Inspirational Quotes by Ray Kroc (American Entrepreneur)

Raymond Albert “Ray” Kroc (1902–84) was an American entrepreneur, businessman, and philanthropist. A consumer marketing genius, he built the McDonald’s fast-food empire and fundamentally altered the eating habits of America and the world.

Born in Oak Park, Illinois, Kroc dropped out of high school, lied about his age, and signed up to be a Red Cross ambulance driver during World War I. Before he finished his training, the war ended. Then, he worked a few odd jobs and ultimately became the sales executive for a mixing machine that could mix several milkshakes at a time. He spent 17 years as a traveling salesman.

Kroc heard of a small drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California, that was using eight of his mixers and inspiring other restaurateurs to buy them. When Kroc went to examine that restaurant, he learned that the owners, Dick and Mac McDonald, sold a limited menu of hamburgers, French fries, and milkshakes. They controlled the quality and the uniformity of their offerings and offered their few items at a low price.

Kroc entered into business with the McDonald brothers and opened franchises of their restaurant. In 1955, he opened the first franchise of the Raymond Albert Kroc chain of McDonald’s restaurants, in Des Plaines, Illinois. Selling hamburgers for 15 cents, fries for 10 cents, and shakes for 20 cents, Kroc’s restaurant had sales of $366.12 on the first day.

Based on the success of this location, Kroc opened other franchise stores. His relationship with the McDonald brothers strained, and he bought them out in 1961. Kroc instituted new methods of food preparation, service, teamwork, standardized menus, and franchisee training schools. He also targeted the expanding American suburban market and employed teens and seniors.

By the time Kroc some 25 years later, McDonald’s annual sales exceeded $8 billion, and there were McDonald’s restaurants in more than 100 countries. McDonald’s had become a global epitome of fast-food consumerism and a characteristically American eating option.

Kroc and his second wife, Joan Kroc, set up foundations to aid alcoholics and fund medical research. They also established the Ronald McDonald houses to help the families of children who have cancer.

Kroc co-wrote the autobiography Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald’s (1977.) The biographical drama film The Founder (2016) is based on Kroc’s autobiography and books by other biographers—Big Mac: The Unauthorized Story of McDonald’s (1976;) Ray Kroc: Big Mac Man (1978,) and McDonald’s: Behind the Arches (1986.)

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