without a McDonald's restaurant. Writer Eric Schlosser , writing in his book Fast Food Nation , believes that this is a doctored retelling of the transaction by some McDonald's marketing executives. The proposal was likely returned without approval. Kroc has been credited with making
1869-749: A yellow jumpsuit over a red and white striped long-sleeve shirt with yellow gloves. His most regularly occurring friends are Grimace, the Hamburglar, Birdie the Early Bird, the Fry Kids, the McNugget Buddies, and the Happy Meal Gang. The fictional world has a variety of inspirations from general high fantasy and low fantasy , to corporate culture and corporate personality , to more specific influences including Christian media and
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#17327902989661958-464: Is "here to stay". Today, the characters still appear on the windows of some McDonald's restaurants. Modern commercials nowadays depict Ronald McDonald alone in real-world situations with children, whether he visits a local McDonald's restaurant or to visit sick children at a Ronald McDonald House . The other characters still appear: the Happy Meal box character from the original 1979 Happy Meal Gang
2047-574: Is accused of paying less with arbitrary schedule adjustments and pay delays. McDonald's former CEO, Steve Easterbrook , earned an annual salary of $ 1,100,000. In September 2017, two British McDonald's stores agreed to a strike over zero-hours contracts for staff. Picket lines were formed around the two stores in Crayford and Cambridge . The strike was supported by then Leader of the Opposition Jeremy Corbyn . Workers at
2136-528: Is an American multinational fast food chain , founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald , in San Bernardino, California , United States. They rechristened their business as a hamburger stand and later turned the company into a franchise , with the Golden Arches logo being introduced in 1953 at a location in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1955, Ray Kroc , a businessman, joined
2225-442: Is an adventurer with magical powers that acts as an ambassador for good and freedom , such as traveling to the rain forest to bring attention to endangered species and deforestation or delivering a safety PSA on the importance of seat belts . Redemption arcs are incorporated within McDonaldland media. Grimace, a purple monster, was originally an antagonist that stole beverages and shakes from customers, but has since become
2314-457: Is best known for its hamburgers, cheeseburgers and french fries , although their menu also includes other items like chicken, fish, fruit, and salads. Their bestselling licensed item is their french fries, followed by the Big Mac . The McDonald's Corporation revenues come from the rent, royalties , and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. McDonald's
2403-519: Is customized to reflect consumer tastes in their respective countries. Restaurants in several countries, particularly in Asia, serve soup. This local deviation from the standard menu is a characteristic for which the chain is particularly known and one which is employed either to abide by regional food taboos (such as the religious prohibition of beef consumption in India) or to make available foods with which
2492-561: Is known in many countries, often has separate stations for placing, paying for, and picking up orders while the customer remains in their vehicle; it was first introduced in Sierra Vista , Arizona in 1975, following the lead of other fast-food chains. The first such restaurant in Britain opened at Fallowfield , Manchester, in 1986. In 1994, McDonald's attempted Hearth Express, a prototype specializing in homestyle takeout meals. Among
2581-443: Is more than double that of battery cage systems, will require new research to mitigate. The facilities have higher ammonia levels because feces are kicked into the air. Producers raised concerns about the production cost, which is expected to increase by 36 percent. Ray Kroc Raymond Albert Kroc (October 5, 1902 – January 14, 1984) was an American businessman. He obtained the fast food company McDonald's in 1961 from
2670-458: Is only available in the southwestern state of New Mexico . Products are offered as either "dine-in" (where the customer opts to eat in the restaurant) or "take-out" (where the customer opts to take the food off the premises). "Dine-in" meals are provided on a plastic tray with a paper insert on the floor of the tray. "Take-out" meals are usually delivered with the contents enclosed in a distinctive McDonald's-branded brown paper bag. In both cases,
