Kroc, Ray

Kroc, Ray (Raymond Albert Kroc), 1902-84, American fast-food restauranteur and franchiser, b. Chicago. Kroc held several jobs before becoming (1937) the distributor for a blender that simultaneously prepared several milkshakes. Visiting a small but profitable San Bernadino, Calif., restaurant owned by brothers Mac and Dick McDonald, he was impressed by the fast assembly-line fashion preparation of burgers, fries, sodas, and shakes. Kroc acquired the business's franchising rights and in 1955 founded the McDonald's Corp. Six years later he bought out the brothers. Using quality, service, cleanliness, and value as a commercial mantra, and maintaining strict uniformity of product, McDonald's grew quickly, as franchises opened throughout the country and menu items were gradually added. Kroc served as president (1955-68), chairman of the board (1968-77), and then senior chairman until his death. By then, McDonald's had changed America's eating habits, with more than 7,500 restaurants in operation and annual sales topping $8 billion.

(born Oct. 5, 1902, Chicago, Ill., U.S.—died Jan. 14, 1984, San Diego, Calif.) U.S. restaurateur, a pioneer of the fast-food industry. He was working as a blender salesman when he discovered a restaurant in San Bernardino, Calif., owned by Maurice and Richard McDonald, who used an assembly-line format to prepare and sell a large volume of hamburgers, french fries, and milk shakes. Beginning in 1955 Kroc opened his first McDonald's drive-in restaurant in Des Plaines, Ill., paying the brothers a percentage of the receipts. He soon began selling franchises for new restaurants, and he instituted a training program for owner-managers that emphasized automation and standardization. At the time of his death there were some 7,500 McDonald's restaurants worldwide; with more than 25,000 restaurants in the early 21st century, McDonald's was the world's largest food-service retailer.

Learn more about Kroc, Ray(mond Albert) with a free trial on Britannica.com.

KROC or Kroc may refer to:

• KROC (AM), a radio station (1340 AM) licensed to Rochester, Minnesota, United States
• KROC-FM, a radio statio (106.9 FM) licensed to Rochester, Minnesota, United States
• KTTC, a television station (channel 10) licensed to Rochester, Minnesota, United States, which formerly used the call sign KROC-TV
• the ICAO code for Greater Rochester International Airport in Rochester, New York
• KRoC, the Kent Retargetable occam Compiler
• Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald's