McDonald’s, in full McDonald’s Corporation, American fast-food chain that is
one of the largest in the world, known for its hamburgers. Its headquarters are in
Oak Brook, Illinois.
The first McDonald’s restaurant was started in 1948 by brothers Maurice
(“Mac”) and Richard McDonald in San Bernardino, California. They bought
appliances for their small hamburger restaurant from salesman Ray Kroc, who
was intrigued by their need for eight malt and shake mixers. When Kroc visited
the brothers in 1954 to see how a small shop could sell so many milkshakes, he
discovered a simple, efficient format that permitted the brothers to produce huge
quantities of food at low prices. A basic hamburger cost 15 cents, about half the
price charged by competing restaurants. The self-service counter eliminated the
need for waiters and waitresses; customers received their food quickly because
hamburgers were cooked ahead of time, wrapped, and warmed under heat lamps.
• Seeing great promise in their restaurant concept, Kroc offered to begin a
franchise program for the McDonald brothers. On April 15, 1955, he opened
the first McDonald’s franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois, and in the same year
launched the McDonald’s Corporation, eventually buying out the McDonald
brothers in 1961. The number of McDonald’s outlets would top 1,000 before
the end of the decade. Boosted by steady growth, the company’s stock began
trading publicly in 1965.
• The public face of McDonald’s was created in 1963 with the introduction of a
clown named Ronald McDonald, while the double-arch “m” symbol became
McDonald’s most enduring logo in 1962, lasting far longer than the tall
yellow arches that had once dominated the earlier restaurant rooftops. Other
products and symbols would define the McDonald’s brand, including the Big
Mac(1968), the Egg McMuffin (1973), Happy Meals (1979), and Chicken
McNuggets (1983).
• The chain continued to expand domestically and internationally, extending to
Canada in 1967,reaching a total of 10,000 restaurants by 1988, and operating
more than 35,000 outlets in more than 100 countries in the early 21st century.
Growth was so swift in the 1990s that it was said a new McDonald’s opened
somewhere in the world every five hours. It effectively became the most
popular family restaurant, emphasizing affordable food, fun, and flavours that
appealed to children and adults alike.
• The success of McDonald’s brought increased criticism, much of which
concerned its perceived association with a global increase in obesity.
McDonald’s responded by adding healthy items to its menu, and in 2017 it
began testing a vegan hamburger. During this time it also eliminated
supersized portions, and its U.S. and Canadian restaurants stopped using
trans-fat oil in a number of items. Such measures, however, did little to stem
health concerns. In addition, as one of the world’s largest private employers,
McDonald’s faced numerous calls to increase wages. The term McJob was
added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary to mean “low-paying job.”
• In the late 20th century, McDonald’s moved beyond the hamburger business
by acquiring Chipotle Mexican Grill (1998), Donatos Pizza (1999), and
Boston Market (2000) in the United States, and in the United Kingdom
McDonald’s purchased Aroma Cafe (1999) and an interest in Pret A Manger
(2001), a sandwich restaurant chain. However, by late 2008 McDonald’s no
longer owned or had a stake in any of those companies, instead concentrating
on its own brand.
• McDonald’s was active in charitable work. In 1974 it joined Philadelphia
Eagles football player Fred Hill, whose daughter had been diagnosed with
leukemia, in founding the Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia. The
residence allowed families to live near the hospital where their children were
receiving treatment. By the early 21st century, more than 360 such houses
existed around the world. The Ronald McDonald House Charities
(established 1987) also supports various other efforts.
• Year founded: 1948
• Place founded: San Bernardo, California
• Founder: Maurice (Mac) and Richard McDonald (They are brothers)
• 1955: First McDonald Franchise
• Nature of Business: Food (Fast Food Chain)
• Number of Branches: 37,855 restaurants worldwide (as of 2018)
• Chairman: Enrique Hernandez jr.
• President and CEO: Steve Easterbrook
• Net Income (2018): $5.924 Billion
• Total Assets (2018) : $32.811 Billion
• Total Equity (2018): $-6.258 Billion
• Market Capitalization: $150.20B
• Stock Price per Share (May 9, 2019): $196.85
• Total No. of Shares Outstanding (March 31, 2019): 772 Million
• No. of Employees (2018): estimated to be 210,000
ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE STRUCTURE
• Hamburgers
• Fried Chicken
• French Fries
• Soft Drinks
• Milk Shakes
• Salads
• Desserts
• Coffee
• Breakfast
Contamination problem: McDonald's tainted salads have now
sickened 163 people in 10 states
• The number of people sickened by tainted McDonald's salads has
jumped to 163 in 10 states. Three of the victims have been
hospitalized.
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the problem is caused
by the Cyclospora parasite that is transmitted in foods contaminated
with fecal matter....
• Last week, the number of cases was 61 people in seven states – 29 in
Illinois, 16 in Iowa, seven in Missouri, three in Minnesota and two
each in Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
• An updated state-by-state breakdown wasn't immediately available.
• McDonald's voluntarily stopped selling salads last week at about
3,000 restaurants in 14 states -- Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin,
Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana,
North Dakota, Kentucky, West Virginia and Missouri --until they
were able to switch to another lettuce-mix supplier.
• "We have removed lettuce blend provided by Fresh Express’
Streamwood, Illinois, facility," the fast-food burger chain said in a
statement Friday. "Many restaurants already have a new lettuce blend
supply, while we expect all identified restaurants will have new
supply in the next few days."
Contamination problem: McDonald's tainted salads have now
sickened 163 people in 10 states
• The illnesses started on or after May 1, according to the FDA. The sick people are
between the ages of 16 and 87 years old and 66 percent are female. No deaths
have been reported.
• "At this time, despite the intensive investigation by federal authorities and state
health agencies around the country, no source has yet been named for this
outbreak," Fresh Express said in an e-mail. "The decision by McDonald’s to
change suppliers of certain components should in no way suggest that Fresh
Express is implicated as a source."
• Illnesses that started after June 7 may not have been reported yet because there's a
lag time between when people get sick and when they report it, the FDA said. For
Cyclospora infections, it may take up to six weeks to be clearly identified.
• "McDonald’s is committed to the highest standards of food safety and quality and
we continue to cooperate and support regulatory and public health officials in
their investigations," the company said.
• The most common symptom of Cyclosporiasis is watery diarrhea, according to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• The CDC said there's no evidence suggesting the McDonald's salad outbreak is
connected to the ongoing Cyclospora outbreak linked to Del Monte vegetable
trays.
Zlati Meyer, USA TODAY Published 11:56 a.m. ET July 20, 2018
