McDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the world's largest chain of fast-food restaurants. The company began in 1940 with a restaurant opened by siblings Dick and Mac McDonald, but it was their introduction of the "Speedee Service System" in 1948 that established the principles of the fast-food restaurant. However, the company today dates its "founding" to the opening of CEO Ray Kroc's first franchised restaurant, the company's ninth, in 1955. Corporate overviewMcDonald's trademark Golden Arches. The maple leaf indicates a Canadian location. McDonald's Sekime national route store（Osaka Japan） Times SquareMcDonald's brand is in 122 countries around the world. Thirty thousand locations serve 51 million customers each day. More than 70 percent of McDonald's restaurants around the world are owned and operated by independent local businesspersons. In addition, the company operates other restaurant brands, such as Aroma Café, Boston Market, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and has a minority stake in Pret a Manger. Until December 2003 it also owned Donatos Pizza. It also has a subsidiary, Redbox, which in 2003 started as 18-foot wide automated convenience stores, but as of 2005 has focused on DVD rental machines. Revenues for 2004 were US$19.1 billion, with net income at $2.75 billion. Most standalone McDonald's restaurants offer nither counter and drive-through service, with indoor and sometimes outdoor seating. The Drive-Thru, Auto-Mac, or McDrive as it is known in many countries, often has separate stations for placing, paying for, and picking up orders, though the latter two steps are frequently combined. In some countries "McDrive" locations near highways offer no counter service or seating. In contrast, locations in high-density city neighborhoods often omit drive-through service. There are also a few locations, located mostly in downtown districts, which offer Walk-Thru service in place of Drive-Thru. Specially themed restaurants also exist, such as "Rock-and-Roll McDonald's" 1950s themed restaurants. Some McDonald's in suburban areas and certain cities feature large indoor or outdoor playgrounds, called "McDonald's PlayPlace" or "Playland". These were primarily created in the 1970s and 1980s in the USA, but later internationally. The McDonald's Corporation's business model is slightly different from that of most other fast-food chains. In addition to ordinary franchise fees, supplies, and percentage of sales, McDonald's also collects rent, partially linked to sales. As a condition of the franchise agreement, the Corporation owns the property on which most McDonald's franchises are located. However, in the UK the business model does not remain as concurrent with the global model with less than 30% of restaurants franchised and the majority under the ownership of the company itself. McDonald's trains its franchisees and others at Hamburger University in Oak Brook, Illinois. According to Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser (2001), nearly one in eight workers in the US has at some time been employed by McDonald's. The book also states that McDonald's is the largest private operator of playgrounds in the U.S., as well as the single largest purchaser of beef, pork, and potatoes. HistoryMcDonald's in Sanya, Hainan (China). This one is a soft drink/ice cream stand.
ChallengesMcDonald's faces varying problems. Some of these are unique to franchising. As one of the world's largest and best recognized franchise systems, it must endeavour to successfully deal with matters of internal cohesion between the interests of its franchisees and that of the franchisor. At the same time, its global reach and broadly standard product line and level of service have led to McDonald's becoming the target of anti-globalization protests, and as the highest-profile fast food company, it is often blamed for obesity and excessive packaging waste. Its moves to protect its reputation and trademarks have at times been seen as heavy-handed. CriticismAs the world's largest restaurant chain, McDonald's also finds itself a target for external criticism. Even though its foreign franchise locations are usually locally owned and use locally-produced foods, the company is seen as a symbol of American domination of economic resources. Urban legends about the company and its food are plentiful and it is often the target of unusual lawsuits. An anti-McDonald's leafletting campaign in front of the restaurant in Leicester Square, London in 2004McDonald's has been the target of criticism for allegations of exploitation of entry-level workers, use of sweatshop labor to produce "happy meal" toys, ecological damage caused by agricultural production and industrial processing of its products, selling unhealthy food, production of packaging waste, exploitative advertising (especially targeted at children, minorities, and low-income people), and contributing to suffering and exploitation of livestock. McDonald's' historic tendency