Dick and Mac McDonald originally owned a movie theater during the Great Depression. Struggling to make ends meet, they acquired a $5,000 loan and opened their first food service joint. Interestingly, it was for hot dogs not hamburgers.The name of the famous brothers would go on to signify everything that it means to be American, for better or for worse. The hot dog stand opened in 1937.
By 1940, they moved to San Bernardino and changed the name to McDonald’s Barbeque. The restaurant was relatively successful, but it was nothing compared to where it would one day go.
It was Ray Kroc, a milkshake salesman, who really put things in motion. He was fascinated by the way the brothers had incorporated Henry Ford’s car production theory of specialization.
Ironically, the brothers sold their shares in the restaurants for only $1 million. It was Kroc who took the name global and made billions, all from a humble hot dog stand.
SOURCE: [interestingthings]
