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Ray Kroc Found a Winner and Multiplied It
“Common sense is instinct, and enough of it is genius.”
—George Bernard Shaw
Ray Kroc wanted to be a winner. For fifty-seven of his years he made a good living but never hit the jackpot. However, he kept his eyes open for an opportunity. As a salesman for a milk shake company, he was impressed by an order from a small hamburger stand in California that needed to make forty-eight shakes at a time. When he investigated, he found two brothers, Maurice and Richard McDonald, turning out hamburgers as quickly as they could be made. They had simplified the standard restaurant operation. As one of the brothers recalled: “Out went dishes, glasses, and silverware. Out went service, the dishwashers, and the long menu. We decided to serve just hamburgers, drinks, and french fries on paper plates. Everything prepared in advance, everything uniform.”
Kroc wanted a taste of the McDonalds’ success and hounded the brothers until they agreed to allow him to sell franchises. During the next six years, Kroc sold 200 McDonald franchises. In only twenty-two years, McDonald’s became a billion-dollar company. The ingredients that led to the success of McDonald’s over all others are simple. The menu is brief, containing only items whose consistent quality can be maintained in thousands of stores. There are strict standards for service, cleanliness, and store operations—and the standards are enforced. The company constantly researches its market (mostly families with children) to determine what customers want, and utilizes prolific and efficient advertising to carry its message to consumers.
Consider This: The plan is simple: quality, consistency, cleanliness, and good value. Most people will agree with the plan, but only the winner will implement it with passion.
Submitted by Richard
“Common sense is instinct, and enough of it is genius.”
—George Bernard Shaw
Ray Kroc wanted to be a winner. For fifty-seven of his years he made a good living but never hit the jackpot. However, he kept his eyes open for an opportunity. As a salesman for a milk shake company, he was impressed by an order from a small hamburger stand in California that needed to make forty-eight shakes at a time. When he investigated, he found two brothers, Maurice and Richard McDonald, turning out hamburgers as quickly as they could be made. They had simplified the standard restaurant operation. As one of the brothers recalled: “Out went dishes, glasses, and silverware. Out went service, the dishwashers, and the long menu. We decided to serve just hamburgers, drinks, and french fries on paper plates. Everything prepared in advance, everything uniform.”
Kroc wanted a taste of the McDonalds’ success and hounded the brothers until they agreed to allow him to sell franchises. During the next six years, Kroc sold 200 McDonald franchises. In only twenty-two years, McDonald’s became a billion-dollar company. The ingredients that led to the success of McDonald’s over all others are simple. The menu is brief, containing only items whose consistent quality can be maintained in thousands of stores. There are strict standards for service, cleanliness, and store operations—and the standards are enforced. The company constantly researches its market (mostly families with children) to determine what customers want, and utilizes prolific and efficient advertising to carry its message to consumers.
Consider This: The plan is simple: quality, consistency, cleanliness, and good value. Most people will agree with the plan, but only the winner will implement it with passion.
Submitted by Richard