2759-499: Is the world's second-largest private employer with 1.7 million employees (behind Walmart with 2.3 million employees), the majority of whom work in the restaurant's franchises. McDonald's has been subject to criticism over the health effects of its products and its participation in various legal cases. Siblings Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald's at 1398 North E Street at West 14th Street in San Bernardino, California , on May 15, 1940. The brothers introduced
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2848-741: The Detroit Tigers . Kroc was inducted posthumously as part of the inaugural class of the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame in 1999. The Kroc Foundation supported research, treatment and education about various medical conditions, such as alcoholism , diabetes , arthritis and multiple sclerosis . It is best known for establishing the Ronald McDonald House , a nonprofit organization that provides free housing for parents close to medical facilities where their children are receiving treatment. In 1973, Kroc received
2937-476: The Georgie Pie fast food chain it bought out in 1996. In Greece, the signature hamburger, Big Mac, is changed by adding Tzatziki sauce and packaging in a pita. In the United States and Canada, after limited trials on a regional basis, McDonald's began offering in 2015 and 2017, respectively, a partial breakfast menu during all hours its restaurants were open. All-day breakfast was phased out from menus at
3026-458: The brothers McDonald and was its CEO from 1967 to 1973. Kroc is credited with the global expansion of McDonald's, turning it into the most successful fast food corporation in the world by revenue . Kroc was born in Oak Park, Illinois , and worked a variety of jobs, including as a paper cup salesman and a musician, before eventually becoming a milkshake mixer salesman. In 1954, he visited
3115-401: The "Speedee Service System" in 1948, putting into expanded use the principles of the modern fast-food restaurant that predecessor White Castle had put into practice more than two decades earlier. The original mascot of McDonald's was a hamburger-headed chef who was referred to as "Speedee". In 1962, the Golden Arches replaced Speedee as the universal mascot. Clown mascot Ronald McDonald
3204-501: The 1920s, only to lose everything with the stock market crash in 1929 . During World War I , Kroc lied about his age and became a Red Cross ambulance driver at the age of 15. The war ended shortly after he enlisted. During the Great Depression , Kroc worked a variety of jobs, including a paper-cup salesman, a Florida real estate agent , and a pianist in multiple bands . After World War II, Kroc found employment as
3293-550: The 2016 John Lee Hancock film The Founder . The film's depiction of Kroc's franchise development, nationwide expansion, and ultimate acquisition of McDonald's, offered a critical view of his treatment of the founding McDonald brothers. Kroc is featured in the documentary series The Food That Built America on the History channel. Kroc is featured in Tim Harford 's BBC World Service radio show 50 Things That Made
3382-465: The Big M because the brothers had neglected to retain rights to the name. Kroc felt that no one would want to eat at a restaurant called "Kroc's" and therefore was adamant about obtaining the rights to "McDonald's". After Kroc opened the nearby McDonald's, the Big M eventually closed. It is alleged that as part of the buyout Kroc promised, based on a handshake agreement, to continue the annual 1% royalty of
3471-576: The Early Bird, and the Hamburglar are still seen in commercials, Happy Meal toys, and materials supporting the Ronald McDonald House Charities . The characters received entire dedicated McDonaldland themed line-ups of Funko Pop! figures in 2019 and onward, including Ronald, Grimace, the Hamburglar, the Fry Kids and McNugget Buddies, Birdie the Early Bird, Mayor McCheese and Officer Big Mac. McDonaldland takes place predominantly in its own high fantasy world, however parts of
3560-812: The French Fry Gobblins (renamed the Fry Guys and later the Fry Kids with the addition of the Fry Girls) while Mayor McCheese, Officer Big Mac, Captain Crook and the Professor were used until 1985. (However, they did return for a Sears advertisement in 1987.) Birdie the Early Bird would join the lineup soon after representing the restaurant's new breakfast line in the early 1980s. Some of the characters' physical appearances were revised in later commercials (notably Hamburglar, Grimace and Birdie). From then on
3649-861: The Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement . A lifelong Republican , Kroc believed firmly in self-reliance and staunchly opposed government welfare and the New Deal . Kroc donated $ 255,000 to Richard Nixon 's reelection campaign in 1972, and he was controversially accused by some, notably Senator Harrison Williams , of making the donation to influence Nixon to veto a minimum wage bill making its way through Congress. Kroc's first two marriages to Ethel Fleming (1922–1961) and Jane Dobbins Green (1963–1968) ended in divorce. Kroc and Fleming met in 1919, married in 1922, and then moved to Chicago, Illinois . Their daughter Marilyn
