McDonald’s first brought Ronald into the world in the early ’60s when they thought he would be a family favorite mascot. And he was for a long time! At first, some McDonald’s-goers were skeptical of the new clown on the block, but within no time, he became the fast-food franchise’s face and was loved by everyone.
Besides always being at a McDonald’s restaurant (pre-2016) in the form of a statue sitting on a bench, like this picture taken in Beijing in the early ’90s, he did a lot of other good things for the brand. While he may no longer be the face of the brand today, he is still the frontman of the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
McDonald's Employees in the Early Days
When Anne Lafave applied for a position at McDonald's more than 40 years ago, she was ever so slightly worried about her age, so she lied and claimed to be 12 years younger. The then-supposed 63-year-old was actually 75 years old at the time of applying.
Thanks to a post-baby-boom shortage of employees in the '80s, McDonald's had their arms wide open to older employees through a program dubbed McMasters. Up until the late '90s, Lafave was still serving the franchise all the way till the age of 95. In fact, Lafave's boss at the time was 27 years old, but this didn't stop Lafave from taking pride in her work at McDonald’s.
Big Burger Billboard
It took a lot for McDonald’s to become the world-renowned fast-food superstar that it is today. A lot of national and international advertisements played a key part in boosting any franchise in the '70s, and McDonald's is no different. In 1973 McDonald's launched this massive, otherworldly-sized burger billboard.
Even though this advertisement's location is unknown to this day, one thing's for sure: whoever drove past this signage most definitely craved a Big Mac afterward. Whether it led to the success and eventual takeover of McDonald's in the fast-food industry, we will never know, but it must've at least increased burger sales in the area.
American Transplant
By the time McDonald's opened shop in Moscow in the winter of 1990, it was already known around the world as a massive fast-food hit. It was a monumental event, as it took 14 years of tortuous negotiations by the American Institution of Fast Food for this fast-food franchise to arrive in the slow-food city of Moscow.
This launch was, in some ways, a bit of a challenge and a big change for the world's largest country. Former Soviet Union Countries like Russia are well-known for their sluggish service and absence of most items on a menu. McDonald's went against this narrative from the start as this American capitalist icon transplanted itself into such an anti-capitalist country.
Hello, Budapest
Before the Soviet Union regime change, McDonald's launched in Budapest in 1988. It was a momentous occasion attended by bow tie boys and a 2km long drive-through queue, despite the low number of car owners in Eastern Europe back then. At first, the competition was tough as there was already a burger chain equivalent, "City Grill."
There was also a Hungarian fast food chain, "Paprika," which served traditional foods like goulash and beef stew. But that competition didn't last too long, as many other McDonald's openings followed suit. We guess the locals prefer McDonald's for fast food as neither local chains are still around today. Either that or McDonald's is just the king of taking over fast-food industries in small countries.
McRemodel
In the early 1950s, about ten years after the first opening of McDonald's and shortly after the McDonald's brothers realized that burgers contributed to most of their profits, the siblings decided they needed to remodel the carhop drive-in system. After a lot of thoughtful considerations and planning with an architect, the two decided to streamline the whole operation with a more straightforward menu and an entirely new restaurant layout.
Their main goal was to have a more striking appearance while improving the efficiency of preparing fast food. Their new design included yellow metal arches known as the iconic "Golden Arches." Pictured here is the new plan's construction taking place in Florida in the 1950s.
Jay Leno
Before it was "The Tonight Show With Jimmy Falon," it was "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." Pretty much everyone in America has seen or heard about this show. We're not too sure about what is happening in this image, but it seems that Jay Leno is feeding a McDonald's fry to a four-year-old during an interview in 1996.
It's not clear if the whole skit was a paid partnership by McDonald's or if this was just a way to keep a four-year-old happy on live television. Any kid that grew up in America in the '90s grew up loving McDonald's Happy Meals.
Vintage Mickey Dee's Baby Chairs
It's common for family restaurants to have high chairs for babies and toddlers to be seated on. But it's not common for them to look as charmingly vintage as these McDonald's baby chairs from the '80s. They were full of color — just the way babies' chairs should be, and contained drawings of McDonald's mascots.
There wasn't a child too young to enjoy the McDonald's chain restaurants. Sadly, these retro chairs didn't last too long and got abandoned. As nostalgic as it sounds, we'd love to get these kiddie chairs back in business — it would be epic to show the kids of today how cool and vintage things were when their older generations were growing up.
The Jacksons in Japan
In the early 1970s, the Jackson 5 was more widely known worldwide than in America. In April 1973, the five-figure family band released their first live album, which they recorded in Osaka, Japan. This group was so popular in Japan that this album was released the same year in the Land of the Rising Sun but only got released in the States almost 30 years later.
We're assuming that this photograph of Jermaine and Marlon Jackson, the second vocalist/bassist and percussionist of the band, respectively, was taken on this tour in 1973. And we're guessing that they probably soothed their homesickness on tour by eating some local American food at this McDonald's eatery in Japan.
McDonald's Bits and Bobs
Back in the good old days when people weren't counting calories as much as they do today, and a trip to McDonald's was considered an innocent treat, McDonald's was making all sorts of branded items that people would actually use. Paraphernalia like cups, watches, and even ashtrays (for when smoking was still cool) were being circulated by McDonald's back then.
We're not too sure if these items were distributed to folk who paid money to use something that's clearly from McDonald's or if the items were distributed for the advertising campaign of the company. Either way, times have changed, and we doubt that anyone who's not a vintage watch collector will buy one of these McDonald's watches today.
McDonald’s Fried Apple Pie
Depicted here is an American star probably missing her local American cuisine. Golfer Nancy Lopez, on tour in Mexico, was munching a fried apple pie in a McDonald's in Mexico City. Are you even American if you don't get McDonald's while going abroad? In the good old times, McDonald's still had fried apple pies on their menu.
