McDonald’s Corporation the world’s most successful chain of fast-food restaurants, as investors have come to expect from the ever-expanding group, McDonald’s numbers hit new heights. Brothers Dick and Mac McDonald opened their first restaurant in 1940, but the business really started to grow under Chicago salesman Ray Kroc. In 1961, Kroc bought out the McDonald brothers and began a truly impressive US and global expansion drive. Today, McDonald’s has more than 33,000 restaurants across the world, employing 1.7 million people in 119 countries. What’s more, 80% of its restaurants are franchises, run by entrepreneurs keen to jump aboard the McDonald’s bandwagon. The company known to Australians as Maccas opened its first restaurant here in 1971 in Yagoona, Sydney. Today, it has over 780 outlets across the country, employing around 85,000 people.

1. 1
THE ATTRIBUTES BEHIND THE VICTORY OF MC DONALD’S
VARUN KESAVAN, RESEARCH SCHOLAR, E – MAIL ID – varunkesavan@yahoo.com
INTRODUCTION
McDonald’s Corporation the world’s most successful chain of fast-food
restaurants, as investors have come to expect from the ever-expanding group,
McDonald’s numbers hit new heights.
Brothers Dick and Mac McDonald opened their first restaurant in 1940, but the
business really started to grow under Chicago salesman Ray Kroc. In 1961, Kroc
bought out the McDonald brothers and began a truly impressive US and global
expansion drive.

2. 2
Today, McDonald’s has more than 33,000 restaurants across the world,
employing 1.7 million people in 119 countries. What’s more, 80% of its
restaurants are franchises, run by entrepreneurs keen to jump aboard the
McDonald’s bandwagon.
The company known to Australians as Maccas opened its first restaurant here in
1971 in Yagoona, Sydney. Today, it has over 780 outlets across the country,
employing around 85,000 people.
SECRETS BEHIND THE SUCCESS OF MC DONALDS
Franchising
Worldwide, 80% of McDonald’s restaurants are franchised; in Australia, this
proportion is two-thirds. Franchising enables McDonald’s to harness individual
talent and effort, while still retaining control of its brand, menu and pricing.
International expansion
McDonald’s is simply huge in the US, but it also has a presence in 118 other
countries. In Australia, McDonald’s has been an established brand for 41 years
and is as much a part of our suburbs and shopping strips as well-known brands
such as Woolworths Limited and Commonwealth Bank of Australia

3. 3
Global, but local
While McDonald’s is a multi-national giant, it adapts its business and menu to
suit local markets. This ‘global, but local’ approach enables it to tailor its offerings
to suit the local palate. For example, in some countries, McDonald’s sells beer
and, in India, where Hindus don’t eat beef, McDonald’s menus have vegetarian
and non-beef options. Australia was the birthplace of the McCafe concept and,
perhaps not surprisingly, the McOz burger.
The brand is the business
The McDonald’s brand is one of the most valuable in the world, being easily and
universally recognised. Everywhere you go, McDonald’s restaurants have an
instant ‘recognisability factor’ — the familiar red-and-gold livery, plus the ‘Golden
Arches’ and the world’s favourite clown, Ronald McDonald.
‘Old and new’ menu
The McDonald’s menu sticks rigidly to old-fashioned favourites such as the Big
Mac and Chicken McNuggets. However, the group is also willing to experiment,
adding or deleting items from its menu according to their popularity and local
tastes. For example, its new healthier menus and inexpensive all-day coffee
have helped the business snare a whole new group of customers.

4. 4
Low prices
Gourmets will sneer at McDonald’s menu, arguing that its products are low on
taste and high on fat and sugar. Nevertheless, its low prices bring tens of millions
of people through its doors every day.
Meal sizes
As well as catering to all budgets, McDonald’s menu offers meals of all shapes
and sizes. While its ‘super sized’ range has been blasted by anti-obesity
campaigners, McDonald’s also offers bite-sized meals for those with smaller
appetites.
Film tie-ups and sponsorship
To keep its regular promotions fresh, McDonald’s teams up with media partners,
especially film companies. When the likes of Disney or DreamWorks release a
new movie, you’re almost certain to see the theme in your local McDonald’s.

5. 5
Recruiting young workers
Millions of young adults got their first job with McDonald’s. While this helps to
keep wage bills down, McDonald’s also provides industry-leading, on-the-job
training for young workers. Last year, the company ranked eighth on a list of the
’25 Best Multinational Companies to Work for in the World’. Most senior
McDonald’s managers started out serving on the shop floor and worked their way
up to the boardroom.
Free Wi-Fi
The vast majority of Australian McDonald’s stores now offer free Wi-Fi. It’s not
unusual to see people using laptops or tablet computers while eating or having
coffee. McDonald’s now boasts that it serves up more emails each day (data-
wise, the equivalent of six million messages) than it does big Macs.