McDonald's: The Franchise That Changed The World

Ray Kroc

Surprised me most:

I think one of the big things that surprised me most was Ray Kroc wasn’t successful until he
reached an older age. He was a multi mixer seller into his 50’s and became McDonald franchise
agent when he was 52. This was a serious rags to riches story where a man who saw an opportunity
took it and showed it all over the world.

What I admired:

I admired Ray Kroc’s vision, he always looked at ways to make that company better whether it be
bringing his own multi mixer product in or new formula of ice cream to even buying the real estate
through making a real estate business that the franchise was being built on.

What I least admired:

Since this book was an autobiography the book did not go into detail on the darker side of Ray and
how his alcoholism that was stated on many interviews with other franchise owners and even the
McDonald brothers pushed people away that could have helped make the business better.

Adversity and Failure:

I think the whole story of Ray Kroc was bleaked with adversity and failure, the McDonald's brothers
didn’t see Ray’s ideal of the future for their franchise and they knew what they had was good just didn’t
know they could replicate it across america. Ray failed over and over his whole life so when he had his
one big success with McDonald's it easily washes away all his other failures to that point.

2) Ray Kroc had a good bit of competencies, one major one that I have stated a few times was vision.
He understood how valuable quick service and uniform routines was considering at the time most was
drive in services where he would have to wait to get waited on and they wouldn't give him food in
wrapping and in a bag for the on the go routine he was used to. Another major competency was his
ability to never stop working he worked for McDonald's until the day he died coming up with many
different ways to improve his franchise and build a literal food empire.

3) I think what confused me most was nearing the end of the book where he went into detail about
owning a baseball team and all the intricacies that came with that. I think that was just him losing
steam near the end and wanting to delve into other fields but I found it weird to be placed in a book
about him and McDonald.

4) I think if I were to ask him questions on his life I would ask if he regrets not giving more royalties
and credits to the McDonald's brothers and why it took him so long to say that they existed. He
basically said he made McDonald and called it that because it was “American sounding” when
that wasn’t the truth at all.

5) I think Ray Kroc’s definition of hard work was giving it all you had. He gave up his family
and wife for the beginning of the business he even sold his own home to start this journey
which was a huge gamble and looking at it myself I do not know if I would have the guts to sell
everything I held dear to me or destroy relationships that i had built like with the brothers.