Times have changed, and nowadays, for the last 30 years or so, the fried version got switched to a slightly healthier baked counterpart. We're sure many McDonald's-goers were sad to see it go at the time (even though today's baked version is probably better for one's overall health).
Date Night at McDonald's
Ah, new love. McDonald’s was totally considered an alright place to have a date night back in the day. Of course, it's okay nowadays too, but it is definitely not gonna be a modern couple's first choice like it was back then.
What we find more compelling, though, is the fact that burgers were going for a skimpy 15 cents way back then. Nowadays, to get a Big Mac burger, you've got to spend a whopping $5 minimum, and around $10 if you're looking at getting the Big Mac Meal. Just look at how much inflation has changed over the years! Sigh.
McDonald's Clothing Line
What do you think about when you think about McDonald's? A happy meal? Perfectly crispy french fries? Or perhaps the scrumptious Big Mac hamburger? Either way, it's probably not the fact that they had a kiddies' clothing line back in the 1970s.
Just like the McDonald's merch, such as watches and mugs, they also boasted adorable children's clothes that one can see in this picture. Funny enough, they even had a clothing store chain called "McKids," where they stocked all sorts of McDonald's merch for youngsters. The "McKids" clothing chains, however, only came about in the late 1980s and could be found in "Sears" department stores.
Speedee the Old Mascot
When McDonald's started out in the mid-1900s, it had a mascot called "Speedee." Speedee can be vaguely seen on the clock in this 1955 photograph. He was the franchise's first logo, and his name was used to advertise the brand's speed and success when it came to fast food. Speedee was an illustrated character with a chef's hat and a hamburger for a face.
Speedee was also a friendly and approachable character that suited the family-style franchise at the time. It wasn't until the year 1963 that Ronald McDonald came along and replaced Speedee as the McDonald's mascot, and this was also around the time that the Golden Arches became a major focus for branding the franchise.
Each to His Owner
Before McDonald's was expanding on a global level, it was expanding really fast on its home turf: America. This meant that different individuals could essentially start or buy a McDonald's branch and run it under the brand name and thereby serve the same food and drinks.
It's not clear how many of the over 1500 branches in the '70s were owned by individuals, but nowadays, only about 0.3% of all McDonald's worldwide are owned by individuals. This franchise owner Carl Reed, whose restaurant is pictured here in the mid-'70s, was obviously a die-hard aviation fan, so he decorated his branch with an airplane. This sort of thing would probably not go down too well with the McDonald's brand today.
McDonald's for Lunch
By the late '70s, McDonald's had spread far and wide and was already considered an American staple. It was in this decade that the Quarter Pounder and Quarter Pounder with Cheese were added to the menu, as well as the Egg McMuffin: perfect items for lunch or breakfast. Back then, the menu of McDonald's also looked a lot different from what it does today.
Some of the items on the menu from back then that may stand out today include McRib, McPizza, McSpaghetti, and McDLT. Even though these items are no longer available today, they still formed a crucial part of the history of this incredible franchise and should not be forgotten!
Jerry Lewis
Everyone who grew up in the early second half of the 20th century will know who Jerry Lewis is. But if you don't, he was an actor, comedian, singer, and film producer, among other things. Lewis also dabbled in philanthropic efforts and did so by hosting telethons for charity fundraising.
He also held a position as the national chairman of the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). In the fall of 1976, a black-tie MDA benefit dinner was held at the Fifth Avenue McDonald's branch in New York. Tickets for this event cost $100, a hefty amount in the '70s. Lewis was in attendance, and of course, he approves of McDonald’s as he can be seen here chomping down on a burger.
Those Golden Arches
Besides Napoleon's Arc Triomphe in Paris, the Golden Arches of the McDonald's brand are possibly the most well-known arches in the world. These Arches are definitely the most common arches in the world, as they are currently paraded at more than 30,000 restaurants in almost 120 countries across the globe.
In this retro McDonald's ad pre-1963, when Speedee was still around as a mascot, one can see the first prototype of the Golden Arches. This ad was distributed at a time before the two Golden Arches morphed into the famous double Gold Arches, making the shape of a capital M that we can see today.
The Evolution
If you grew up in the '80s, then we're sure this picture will evoke a lot of nostalgia in you. This photograph shows just how far McDonald's as a franchise has come and also how much they have evolved over time. This picture was taken in the late '70s in the town of Azusa in California, a feature of the big Route 66.
This pic has all the features of what McDonald's looked like back in the day. The historical Speedee can be seen before the time that Ronald McDonald replaced him and the single Golden Arch before the double Golden Arches took over. It's clear that McDonald's has evolved a lot since the late '70s!
Collector's Items
Over the reign of McDonald's in the fast-food industry, they have launched an extensive amount of branded items. Besides all the toys that came with the Happy Meal over the years, they also launched a heap of other merch like clothes, eating utensils, umbrellas, and so much more!
In the late '80s, they also created this cute lunchbox that you can see pictured here. One can see The Muppets displayed on this lunchbox. "The Muppets" started out as a kid's T.V. show in the '70s and they are still around today. They also featured as the Happy Meal toy around the same time that this lunchbox came out. Today this plastic lunchbox is a collector's item and sells for $20.
Bill Loves Big Mac Burgers
McDonald's is a place for everyone and anyone under the sun. They have served the masses for decades, and among these masses, they have also dished out to some significant people. This establishment has been visited by the very Mr. Bill Clinton himself. Pictured here is the 42nd President of America visiting Mickey Dee's after a run.
Nothing quite like a McDonald's burger and soft drink to put the calories back after an intensive workout! This wasn't the only time that he had been caught red-handed at McDonald's, and he actually frequented them so much that it sparked a "Saturday Night Live" skit about his love for Big Mac burgers.
McAd's
In a day and age where consumerism and global franchises govern a good part of the globe, McDonald's is one of the greatest rulers. This is true both culturally and statistically, as McDonald's is the most valuable franchise in the world, and its golden arches are more widely recognized than a cross.