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3738-421: The Hamburglar and a few new characters, like Ronald's pessimistic dog Sundae. These videos would begin in live-action in what resembled a futuristic McDonaldland. Whenever the characters would enter down a tube or other means of travel, they would become animated. In all six episodes, Ronald goes on adventures with his friends and they learn new things along the way. In the early 2000s, McDonald's experimented with
3827-466: The McDonald's franchise at Saint-Barthélémy, Marseille , occupied the restaurant in protest against its planned closure. Employing 77 people, the restaurant is the second-biggest private sector employer in Saint-Barthélémy, which has an unemployment rate of 30 percent. Lawyers for Kamel Guemari, a shop steward at the franchise, claimed an attempt was made to kill him when a car drove at him in
3916-422: The McDonaldland world have low fantasy interactions with the real world. In earlier commercials, McDonaldland had sentient trees that grew apple pies, a hamburger patch, a French Fry patch, a shake volcano, Filet-O-Fish Lake, and the one-shot Sundae Mountain. In The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald the denizens of McDonaldland were shown to be able to travel between worlds using PlayPlace slides . Ronald
4005-513: The McResource website amidst negative publicity and criticism. McDonald's plans to continue an internal telephone help line through which its employees can obtain advice on work and life problems. The Roosevelt Institute , a liberal think tank , accuses some McDonald's restaurants of actually paying less than the minimum wage to entry positions due to "rampant" wage theft . In South Korea, McDonald's pays part-time employees $ 5.50 an hour and
4094-608: The U.S., including the hamburger, cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, McDouble, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, double Quarter Pounder with Cheese and the Big Mac. Nevertheless, the pickles will still be made with an artificial preservative, although customers can choose to opt out of getting pickles with their burgers. In November 2020, McDonald's announced McPlant, a plant-based burger, along with plans to develop additional meat alternative menu items that extend to chicken substitutes and breakfast sandwiches. This announcement came after
4183-665: The US market. In dedicated "Create Your Taste" (CYT) kiosks, customers could choose all ingredients, including the type of bun and meat, along with optional extras. CYT food was served to the table on wooden boards, fries in wire baskets, and salads in china bowls with metal cutlery at a higher price. In November 2016, Create Your Taste was replaced by a "Signature Crafted Recipes" program designed to be more efficient and less expensive. McDonald's playgrounds are called PlayPlaces. Some McDonald's in suburban areas and certain cities feature large indoor or outdoor playgrounds . The first PlayPlace with
4272-590: The age of 81. He was buried at the El Camino Memorial Park in Sorrento Valley, San Diego . Kroc's acquisition of the McDonald's franchise as well as his "Kroc-style" business tactics are the subject of Mark Knopfler 's 2004 song " Boom, Like That ". Kroc co-authored the book Grinding It Out , first published in 1977 and reissued in 2016; it served as the basis for a biographical movie about Kroc. Michael Keaton portrayed Kroc in
4361-445: The artwork of Koichi Kimura from McDonald's Treasure Land Adventure . In addition to being used in advertising, the characters were used as the basis for themed equipment in the "PlayPlaces" attached to some McDonald's outlets, small recreational activity rooms intended for young children. While the McDonaldland portion has received somewhat less attention since 2003, several of the characters including Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Birdie
4450-420: The changes in the chain. In 1961, he bought the company for $ 2.7 million, the figure that the brothers gave him when pressed for an amount. Kroc went "ballistic" over hearing the amount and asked if he could pay it incrementally, but the brothers refused. Obtaining the funds for the buyout was difficult due to existing debt from expansion. However, Harry Sonneborn , whom Kroc referred to as his "financial wizard",
4539-429: The characters continued to appear in advertising and McDonald's PlayPlaces, decorative seats for children's birthday parties and bibs, though only Ronald McDonald, Birdie, Grimace, the Hamburglar and the Fry Kids appear in them. They also appeared on some soft drink cups until 2008 and still appear as cookies in pouches titled "McDonaldland Cookies". McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner defended Ronald McDonald, and said that he
