Archive for December, 2010
Book Review – McDonald’s Behind the Golden Arches
The book,McDonald’s Behind the Golden Arches, by John Love is an intriguing book on how Ray Kroc took an existing restaurant and created a franchise system that is emulated and duplicated around the world. McDonald’s epitomizes success and familiarity. On my personal travels around the world, my wife and I have found McDonald’s to be similar (almost exact) in France, Philippines, etc.
This book gives a detailed account on the success pattern of the McDonald’s franchise. The secret behind its immense success is Ray Kroc. Who was Ray Kroc Where did he get the name of McDonald’s What did he do differently to make this restaurant chain succeed These and many other questions are explained in the book.
McDonald’s was a single hamburger restaurant in San Bernardino, California. It had a simple menu of burgers, fries, sodas, and milkshakes. Its operational functions were simple. Its marketing functions was non-existent- just word of mouth. It was owned and operated by the McDonald brothers (hence the name). Ray was a milkshake salesman who was fascinated that this restaurant ordered many milkshake machines from the company he worked for. When he went and observed the operations at McDonald’s, he wanted to create more of these restaurants. The book depicts that the McDonald brothers were happy with the local operation and did not want to expand.
Tags: franchise system, golden arches, hamburger restaurant, immense success, intriguing book, mcdonald brothers, milkshake machines, ray kroc, san bernardino california, success patternRelated posts
Book Review – Grinding It Out The Making of McDonalds
The book, Grinding It Out The Making of McDonalds by Ray Kroc, is about the Ray Kroc and how he made McDonalds. Another book about McDonalds, McDonalds Behind the Golden Arches, discusses in intricate detail about the operational and business side on how McDonalds became a worldwide business success. This book, Grinding It Out, is an autobiographical perspective on McDonalds and Ray Kroc. It is a success story on persistence and perseverance.
Most people are familiar with the Golden Arches and McDonalds. Unless you are involved with the McDonald’s franchise or have a keen sense of franchising and business, you are probably not familiar with Ray Kroc. He has since passed away several decades ago but his impact on business is continuous. Ray Kroc is probably known for creating the McDonald’s franchise which makes more hamburgers than any other single entity in history. It also makes more fries and other food items. It is becoming one of the largest distributors of coffee, salads, etc. These are food items that Ray Kroc would not have imagined being a part of the franchise.
This book is Ray Kroc’s autobiography especially his venture with the McDonald’s franchise. Back in 1950′s, he expanded upon the idea of the McDonald’s restaurant into a business model that was unheard of. When Mr. Kroc happened to run into the McDonalds restaurant, he was fascinated that this single restaurant needed several milk shake mixers. He sold them several milk shake mixers. Upon arriving at McDonalds, he noticed the long lines of people wanting to buy hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes. The menu was simple and direct. He wanted to open another McDonald’s restaurant. The McDonald brothers were more than happy to share their operation with Mr. Kroc. This would not be possible, nor plausible, in our present times. The concept of franchising was introduced to expand the McDonald’s restaurant.
Tags: golden arches, intricate detail, keen sense, mcdonald brothers, mcdonalds, mcdonalds restaurant, milk shake, present times, ray kroc, worldwide businessRelated posts