Contrary to its accumulated size today, it had a relatively humble beginning. One thing that contributed to getting McDonald's to where they are today is that they put a lot of focus on advertising. They emphasized that their meals can be enjoyed by not only every member of the family but also every member of society. This can be seen in this inclusive ad from the early '70s.
McDonald's Ronald
Ronald McDonald's cheery aura graced many charity events that the fast-food franchise hosted, particularly those that involved children less fortunate than most. In this pic taken in 1974, Ronald can be spotted accompanying and entertaining children on tour at the local Zoo Taronga, in the land deep down in Sydney, Australia.
Ronald McDonald stuck with the McDonald's brand for a very long time after replacing the brand's first mascot Speedee. Perhaps he was and always will be one of the franchise's most nostalgic aspects, but following a sequence of creepy clown encounters that popped up around 2016 in the States, he was retired. Retired but never forgotten.
Rapid Expansion
McDonald's is the ultimate trailblazer when it comes to fast food, and they have dominated this fast food franchise arena for a long time. Since it was founded in 1940, it expanded rather rapidly and really started lifting off at the start of the 1950s.
It's clear that they were already fast food kings by the 1950s, as one can see in this vintage pic taken in 1959, bragging that they had already sold over 100 million hamburgers. Four years later, in 1963, they boasted of selling a whopping 800 million burgers and operated in 460 stores spread across 42 states. If that doesn't scream success story, then we don't know what does.
Michael Jordan for McDonald's
Micheal Jordan, also known as M.J., is a basketball player who dominated the basketball arena from the '80s to the early 2000s. M.J. was a big fan of Macky D's, so much so that it was rumored he included it as a staple in his diet. Tough to believe that such a high-flying sportsman ate McDonald's for breakfast every day and somehow still rocked at basketball.
M.J. is captured here as he recites his words for one of the many McDonald's commercials he did. M.J. and McDonald's took it a step further in 1992. The franchise dubbed a meal after him: the McJordan Special, a Quarter Pounder with bacon and BBQ sauce and fries, and a beverage on the side.
Burger Cake, Anyone?
Who doesn't love cake? Better yet, a burger birthday cake! In 1977, in Wollongong, Australia, a massive burger cake weighing about 185 pounds was constructed for a 5-year-old patient of the William Steward ward at the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital. This was around the same time that McDonald's celebrated their five-year anniversary in Australia.
What better way to celebrate than with a massive Big Mac-inspired cake? To make this colossal cake was no easy feat and only came after concocting together 200 eggs, 37 pounds of flour, 25 pounds of margarine, and 40 pounds of castor sugar. We're pretty certain that this cake fed all the children in this hospital ward!
Before We Knew
Before the world became more environmentally enlightened, a lot of practices took place that would be highly frowned upon today. Unfortunately, McDonald's was also guilty of such practices. Back then, the McDLT was a McDonald's half-and-half cheeseburger that was served in a styrofoam container that had two different sides.
One side was for the hot beef patty, and the other side was for the lettuce, cheese, and tomato. We're guessing the ingredients were separated to keep the burger from getting soggy. In 1998 this item was taken off of the menu as the styrofoam packaging turned out to be bad for the environment and, if disposed of poorly, led to all sorts of environmental havoc. Good save!
McDonald's Ads
There has been no lack of creative and innovative McDonald's billboard campaigns over the franchise's reign in the fast-food industry. These billboards always serve to show just how smart these guys are when it comes to branding. It doesn't have to be too fancy or over the top, and just a few words and a basic color scheme can really get a message across loud and clear.
Even before the minimally colored billboards we see today, McDonald's was keeping its billboard signs rather plain and simple. This advertising behavior of keeping things simple can be seen in this picture from way back when photographs were still only in black and white.
McDonald's in China
McDonald's first entered the China scene in 1990. The first shop opened in Shenzhen, a global tech hub, aka China's Silicon Valley. More remarkably, though, the biggest McDonald's in the world opened their doors in April 1992 in China's capital city Beijing. This store has 700 seats, almost 30 cash registers, and served more than 40,000 people on its day of opening.
It gets better. Four years later, in 1996, McDonald's had already opened 29 more restaurants in the capital city alone. At first, the chain mainly attracted affluent families, resulting in McDonald's becoming a mark of a new generation that craved foreign cultural influences. This little boy is clearly enjoying his Big Mac at the McDonald's opening in China.
Evolution of Ads
From the very beginning, McDonald's got festive around festive holidays, and they wished their customers well with Christmas ads such as the one pictured here from way back when. Things have changed a lot, though, since this ad. Back in the day, McDonald's would advertise using a backdrop of a restaurant as a whole.
Nowadays, it seems that McDonald's advertises using a certain product that they want to sell. Be it a limited special Christmas burger or whatever, their ads have changed a lot over time. One thing is for sure, though, they will never stop advertising as it has made them very successful and has gotten them to the fast food giant status that they have today.
Some Things Never Change
The number one selling item for McDonald's is the French Fries, and this is probably due to the low price. Want a quick, cheap snack that's gonna fill you on the go? McDonald's has your back! The second most popular menu item is, of course, the Big Mac.
Apple pies, chicken McNuggets, cheeseburgers, and quarter pounders are also in the top ten of most sold items at McDonald's today. Of course, they have added some vegan options today, but some things never change. The prices in this '80s McDonald's ad for Malaysia have increased a lot since then, but more striking here is how their all-time favorites have been on the menu since way back when.
Transformer Toys
If there was something that kiddos from the '70s to the early '00s got excited about, it was a visit to Mickey Dee's to get a Happy Meal and whatever lucky toy formed part of the package. Beyond stuffing our faces with greasy glorious McNuggets and crispy fries, obviously not caring about calories, we couldn't wait to see what knick-knack we would get in our red and yellow parcel of goodies.