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#17327902989664628-434: The characters lived in reality and interacted with real-life people, but commercials still took place in "McDonaldland". Soon after the Happy Meal Gang and the McNugget Buddies were prominent features in the commercials (representing the restaurant's Happy Meals and Chicken McNuggets respectively, being the menu items that mainly appealed to kids) along with Ronald. Merchandise featuring the McDonaldland characters included
4717-430: The characters, or they must be modified to become legally distinct, and to stop airing commercials featuring those characters until then. In 1976, Remco created a line of six-inch (15 cm) action figures to celebrate the characters. In the 1980s and 1990s, the McDonaldland commercials remained a popular marketing device. The characters that remained following the lawsuit were Ronald McDonald, Grimace, Hamburglar and
4806-670: The company as a franchise agent and, in 1961, bought out the McDonald brothers. Previously headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois , it moved to nearby Chicago in June 2018. McDonald's is also a real estate company through its ownership of around 70% of restaurant buildings and 45% of the underlying land (which it leases to its franchisees). McDonald's is the world's largest fast food restaurant chain by number of locations , serving over 69 million customers daily in over 100 countries in more than 40,000 outlets as of 2021. McDonald's
4895-419: The course and direction of a chain's development. Above all else, and in keeping with contractual obligations with the McDonald brothers, Kroc wanted uniformity in service and quality among all of the McDonald's locations. Without the ability to influence franchisees, Kroc knew that it would be difficult to achieve that goal. By granting a franchisee the right to only one store location at a time, Kroc retained for
4984-564: The end of 2024 as a test. The outlets will have a smaller real-estate footprint than regular McDonald's restaurants and are focused on selling coffee and other drinks to afternoon customers. The name for the new brand comes from CosMc, a McDonaldland mascot that appeared in advertisements in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In October 2024, an E. coli outbreak occurred associated with contaminated Quarter Pounder burgers from McDonald's. As of October 30, one person died, 27 were hospitalized, and 90 were sickened across 13 US states. Since
5073-641: The familiar crawl-tube design with ball pits and slides was introduced in 1987 in the US, with many more being constructed soon after. McDonald's Next uses open-concept design and offers "Create Your Taste" digital ordering. The concept store also offers free mobile device charging and table service after 6:00 pm. The first store opened in Hong Kong in December 2015. Some locations are connected to gas stations and convenience stores, while others called McExpress have limited seating or menu or may be located in
5162-613: The familiar golden arches, the restaurants feature "semi-swooshes" (half of a golden arch), similar to the Nike swoosh . McDonald's began banning smoking in 1994 when it restricted customers from smoking within its 1,400 wholly owned restaurants. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic , McDonald's closed most seating and all play areas in its United States restaurants. It transitioned to drive-thru and curbside orders at locations and online food ordering delivery services. In July 2020, for
5251-469: The fare offered were meatloaf, fried chicken, and baked ham. This experiment started with a single location in Darien, Illinois but closed in only one year. In some countries, McDrive locations near highways offer no counter service or seating. In contrast, locations in high-density city neighborhoods often omit drive-through service. There are also a few locations, mostly in downtown districts, that offer
5340-432: The franchise some measure of control over the franchisee, or at least those desiring to someday own the rights to another store. Kroc became frustrated with the McDonald brothers' desire to maintain a small number of restaurants. The brothers also consistently told Kroc he could not make changes to things such as the original blueprint, but despite Kroc's pleas, the brothers never sent any formal letters that legally allowed
