Richard and Maurice McDonald facts for kids

Richard McDonald (born February 1909, died July 14, 1998) and Maurice McDonald (born 1902, died December 11, 1971) were American businessmen. They are famous for starting the fast food company McDonald's.

In 1940, they opened their first McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino, California. There, they created a special way to make food quickly, called the Speedee Service System. This method became a standard for fast food restaurants everywhere. Later, in 1954, they hired Ray Kroc to help them open more restaurants. The brothers continued to run the company until Kroc bought them out in 1961.

Early Life of the McDonald Brothers

The McDonald brothers, Maurice and Richard, were born in Manchester, New Hampshire. Their parents, Patrick and Margarete McDonald, were immigrants from Ireland. Maurice was born in late 1902, and Richard was born in February 1909.

In the 1920s, their family moved to California. Their father, Patrick, opened a small food stand in Monrovia in 1937. This early experience likely inspired his sons.

Building the McDonald's Business

In 1948, the McDonald brothers completely changed their restaurant in San Bernardino. They rebuilt it to focus on a smaller menu with only nine items. This new menu included their 15-cent hamburger, a cheeseburger, soft drinks, milk, coffee, potato chips, and a slice of pie.

The Speedee Service System

The brothers developed the "Speedee Service System." This was a new way to prepare food very quickly. They focused on making a few popular items fast and efficiently. This system helped them serve many customers in a short amount of time.

Expanding with Franchises

The McDonald brothers' restaurant became very successful. They wanted to earn a lot of money before they turned 50. So, in 1953, they started letting other people open McDonald's restaurants using their system. This is called franchising. The first franchised restaurant opened in Phoenix, Arizona.

Working with Ray Kroc

The McDonald brothers' success caught the eye of Ray Kroc. Kroc was a salesman who sold milkshake machines. He noticed that the brothers bought eight of his Multi-Mixer machines for their San Bernardino restaurant.

In 1954, Kroc visited their restaurant. He was very impressed by how fast and efficient it was. That same year, the McDonald brothers hired Kroc to be their franchise agent. This meant Kroc would help them find people to open more McDonald's restaurants. Kroc earned a small percentage of the sales from these new restaurants.

The Buyout of McDonald's

Ray Kroc became frustrated because the McDonald brothers wanted to keep the number of restaurants small. Kroc wanted to expand much faster. The brothers also did not want Kroc to make big changes to the original restaurant plans.

In 1961, Kroc decided to buy the entire company from the brothers. He paid them $2.7 million. This amount was calculated so that each brother would receive $1 million after taxes. After this deal, Kroc took full control of the McDonald's company.

Later Years and Recognition

On November 30, 1984, Richard McDonald, who was the first cook at a McDonald's grill, was honored. He was served the 50 billionth McDonald's hamburger. This special event took place at the Grand Hyatt New York hotel in New York City.

Death and Legacy

Maurice McDonald passed away from heart problems at his home in Palm Springs, California, on December 11, 1971. He was 69 years old.

Richard McDonald also died from heart problems in a nursing home in Manchester, New Hampshire, on July 14, 1998. He was 89 years old. He was buried at the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Manchester.

The story of Ray Kroc and his business relationship with the McDonald brothers was made into a movie in 2016 called The Founder. In the film, Richard McDonald is played by Nick Offerman, and Maurice McDonald is played by John Carroll Lynch.

The very first McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino, California, is now a museum. It is owned by Albert Okura and is recognized by the California Route 66 Association.

See also

In Spanish: Richard y Maurice McDonald para niños