In 1990 a range of transformer Happy Meal toys was released, like this McNuggets box that could transform into a dinosaur. Funny enough, nowadays, you can purchase one of these obsolete Happy Meal toys, now a collector's item, on eBay for a lot more than its initial cost.
Safety First
Little do most people know, Ronald McDonald was inspired by another clown figure called Bozo the Clown. Bozo was a really popular character entertaining kids in the mid-20th century. From this character, Ronald was born and first appeared in 1963, after replacing Speedee, the first mascot of McDonald's.
Here an actor posing as Ronald giving a fire safety speech to a second-grade Grove Park Elementary School class. For sure, Ronald did a lot of good things in society, but we're kind of happy that Ronald McDonald is no longer a symbol for McDonald's — clowns are far too freaky to pose as a family restaurant's mascot!
Ray Kroc
Behind every thriving business, there is a bold, striking someone. Raymond Albert Kroc, aka Ray Kroc, was that someone behind McDonald's. In 1961 he bought the McDonald's fast food restaurant from the McDonald brothers, shortly after registering it as a franchise, for a modest $2.7 million. At the time of his death in 1984, McDonald's made $8.3 billion in sales.
Thanks to Kroc, McDonald's blew up all over the world, and he is now thought of as the catalyst that turned this company into the most successful fast-food franchise on the planet. Not only did the franchise expand rapidly under his wing, but he also introduced vital innovations, like the standardized menu and the highly sought-after assembly-line system for preparing meals. What a legend!
Helping Hands
Throughout McDonald's reign, the franchise did a lot of philanthropic side hustles. Even in the early days before their global expansion, they were serving in humanitarian projects like the "Toys for Tots" drive that occurred outside of a McDonald's in Denver in 1967.
At the time, the Vice President of McDonald's, Carl Reed, led the endeavor with Marine Captian John J Lowery. Youngsters from the region were encouraged to donate toys to any of the 20 McDonald's locations that were part of the pickup locations. Each child donating toys received a certificate and, of course, a Mickey Dee's burger and fries on the house. This is just one of the many ways in which McDonald's lent a helping hand.
Professional Cyclists Approve
It's quite clear how culty McDonald's has been throughout its history. By culty, we mean a modern-day cult that most of us are a part of. Besides being consumed by millions of people every day, it has also boasted a clothing line, distributed tons of collector's items, and even gets consumed by professional sports players.
We know how heavily involved Michael Jordan has been with McDonald's, given all the ads he did for them in the '90s and '00s, but other famous sports players have also been a part of this cult. Pictured here is the professional cyclist Tony Rominger treating himself to McDonald's after a cycle in 1993.
A Giant Burger for a Giant Day
Australia seems to have a knack for making giant burgers. Be it in cake form or just a big old burger; they seem to take the cake for big burgers. Sixteen years after McDonald's was founded in its homeland, the USA, McDonald's opened a shop in Australia.
The first location opened in the Yagoona suburb of Sydney in 1972 and was shortly followed by a bunch of other stores. To commemorate the first opening of the franchise in the land down under, a gigantic burger, probably bigger than a baby hippo, was on display. Ronald McDonald, still in his early days of being a mascot, also graced the event with his festive vibes.
McDonald's Employees in the Early '70s.
Nowadays, when you visit McDonald's, you don't even have to deal with any of their employees. The whole process of putting your order through can be done with their modern, streamlined high-tech cash register technology. But it wasn't always so simple to get your Big Mac 'n french fries.
Back then, employees would jot down orders manually with a pen and a note that they would hand back to the kitchen to prepare. Another notable thing of McDonald's in the not-so-distant past is the massive window peeking into the kitchen that allowed customers to see the step-by-step process of their food being prepared. Ordering at McDonald's has changed a lot since the early '70s.
Family Franchise
Since day one, McDonald's has really tried to emphasize the fact that the franchise is there to feed the whole family. They had baby chairs, kiddie's play areas and, of course, the different meals they serve, catering for various family members like their Happy Meals, specially made for kids.
Catering for the whole family at this franchise is nothing new. As much as you can see a lot of families frequenting the franchise nowadays, you could see the same phenomena back in the '70s too. Pictured here is a family playing a game of cards together after their McDonald's meal at a location in Mill Valley, California.
Birthday Celebrations at Mickey Dee's
If you were growing up anywhere from the '70s to the '00s, there were various paths to becoming popular at school. In doing so, you could first try to be a funny or likable person. If that doesn't go down too well, then you could always try inviting all your class friends to celebrate your birthday party at McDonald's.
Birthday parties at McDonald’s are epic! Every invitee would get a Happy Meal, a slice of cake, and perhaps a lucky packet. After the McFeast, you and your buddies could then spend the rest of the party playing with each other in the indoor playground. What more could kids possibly ask for?
McDonald's Always Stays Constant, Even When Economies Don't
Just like trends come and go, so do times of economic crisis and economic prosperity. In the early '70s, the Western world suffered a brief economic downturn. The period dubbed "The 1973-1975 recession" was characterized by simultaneous low employment and high inflation. A lot of qualified men and women were seeking various ways to find work as economic growth was low and jobs were scarce.
At least McDonald's was and always will be consistent in times when the economy is not. Qualified or not, the general public could always find a way out by working at McDonald’s in tough economic situations. Tony Poulos, a former geology student, found clarity during the early '70s economic crisis by flipping patties.
McFries Always Win
Everyone knows how good McDonald's fries are. Somehow they always taste the same, and they're always cooked or, shall we say, fried to perfection. The outer crispy layer gives a satisfying crunch with every bite, and the salt content is perfect for bringing the potatoes to life.
Let's not even get started with the soft, fluffy inside, some or other magical formulation of potato, oil, and heat. Every bite is warm and satisfying, and before you know it, you've gobbled the whole red box of fries down. McDonald's always takes care to select the perfect potatoes for frying, and that's the Russet varieties. We think it's safe to say that McFries are, hands down, the best in the fast-food industry.