5429-770: The individual items are wrapped or boxed as appropriate. Since Steve Easterbrook became CEO of the company in 2015, McDonald's has streamlined the menu which in the United States contained nearly 200 items. The company has looked to introduce healthier options and removed high-fructose corn syrup from hamburger buns . The company has removed artificial preservatives from Chicken McNuggets , replacing chicken skin, safflower oil and citric acid found in Chicken McNuggets with pea starch, rice starch, and powdered lemon juice. In September 2018, McDonald's USA announced that they no longer use artificial preservatives, flavors and colors entirely from seven classic burgers sold in
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#17327902989665518-511: The initial aspects of the character. The initial idea to expand the McDonaldland universe was outsourced to Needham, Harper & Steers in 1970–71 at the request of McDonald's for its restaurants. The first commercial aired in January 1971. The early commercials were built on an upbeat, bubblegum -style tune and feature a narrator ; many have plots that involve various villains, like the Hamburglar, Evil Grimace, and Captain Crook trying to steal
5607-493: The late 1990s, McDonald's has attempted to replace employees with electronic kiosks that would perform actions such as taking orders and accepting money. In 1999, McDonald's first tested "E-Clerks" in suburban Chicago, Illinois, and Wyoming, Michigan , with the devices being able to "save money on live staffers" and attracting larger purchase amounts than average employees. In 2013, the University of Oxford estimated that in
5696-463: The most common theme on the McDonald's Facebook wall was concern for hens. By September 2014, McDonald's heeded the criticism and declared they would strive to eliminate caged eggs by 2017. By January 2018, McDonald's accounced they had succeeded in meeting their goal. In 2015, McDonald's pledged to stop using eggs from battery cage facilities by 2025 for all American restaurants. McDonald's met their goal nearly two years ahead of schedule, announcing
5785-437: The newspaper that the San Diego Padres were for sale. The team had been conditionally sold to Joseph Danzansky, a Washington, D.C. grocery-chain owner, who planned to move the Padres to Washington. However, the sale was tied up in lawsuits when Kroc purchased the team for $ 12 million, keeping the team in San Diego. In Kroc's first year of ownership in 1974 , the Padres lost 102 games yet drew over one million in attendance,
5874-878: The option of fixed contracts instead. A study released by Fast Food Forward conducted by Anzalone Liszt Grove Research showed that approximately 84 percent of all fast food employees working in New York City in April 2013 had been paid less than their legal wages by their employers. From 2007 to 2011, fast food workers in the U.S. drew an average of $ 7firstbillion of public assistance annually resulting from receiving low wages. The McResource website advised employees to break their food into smaller pieces to feel fuller, seek refunds for unopened holiday purchases, sell possessions online for quick cash, and "quit complaining" as "stress hormone levels rise by 15 percent after ten minutes of complaining." In December 2013, McDonald's shut down
5963-401: The ordering process (along with others working in the kitchen or other back-of-the-house roles). There was no seating in this restaurant. On August 5, 2013, The Guardian revealed that 90 percent of McDonald's UK workforce are on zero-hour contracts , making it possibly the largest such private sector employer in the country. In April 2017, due to employee strikes, they gave all employees
6052-485: The original agreement, but there is no evidence of this beyond a claim by a nephew of the McDonald brothers. Neither of the brothers publicly expressed disappointment over the deal. Speaking to someone about the buyout, Richard McDonald reportedly said that he had no regrets. Kroc maintained the assembly line "Speedee Service System" for hamburger preparation that was introduced by the McDonald brothers in 1948. He standardized operations , ensuring every burger would taste
6141-463: The possibility of animating the characters to improve ratings. Various spots featuring the Hamburglar and other characters alongside celebrities were planned but were canceled. A conflict emerged between agencies regarding whether to continue using the characters or to follow through the desire of ad agency Leo Burnett by elevating the "I'm lovin' it" campaign. The McDonaldland premise was largely dropped out of campaigns and Happy Meal toys. Despite this,
6230-420: The red was muted to terracotta, the yellow was shifted to golden for a more "sunny" look, and olive and sage green were added. The warmer look has less plastic and more brick and wood, with modern hanging lights for a softer glow. Many restaurants feature free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. Other upgrades include double drive-thrus, flat roofs instead of the angled red roofs, and fiberglass instead of wood. Instead of
