Sixty years ago, on April 15, 1955, a 52-year-old former piano player and salesman from Oak Park opened a hamburger stand in Des Plaines. His name was Ray Kroc, and what’s today known around the world as McDonald’s was off and running.
Burgers cost 15 cents, cheeseburgers 19 cents, and fries a dime with milkshakes 20 cents. Kroc racked up $366.12 in business that first day (equivalent to $3,206.58 today). By 1958, the chain reportedly had sold its 100 millionth burger.
Kroc’s wasn’t the first McDonald’s restaurant. That was in Southern California and run by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald, whose operation impressed Kroc when he sold them their milkshake machines.
Seizing upon the potential he saw in franchising nationally, Kroc grew the business at a torrid pace, eventually buying out their stake in 1961.
Oak Brook-based McDonald’s today has more 36,000 locations spread over more than 100 countries serving about 69 million customers daily.
— Phil Rosenthal
Flip through the photo gallery at the top of this story to see the original restaurant and some of its workers, as well as what it looks like today.