A McDonald's Marriage
You can't really go wrong with flower arches like these, can you? In 1975 one McDonald's employee by the name of Annette Scaramozza requested to marry her best friend, Anthony Francis, at her workplace at McDonald's. Somehow McDonald's was a bit different back then and consented to this.
Not sure how this would go down today, but you have to admit that these two look absolutely adorable! Scaramozza wanted to share her special day of wedding celebration with her coworkers, and what better place to do this than at McDonald's?! We're guessing their special day was a hit and filled with lots of delicious McDonald's treats and delicacies.
Ronald McDonald, the Face of McDonald's
Before clowns turned out to be spooky villains, McDonald's still used Ronald McDonald as its mascot. As the face of McDonald's, Ronald was always present at a lot of charity and fundraiser events when he was still around. It's no secret how active McDonald's has been in the past when it comes to philanthropic drives.
Besides all the humanitarian drives, McDonald's was also heavily involved in family fairs and events to not only promote their brand but also to increase the integration of their brand in society. Ronald McDonald acted as the brand ambassador and made sure that everyone perceived this brand as a family-friendly franchise.
Cooking Classes
If you could, would you get a Big Mac McDonald's cooking course for your birthday? That's what Hugh Carter got for his birthday in 1976. If you don't already know, Hugh Carter was an American politician and businessman. Coming from the state of Georgia, he also happened to be the cousin of Jimmy Carter, a former U.S. president.
As we've seen time and time again, many important and prominent figures got involved in McDonald's culture. It was not only professional sportsmen but also big political figures that dipped their toes into the sea that is McDonald's. If you need some inspiration for activities of your next birthday party, then perhaps you can draw from this historical event.
Andy Warhol at McDonald's Charity Night
One of the many philanthropic events that McDonald's dabbled in was a fundraising affair to raise awareness and capital for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. One night in 1976, Jerry Lewis hosted a charity event at the Fifth Avenue McDonald's in New York.
Given Lewis's stardom at the time, it came as no surprise that the event was attended by many other A-List celebs that moved around in these high rankings. One of these guests was Andy Warhol, who attended with his dachshund Archie by his side. Nothing quite like taking your dog to a charity dinner, but we guess anything goes when you're Andy Warhol.
The Story of McDonald's
Not many entrepreneurs can showcase how they have radically transformed the world we live in, as Ray Kroc could in his own book: "Grinding It Out: The Making of McDonald's." Published first in 1992, this book illuminated the way in which Kroc shaped the fast-food landscape with his revolutions in service automation and franchising.
Kroc is not the typical self-made magnate, as he was in his early '50s when he established this franchise. Most tycoons that reach this level of success start out rather young, but Kroc demonstrates that this doesn't have to be a recipe for success. This book tells the endearing story of how Kroc turned McDonald's from a humble two-man restaurant into the global chain it is today.
McDonald’s Messed Up
Over its reign in the fast food industry McDonald's had some ups and downs and did not always remain conflict-free. One of these downfalls happened in 1978 when McDonald's fired a female employee for wearing a dress to work, as this attire was not abiding by their strict pants-only dress code.
A lot of scrutiny was directed at the franchise for pulling this move as friends and members of the employee's church, Lovingway Inner City United Pentecostal Church, protested outside of her former employer's branch. The employee (wearing the white hat in the picture) was rehired again after all the uproar. Nowadays, the regular employee uniform at McDonald's consists of trousers and a shirt.
Modest Beginnings
Today getting McDonald's is as easy as ordering on a food delivery app or hitting the drive-thru. It's just as easy when visiting the store as you can directly put your order through one of their high-tech self-service touchscreen kiosks.
Not too long ago, they spent about $6 billion on revamping their restaurants to be more elegant and high-techy and did everything imaginable to create a menu that appeals to fast casual-fond folk. It wasn't always like this, though. McDonald's started out far more modest, and before all the automation ran the place, their staff would jot orders down with pen and paper, as this employee did in 1978.
Roller Skates to McDonald's
By the late '70s, McDonald's had already infiltrated every part of society. Already in the early '60s, McDonald's boasted of having sold over 1 billion burgers. Nowadays, it is estimated that Mickey Dee's has sold over 400 billion burgers. Thanks to Ray Kroc, who took over in the '50s, the company really expanded and reached every level of the public.
As we've seen time and time again, a lot of big figures frequented the franchise, including professional sportsmen, celebrities, and even political figures and their children. As seen here, the daughter of the late '70s U.S. president Amy Carter made her way to Macca's in roller skates in 1979.
Rominger and Family Lunch at McDonald's
Pictured here is Tony Rominger and his family grabbing lunch together at McDonald's in 1993. This is not the first time this professional cyclist has been caught red-handed at a McDonald's restaurant. The same year the cyclist was spotted using the drive-thru service with his bicycle.
One can't help but think if this family picture and the one of him dressed in full cycling gear visiting McDonald's was a paid partnership and a way for McDonald's to promote their brand to other sportsmen and women alike. Or, perhaps this sportsmen really just have a slight obsession with this fast-food franchise?
Elephant Race
Before a bunch of states in America and other countries banned the use of exotic animals in circuses, McDonald’s Ronald did a circus race on an elephant. The occasion was run by a radio and television station that entered eight riders, of which Ronald McDonald was one.
The event took place in 1979 in Larimer Square, Denver, and was organized to raise funds for the oncology department of a Children's Hospital nearby. The elephants came from Vargas Circus, which is still around nowadays. This circus is rated as one of California's top circuses, but of course, it has changed a lot since the ban on certain circus animals in this state in 2019.
Finland's First McDonald's
The first McDonald's branch opened in Finland, in the capital city of Helsinki, on the 14th of December, 1984. You would think that it would be tough for this burger-bombarded American fast-food chain to break through a nation that snacks on blood dumplings, dried fish, and licorice.