6319-591: The regional market is more familiar (such as the sale of McRice in Indonesia, or Ebi (prawn) Burger in Singapore and Japan). McDonald's restaurants in China include fried buns and soybean milk on their breakfast menus. In Germany and some other Western European countries, McDonald's sells beer. In New Zealand, until 2020, McDonald's sold meat pies after local affiliate McDonald's New Zealand partially relaunched
6408-525: The restaurant car park. In March 2015, McDonald's workers in 19 U.S. cities filed 28 health and safety complaints with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration , which allege that low staffing, lack of protective gear, poor training, and pressure to work fast resulted in injuries. The complaints allege that, because of a lack of first aid supplies, workers were told by management to treat burn injuries with condiments such as mayonnaise and mustard . The Fight for $ 15 labor organization aided
6497-473: The same in every restaurant. He set strict rules for franchisees on how the food was to be made, portion sizes, cooking methods and times, and packaging. Kroc also rejected cost-cutting measures like using soybean filler in the hamburger patties. These strict rules also were applied to customer service standards with such mandates that money be refunded to clients whose orders were not correct or to customers who had to wait more than five minutes for their food. By
6586-682: The standard of box office success in the major leagues during that era. Their previous highest attendance figure was 644,772 in 1972 . The San Diego Union said Kroc was "above all, a fan of his team". On April 9, 1974, while the Padres were on the brink of losing a 9–5 decision to the Houston Astros in the season opener at San Diego Stadium , Kroc took the public address microphone in front of 39,083 fans. "I've never seen such stupid ballplaying in my life," he said. The crowd cheered in approval. In 1979, Kroc's public interest in future free agent players Graig Nettles and Joe Morgan drew
6675-580: The start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. In partnership with the Central Food Technological Research Institute in India , McDonald's has introduced millet -based buns on September 4, 2024. Three major ( Pearl millet , Sorghum , and Finger millet ) and two minor ( Proso and Paspalum scrobiculatum ) millets are used which makes up 22% of the bun. It provides more calcium, iron, and protein in addition to
6764-973: The succeeding decades, there was a 92% probability of food preparation and serving becoming automated in fast food establishments. By 2016, McDonald's "Create Your Taste" electronic kiosks were seen in some restaurants internationally where customers could custom order meals. In 2017, McDonald's launched an app in the United States that allows customers to skip the ordering line inside or drive through and order online. Many McDonald's locations have special parking spaces for such orders. In September 2019, McDonald's purchased an AI-based start-up, Apprente, to replace human servers with voice-based technology in its US drive-throughs. In early 2023, McDonald's opened its first largely automated restaurant in Fort Worth, Texas . The restaurant in question would de-emphasize human contact when ordering, with employees available if there were problems but who would otherwise be absent from
6853-620: The successful elimination of caged eggs in February 2024. Since McDonald's purchases over 2 billion eggs per year or 4 percent of eggs produced in the United States, the switch is expected to have a major impact on the egg industry. It is part of a general trend toward cage-free eggs driven by consumer concern over the harsh living conditions of hens. The aviary systems from which the new eggs will be sourced are troubled by much higher mortality rates, as well as introducing environmental and worker safety problems. The high hen mortality rate, which
6942-727: The successful testing of Beyond Meat plant based meat substitutes. In late 2022, McDonald's announced the addition of the Double McPlant at all restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland starting January 4 due to the success of the McPlant. In 2024, select McDonald's in the UK were testing vegan ice cream called Choco Scoop and Strawberry Scoop and receiving positive reviews. The company often introduces items temporarily or brings them back after long absences. McDonald's Menu
7031-571: The time of Kroc's death in 1984, McDonald's had 7,500 outlets in the United States and in 31 other countries and territories. The total system-wide sales of its restaurants were more than $ 8 billion in 1983, and his personal fortune amounted to some $ 600 million. Kroc retired from running McDonald's in 1973. While he was looking for new challenges, he decided to return to baseball, which was his lifelong favorite sport. One day, while sitting in his yacht in Fort Lauderdale, Florida , he read in
