McDonald's

McDonald's is an international fast-food chain founded by Richard and Maurice McDonald in 1940 and later expanded through franchising under Ray Kroc. Its hamburgers, french fries, and Golden Arches are globally recognizable.

Richard and Maurice McDonald: American brothers who founded the restaurant that became McDonald's. Their 1940 San Bernardino restaurant began the business before Ray Kroc joined.
Franchising: A business arrangement in which a brand owner licenses its name and operating system to independent operators. McDonald's expansion relies heavily on franchisees running restaurants under shared standards.
Joan Kroc: American philanthropist and businesswoman who inherited Ray Kroc's fortune after his death. Her later charitable work connected the wealth generated by McDonald's expansion to major philanthropy.
McDonaldization: A term for the spread of efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control modeled on fast-food systems. Sociologist George Ritzer used McDonald's as the emblem of these organizational principles.
Burger King: An international fast-food chain known for flame-grilled hamburgers and the Whopper sandwich. It competes directly with McDonald's in burgers, pricing, and global restaurant markets.
Ray Kroc: American businessman who expanded McDonald's through franchising and became its chief executive. He turned the brothers' restaurant system into a nationwide and then international chain.
Fast-food restaurant: A restaurant designed to serve prepared or quickly assembled meals with limited waiting time. McDonald's fits this service model and helped make it internationally familiar.
Fred Turner: American business executive who led McDonald's operations and later served as its chief executive. He helped professionalize restaurant operations and sustain expansion after Ray Kroc's era.
Fast-food culture: The social habits, businesses, and meanings associated with quickly prepared, convenient meals. McDonald's became a prominent symbol of convenience-oriented eating and everyday consumption.
Wendy's: An American fast-food chain founded by Dave Thomas and known for square hamburgers. Its burger-focused menu and advertising provide a close U.S. competitor comparison.

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