But, somehow, McDonald's managed to infiltrate every community and now has over 80 branches across 38 cities in Finland. Apparently, convincing a nation to love American cheeseburgers and fries doesn't require too much. In cooperation with the Finnish government, McDonald's is partnered with a Finnish company VATES, which promotes employing people with disabilities. Go Finland!
Social Spot for Everyone
Just as you can find any crowd at McDonald's today, the same goes for their earlier years. Spotted here is a young crowd outside McDonald's in the '80s. McDonald's has attracted many different groups of different communities over the years. And that's probably because they offer such a cheap and convenient fast-food service.
By the '80s, McDonald's shifted their focus to selling meal deals instead of an individual burger or a side. Perfect for youngsters to come and enjoy a feast with their friends. Back in the '80s, you could get a Big Mac for just over $1 and a Big Mac meal deal for just over $2. Now that's what we call a bargain.
A Big Opening Day
It took a long time and a lot of negotiations for McDonald's to set foot in Russia. A lot of the skepticism and delays were thought to be caused by inconsistent quality and quantity of meat in the Soviet Union's meat industry shortages back then. But of course, this was a multi-layered issue involving a capitalist country's establishment setting foot in a communist country.
After 14 years of haggling, McDonald's finally made an entry into Russia's capital city Moscow in 1990 on Pushkin Square. McDonald's staff scrambled on the opening day, as 38,000 customers formed long queues to get a taste of a real American burger. McDonald's pulled out of Russia in 2022.
California: Mickey Dee's Hometown
It's no wonder that this franchise's original starting state is also the state that has the most McDonald's locations. The first McDonald's restaurant was started in 1940 by the McDonald brothers, Maurice and Richard, in the town of San Bernardino, in the Californian state.
The franchise rapidly expanded from humble beginnings to a national and later a transnational corporation when Ray Kroc took over. As of July 2023, there are over 13,500 McDonald's branches in the United States, 1,200 of which are in California, accounting for about 9% of all McDonald's in America. Pictured here is a McDonald's restaurant in California in 1981.
Behind the Delectability
Everybody knows that they're in for something unhealthy when they're getting fast food. Yet, we keep coming back to it for its undeniable convenience and overly addictive deliciousness. Life can get pretty wild at times, and that's why we need places that are consistent, like McDonald's.
McDonald's is not only the biggest fast-food chain on the globe, but they are also the absolute comforting convenience. But do we know what we're eating, aka the long list of ingredients, in the Big Mac and fries or chicken McNuggets every time we head to Macca's for a convenient treat? Perhaps this is what this woman was thinking of in 1981 while looking at her Big Mac.
Did Someone Say "Free Food?"
McDonald's serves almost 70 million people on a daily basis, so naturally, the company has a lot of employees to run the company and serve all these customers every day. It's tough to imagine just how many hands are keeping the franchise floating if they've gotten to the point of serving an average of 75 burgers every second.
Of course, working at such a massive corporation comes with some perks here and there. One of the perks is FREE FOOD. Who doesn't love free food? Pictured here is a McDonald's National Training manager Cliff Young, munching down a Big Mac outside of a McDonald's branch in 1981. We're guessing this burger was on the house.
Dieter Hallervorden and Ronald
McDonald's was a magnet for all sorts of people, including the German star Dieter Hallervorden. In 1983 the star was spotted with Ronald McDonald in Los Angeles. Hallervorden is a comedian, actor, singer, and cabaret artist who clawed himself to fame in the '70s following his leading role in a slapstick comedy series called "Nonstop Nonsense."
Even though Hallervorden is a well-respected actor and artist who's been active for decades, he is best known for his annoyingly humorous role in Die Didi-Show, which aired in 1989. Of course, it's only natural to spot the Ronald McDonald clown and this funny actor together, pulling stunts outside a McDonald's.
National Aborigines Week
Among the many good causes that McDonald's has mingled into, one of these occasions took place in the city of the land deep down under in Canberra, Australia. The Aboriginal Development Commission arranged a lunch to cater for 30 children of Aboriginal origins, which took place at a McDonald's branch in the capital city.
Usually, Aborigines are out of mind, but not over this time of National Aborigines Week which still happens to this day, taking place on the first week of July. McDonald's provided burgers, chips, drinks, sweets, and of course, Ronald McDonald party hats to go with the festive occasion.
McDonald's Metal Affair
We've already seen a bunch of famous people, such as sports stars and politicians, connected to the McDonald's brand, and among these well-known people is the '80s metal band Motorhead. The British band was spotted getting silly at a McDonald's branch in Chicago in the summer of 1983.
Motorhead is considered to be one of the prototypes of the new wave of British metal and therefore resurrected the field of metal in the late '70s and early '80s. They released 23 studio albums and had a career spanning more than 40 years. Apparently, they enjoyed dining at McDonald's too while on tour in the States.
Franchise Owners
There's no doubting the fact that McDonald's is the most prosperous fast-food firm in the entire world. As a matter of fact, they are probably the most successful franchise the world has ever seen if you consider the fact that they are present in almost 120 countries around the globe today.
The company has a valuation of over 200 billion, which is no mean feat. Who wouldn't want to have a piece of this pie by owning a franchise with the McDonald's brand written all over it? It's no wonder why Jim Jones, a franchise owner in 1984, looks so thrilled in this picture. He had his very own slice of big McDonald's pie.
McNuggets Invention
In the late '70s, the fast food competition was tough, and McDonald's wanted to do something new with chicken. But not the standard chicken pieces that their competitors were doing. They wanted something new and something different. Something that would set them apart from their competitors. After a lot of planning and playing around with poultry, they developed chicken nuggets.