7120-499: The workers in filing the complaints. McDonald's has been criticized for using factory farmed fast growing chicken breeds in their supply chain. These breeds are more likely to suffer from welfare issues such as broken or fractured bones, leg deformities and heart failure. Throughout 2014, the Facebook page for McDonald's Australia was inundated with posts about McDonald's use of caged eggs. For 87 consecutive days during mid-2014,
7209-536: The year's second quarter, McDonald's reported earnings of 66 cents per share. Compared to the same period of last year, it represented a fall of 68%. In July 2023, the company announced it was working towards a new fast-food brand called CosMc's that would be tested at ten sites. The first location was opened in December 2023 in Bolingbrook, Illinois , and the company is working to open nine restaurants in Texas by
7298-405: Was able to raise the required funds. At the closing, Kroc became annoyed that the brothers would not transfer to him the real estate and rights to the original San Bernardino location. The brothers had told Kroc they were giving the operation, property and all, to the founding employees. In his anger, Kroc later opened a new McDonald's restaurant near the original McDonald's, which had been renamed
7387-489: Was born in 1924. His third wife, Joan Kroc , was a philanthropist who significantly increased her charitable contributions after Kroc's death. She donated to a variety of causes that interested her, such as the promotion of peace and preventing nuclear proliferation . Upon her death in 2003, her remaining $ 2.7 billion estate was distributed among a number of nonprofit organizations, including $ 1.5 billion donation to The Salvation Army to build 26 Kroc Centers , along with
7476-483: Was born on October 5, 1902, in Oak Park, Illinois , near Chicago , to Czech-American parents, Rose Mary [ née Hrach] (1881–1959) and Alois "Louis" Kroc (1879–1937). Alois was born in Horní Stupno, part of Břasy near Rokycany . Rose's father Vojtěch was from Ševětín and her maternal grandfather Josef Kotilínek was from Bořice . After emigrating to America, Alois made a fortune speculating on land during
7565-507: Was destroyed and rebuilt in 1984. Kroc was recorded as being an aggressive business partner, driving the McDonald brothers out of the industry. Kroc and the McDonald brothers fought for control of the business, as documented in Kroc's autobiography. In 1961, he purchased the McDonald brothers' equity in the company and began the company's worldwide reach. The sale cost Kroc $ 2.7 million, a huge sum during that time. The San Bernardino restaurant
7654-562: Was even involved with the McDonaldland ads, as the voice of Grimace. At trial, a jury found in favor of the Kroffts, and McDonald's was ordered to pay $ 50,000. The case was appealed by both parties to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit . The appeals court in a 1977 decision, reassessed damages in favor of the Kroffts to more than $ 1,000,000. As a result, McDonald's was ordered to stop producing some of
7743-927: Was eventually torn down in 1971, and the site was sold to the Juan Pollo chain in 1998. This area serves as headquarters for the Juan Pollo chain, and a McDonald's and Route 66 museum. 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 made it a frequent topic of public debates about obesity , corporate ethics , and consumer responsibility . McDonald's predominantly sells hamburgers , various types of chicken , chicken sandwiches , French fries , soft drinks, shakes , breakfast items, and desserts. In most markets, McDonald's offers salads and vegetarian items, wraps and other localized fare. On
7832-412: Was introduced in 1963 to market the chain to children. On May 4, 1961, McDonald's first filed for a U.S. trademark on the name "McDonald's" with the description "Drive-In Restaurant Services," which continues to be renewed. By September 13, McDonald's, under the guidance of Ray Kroc, filed for a trademark on a new logo—an overlapping, double-arched "M" symbol. But before the double arches, McDonald's used
7921-566: Was redesigned to be a main character for Happy Meals during the 2010s, during the mid 2010s McDonald's made a parody hipster version of the Hamburglar portrayed by Max Greenfield , Grimace had a non-speaking appearance in an advertisement for Monsters vs. Aliens Happy Meal toys, and also made a cameo in the 2022 McDonald's Super Bowl LVI commercial with Kanye West , where Grimace is animated and voiced by Ryan Reynolds . Funko designed several ongoing Pop! Vinyl! figures starting in 2019 representing numerous McDonaldland characters including
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