37 Facts About Ray Kroc

Raymond Albert Kroc was an American businessman, widely regarded as the "Founder of McDonald's" for his role in turning the singular hamburger stand into the most successful global fast food corporation by revenue.

Ray Kroc purchased McDonald's from the McDonald Brothers in 1961, after several years as their franchising agent, and served as its CEO from 1967 to 1973.

Ray Kroc was impressed with the efficiency and speed of the restaurant's operations, and he convinced the brothers to allow him to franchise the concept.

Ray Kroc became the owner of McDonald's Corporation in 1961 and was credited as its founder.

Raymond Albert Kroc was born on October 5,1902, in Oak Park, Illinois, near Chicago, to Czech-American parents, Rose Mary [nee Hrach] and Alois "Louis" Kroc.

At the age of 15, Ray Kroc made the decision to leave high school, contrary to his parents' wishes.

When Prince Castle mixers sales plummeted because of competition from lower-priced Hamilton Beach products, Ray Kroc was intrigued by Richard and Maurice McDonald, who had purchased eight of his mixers for their restaurant in San Bernardino, California.

Ray Kroc visited the brothers in 1954 to see why they were making so many milkshakes.

Ray Kroc refused to gouge his loyal customers, leaving Disneyland to open without a McDonald's restaurant.

Ray Kroc has been credited with making a number of innovative changes in the food-service franchise model.

Ray Kroc recognized that the sale of exclusive licenses for large markets was the quickest way for a franchisor to make money, but he saw in the practice a loss in the franchisor's ability to exert control over the course and direction of a chain's development.

Above all else, and in keeping with contractual obligations with the McDonald brothers, Ray Kroc wanted uniformity in service and quality among all of the McDonald's locations.

Ray Kroc became frustrated with the McDonald brothers' desire to maintain a small number of restaurants.

Ray Kroc went "ballistic" over hearing the amount and asked if he could pay it incrementally, but the brothers refused.

However, Harry Sonneborn, whom Ray Kroc referred to as his "financial wizard", was able to raise the required funds.

At the closing, Ray Kroc became annoyed that the brothers would not transfer to him the real estate and rights to the original San Bernardino location.

The brothers had told Ray Kroc they were giving the operation, property and all, to the founding employees.

Ray Kroc felt that no one would want to eat at a restaurant called "Ray Kroc's" and therefore was adamant about obtaining the rights to "McDonald's".

Ray Kroc maintained the assembly line "Speedee Service System" for hamburger preparation that was introduced by the McDonald brothers in 1948.

Ray Kroc set strict rules for franchisees on how the food was to be made, portion sizes, cooking methods and times, and packaging.

Ray Kroc rejected cost-cutting measures like using soybean filler in the hamburger patties.

However, the sale was tied up in lawsuits when Ray Kroc purchased the team for $12 million, keeping the team in San Diego.

The San Diego Union said Ray Kroc was "above all, a fan of his team".

Ray Kroc was inducted posthumously as part of the inaugural class of the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame in 1999.

The Ray Kroc Foundation supported research, treatment and education about various medical conditions, such as alcoholism, diabetes, arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

In 1973, Ray Kroc received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.

Ray Kroc donated $255,000 to Richard Nixon's reelection campaign in 1972, and he was controversially accused by some, notably Senator Harrison Williams, of making the donation to influence Nixon to veto a minimum wage bill making its way through Congress.

Ray Kroc and Fleming met in 1919, married in 1922, and then moved to Chicago, Illinois.

Ray Kroc married his third wife, Joan Smith in 1969.

Ray Kroc donated to a variety of causes that interested her, such as the promotion of peace and preventing nuclear proliferation.

In 1980, following a stroke, Ray Kroc entered an alcohol rehabilitation facility.

Ray Kroc died four years later of heart failure at a hospital in San Diego on January 14,1984, at the age of 81.

Ray Kroc was buried at the El Camino Memorial Park in Sorrento Valley, San Diego.

Ray Kroc co-authored the book Grinding It Out, first published in 1977 and reissued in 2016; it served as the basis for a biographical movie about Ray Kroc.

Ray Kroc is featured in the documentary series The Food That Built America on the History channel.

Ray Kroc is featured in Tim Harford's BBC World Service radio show 50 Things That Made the Modern Economy in the episode, "Fast food franchise", which depicts the boom that his franchisee model provided for the fast food industry.

Ray Kroc was critical of workers sitting or leaning while at work.