They're made up of reconstituted chicken pieces that are sealed in a delicious batter and finished off in the frier to get a small bundle of finger-licking crispy goodness. Shortly after the invention of the revolutionary chicken nuggets, dubbed McNuggets, McDonald's had to promote their spectacular invention. Here is Mark Vozzo eating chicken McNuggets for advertising in the late '80s.
Miss Australia at McDonald's
Neralie Baird is not the first person to enjoy a McDonald's meal in wedding attire, as we have seen. In 1987 the bride-to-be was spotted at a McDonald's in North Ryde, Australia. Baird was out at McDonald's in hopes of raising awareness for the Spastic Centre of New South Wales.
The NGO ran from 1945 to 2011 to support children and adults with cerebral palsy. The NGO used all sorts of tactics and fundraising schemes to get the government's support and attention, and forming a relationship with Baird, the face of Miss Australia at the time, was one of these tactics.
Inflatable Ronald
For a big chunk of McDonald's history, Ronald McDonald was the face of the franchise. Undoubtedly, everyone born before 2010 in America has at least a vague idea of who this clown is. In the '60s, he became a massive part of the McDonald's marketing campaign, airing on TV, attending fundraisers, and so much more.
He was always where McDonald's was to the point that they made a massive 25-foot inflatable of him. The whole inflatable idea was bold, and it was great until the temperatures rose above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. When it got too hot to handle, like in this picture, Ronald looked more like a passed-out clown than the supposed chief happiness officer that he was more known as.
School Strike
In 1983, there was a monumental teacher's strike in Chicago's public school sector that went on for 15 days. A whooping 27,000 teachers had had enough after not receiving a pay increase in more than two years. This left more than 420,000 children teacherless and free from attending school.
This was great news for McDonald's as it meant many school-going children now had more time to visit them instead and consume their meals and treats. Luckily the teachers and students could return to school after the strike was settled with a slight raise in salary and a bonus for the teachers. McDonald's was probably secretly sad to see schools resume, though.
Ronald Promoting RMHC
It's clear how deeply intertwined Ronald and the McDonald's brand was back in the day before clowns got weird. That all changed, though, in 2016 following some weird events involving clowns and suspicious characters doing suspicious things. The brand stripped its mascot, but he isn't lost forever. When Ronald was still alive and kicking, McDonald's founded the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC).
The aim of this charity is to support children and families in hospitals and does so by providing accommodations for over 8,000 families every day, saving them $311 million in hotel costs each year. By parading a massive Ronald McDonald's around like this one at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, RMHC created more awareness for their cause.
Ronald Doing the Most
In Ronald's heyday, he participated in a lot of fairs, competitions, fundraisers, charity events, and so much more. He was everywhere where McDonald's was and everywhere where they wanted to be represented. In 1984 he even participated in the annual Variety Club's Bikeathon. What did he not do? There wasn't much that Ronald McDonald didn't do.
Ronald can be seen doing some tricks next to Rusty Nails on his left and Dean Matters on his right. Rusty Nails was a clown character portrayed by James H. Allen, and he hosted a variety of kid's TV shows and even inspired the creators of "The Simpsons" to create the character "Krusty the Clown." Dean Matters was a famous radio presenter in the '80s.
McDonald's Donates
In 2020, when the global pandemic hit, thousands of McDonald's restaurants around the world were forced to close shop. What do you think they did with all their surplus food supplies? They donated a heck of a lot of it to workers on the frontline and other communities that were most in need.
Just over this time, they donated over 300 tons of food and drink. That's quite a generous donation, and this was in the U.K. alone. Donating food is nothing new for this franchise, and they have been doing it since the early days. In 1989 there was a prison strike in Parramatta Correctional Service in Australia, and of course, they chipped in here too.
Speedee Service System
By the time the McDonald’s brothers opened their second restaurant, they had already designed the layout to pop out an entire meal in under 60 seconds. They named this kitchen design the 'Speedee Service System.' And boy, oh boy, was it speedy and every speck as groundbreaking as Henry Ford's assembly line innovation.
Little did they know that this innovative design would lead to thousands of franchises opening up around the world and that their brand would one day be serving around 70 million people on a daily basis. And it's all thanks to the Speedee Service System that they can serve so many people every day, like this person getting some Macca's in the mid-'80s.
Keeping Up With the Burger War
If you were born before the '80s, then you'll remember the burger wars that were going on back then. And no, we don't mean an actual war where people fight with burgers as weapons, but rather the war between McDonald's, Burger King, and Wendie’s to stay on top of the fast-food burger game.
Whether you favor a Whopper or a Big Mac, there's no denying that McDonald's has been the favorite when it comes to fast food franchises. But this did not come easy, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears were sacrificed to make it the successful franchise that it is today. This also meant that branch managers in the '80s had to keep up with their studies!
Work for McDonald's
As depicted in this article, McDonald's has employed all sorts of people from all sorts of life stages throughout their history. It may not be the most glamorous job today, but it has always been a flexible position that would've been perfect for this student in the '80s. Presumably, he had a not-so-regular schedule of juggling school, computers, and his position at McDonald's.
Probably tough to find work back in those days that would suit such an irregular schedule. Working at any fast food chain has ups and downs, but working at McDonald's has a few perks. Besides flexibility and free food, you can expect training and to acquire organizational skills that will help you in any industry.
McDonald's Soothing Sports Stars
It seems that a lot of sports stars had a thing for McDonald's. It wasn't only professional basketball players and cyclists, but apparently professional boxers too. Jeff Fenech was photographed in 1988 sipping on a McDonald's drink. Allegedly he had to face the tribunal as he misbehaved outside of the ring.
We all know how professional boxers like to behave around the time of their fights: high on adrenaline and probably testosterone too. We bet you didn't know that they would turn to a McDonald's drink to soothe them after their match, though. We didn't know either, but how adorable?
McDonald's Take Over in Australia
Only four years after opening their first shop abroad, McDonald's opened a branch in Australia. Given that the people in the land down under also follow a pretty similar Westernized diet, McDonald's was able to spread like wildfire. The first McDonald's in Aussie land opened in Sydney and was quickly followed by several other Sydney openings like this one in 1991.
In this picture, the councilman of the time, John Fowler, can be seen outside an "opening soon" McDonald's. Just five years prior to this opening, McDonald's opened their 9,000th store in 1986 in Sydney too. Today there are more than 970 McDonald's restaurants in Australia.
Serving All Sports Stars
Among all the fancy sports stars that McDonald's has served in the past, they have also served famous German soccer stars. Pictured here is Dieter Hoeneß in 1987, a soccer star with a massive burger on his lap, waving to his fans after a match.
Not sure if this was a paid partnership, given this sport's player's fame in Germany, or if he really just wanted a burger after his match. At this stage, Dieter Hoeneß was playing for the famed F.C. Bayern Munich club and did so with a great victory. He scored 102 goals in 224 matches for them in the German Bundesliga. Go, team, go!
McDonald's Food Factory
Behind every McDonald's serving food to the masses, there's got to be a place where the food comes from before it reaches the restaurant, right? Any given McDonald's restaurant is not gonna cut the potatoes for fries, make the buns from scratch, or the beef patties for that matter.
Usually, fast-food chains just prepare meals from premade frozen food items, so naturally, McDonald's is gonna have factories where these frozen items are pre-prepared. We wouldn't want to bore you too much with the details of how these foods get made and what exactly goes into them, but here's a pic from a McDonald's employee handling heaps of un-baked dough at a McDonald's factory.
Environmental Efforts
Since the early days, McDonald's has made efforts to use techniques and materials that are more environmentally friendly. We don't really want to think about the waste that is created when a franchise such as this one serves 70 million customers daily, but sadly it's probably leaning towards a couple of metric tons every second.
But it's not all gloom and doom because, according to their website, they claim that over 80% of their packaging is recycled or recyclable, and they aim to bump this figure up to 100% by 2025. According to this picture of a boy eating ice cream, they have also been creating recycling awareness through their tray liners since the '90s, so that's not too bad.
Ronald McDonald Benches
McDonald's first brought Ronald into the world in the early '60s when they thought he would be a family favorite mascot. And he was for a long time! At first, some McDonald's-goers were skeptical of the new clown on the block, but within no time, he became the fast-food franchise's face and was loved by everyone.
Besides always being at a McDonald's restaurant (pre-2016) in the form of a statue sitting on a bench, like this picture taken in Beijing in the early '90s, he did a lot of other good things for the brand. While he may no longer be the face of the brand today, he is still the frontman of the Ronald McDonald House Charities.
McAttack
In the late '90s, two brave employees, Jamal Nickens, 20, and Bryan Drapp, 19, stood up for their rights by organizing an employee strike against McDonald's. This was quite a visionary moment as it was the first ever organized strike against this franchise since Ray Kroc took over the joint 43 years prior.
The two claimed to be "Overworked, Underpaid" on their posters, and somehow it all paid off as they got what they wanted in the end: a bit more pay and a little more respect. Heroes to their Mc-Coworkers, but certainly a massive headache to the McDonald's brand at the time.
Brooke Shields at Ronald's Quarters
So many stars have been affiliated with this brand and that includes Brooke Shields when she attended the 1992 "Helping Hands" mural drive to mark the halfway point of the Ronald McDonald House construction.
Most people in America know Brooke Shields, but if not, she's an American actress and model who rose to fame at 12 for a controversial role in the film "Pretty Baby" in 1978 and also for a role in "Blue Lagoon" in 1980. By the time this picture was taken in the '90s, Shields was making appearances on big hit shows like "The Simpsons" and "Friends."
Pop Singer Endorses McDonald's
Around the turn of the millennium, a London McDonald's was visited by Brian Harvey, who was then the lead singer of the British pop band East 17. He is certainly not the only British pop star who has allegedly claimed, "I'm lovin' it." The "Hello" hit singer Adele has admitted that she feasts at McDonald's at least once a week, even after her famous weightloss transformation.
She even went as far as claiming that a chicken McNugget, Big Mac, and french fries are her all-time favorite three-course meal. Another British star that frequents McDonald's is the supermodel and actress Cara Delevigne. Even celebs that follow so-called strict diets need a cheat day every once in a while.
Larry Bird
McDonald's seems to have liked to do paid partnerships with professional basketball players. As it appears, Michael Jordan wasn't the only basketball player doing ads for them. The legendary award-winning NBA player Larry Bird also filmed a commercial for McDonald's in 1993. Bird, also referred to as "Gold Hand," is considered one of the best NBA players of all time.
He carries three NBA championship titles with the Boston Celtics that he played for, as well as an Olympic gold medal that he and his team, the "Dream Team," won at the Barcelona Olympic games in 1992. He was quite busy playing basketball around this time but managed to make time to do a commercial for McDonald's.
McDonald's Has You Covered
McDonald's is always around when we need it the most. Long day at work and too tired to go home and cook? No worries, McDonald's has got you back! A long day of tanning at the beach, and you're now in dire need of a quick and convenient snack? McDonald's will sort you out.
At least, that is how these two babes saw it after their day at the beach in Waikiki, Hawaii. Although it is not advised to always reach for the convenience of McDonald's all the time, we think it's definitely okay to do so from time to time. After all, we're only human.
Ronald Lives On, In Long Beach
Although you will probably never see someone cleaning a massive inflatable Ronald McDonald in Long Beach, you may very well visit what's left of him at the Long Beach Ronald McDonald House. Located in Southern California, this safe house has provided care and comfort for families since 2011. An absolutely stunning initiative that's left behind by this obsolete clown.
This is a community available to children and their families who need support while children are undergoing medical procedures. Ideally situated near the Miller Children's Hospital, this is a place for families to stay while their children are under medical care at the hospital, sparing the families from having to pay for expensive hotels nearby.