towards promoting high-calorie foods such as French fries has earned it the nickname "the starchy arches". Legal casesIn the high profile McLibel Trial, McDonald's took two anti-McDonald's campaigners, Helen Steel and Dave Morris, to court for a trial lasting two and a half years—the longest in English legal history and part of a 20-year battle—after the pair distributed leaflets critical of the company in London's streets. McDonald's won the case in the U.K. High Court, and were awarded £60,000 damages, which later was reduced to £40,000 by the Court of Appeal. Steel and Morris then made a separate but related claim against the U.K. Government in the European Court of Human Rights, claiming that the lack of access to legal aid and the heavy burden of proof that lay with them to prove their claims (rather than McDonald's, the claimants, having to prove that the claims were false) under U.K. libel law breached the right to a fair trial and freedom of expression. The ECHR ruled against the U.K. Government, which subsequently introduced legislation to change the libel laws to remedy the defects highlighted by the ECHR judgment. The libel charge and fine were overturned in an appeals case. see McLibel case. McDonald's has also been criticized for its approach to preserving its image and copyrights. It has threatened many foodservice businesses with legal action unless they drop the Mc or Mac from their trading name. In one noteworthy case, McDonald's sued a Scottish café owner called McDonald, even though the business in question dated back over a century. Other legal battles include:
In July 2001, McDonald's was fined £12,400 by British magistrates for illegally employing and over-working child labor in one of its London restaurants. This is thought to be one of the largest fines imposed on a company for breaking laws relating to child working conditions. Also in 2001, Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation included scathing criticism of McDonald's' business practices. Among the critiques are allegations that McDonald's (along with other companies within the fast-food industry) uses its political influence to increase their own profits at the expense of the health of the nation and the social conditions of its workers. While the book does mention other fast-food chains, it focuses primarily on McDonald's. In 2003, a ruling by the UK Advertising Standards Authority determined that the corporation had acted in breach of the codes of practice in describing how its french fries were prepared. A McDonald's print ad stated that "after selecting certain potatoes" "we peel them, slice them, fry them and that's it." It showed a picture of a potato in a McDonald's fries box. In fact the product was sliced, pre-fried, sometimes had dextrose added, was then frozen, shipped, and re-fried and then had salt added. In June 2004, the UK's Private Eye reported that McDonald's was handing out meal vouchers, balloons, and toys to children in pediatric wards. This was especially controversial as the report was made within weeks of a British Government report stating that the present generation may be the first to die before their parents due to spiraling obesity in the British population. Also in 2004, Morgan Spurlock's documentary film Super Size Me produced negative publicity for McDonald's, with allegations that McDonald's food was contributing heavily to the [5] epidemic of obesity in American society, and failing to provide nutritional information about its food for its customers. For 30 days Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald's (supersizing whenever asked) and by the end of the month Spurlock reported mood swings, sexual dysfunction, and had gained 24.5 pounds (11.11 kg). Subsequent to the showing of the film at the Sundance Film Festival, but before its cinematic release, McDonald's phased out its Supersize meal option and began offering several healthier menu items, though no link to the film was cited in this decision. They also began a practice of putting all nutritional information for all menu items in light grey small print on the reverse of their tray liners. Several other people later similarly ate only at McDonald's for a month, but by choosing menu items more judiciously (Spurlock ate everything on the menu at least once, always accepted upsizing requests of Mcdonald's employees, and continued to eat after he was full) and exercising frequently, showed no ill effects. Global impactSome observers have suggested that many of McDonald's innovations have become commonplace and are no longer seen as such, and that the company should be given credit for increasing the standard of service in markets it enters. A group of anthropologists in a study entitled Golden Arches East (Stanford University Press, 1998, edited by James L. Watson) looked at the impact McDonald's had had on East Asia, and Hong Kong in particular. Among the findings were that McDonald's had solved the problem of losing face for many customers (who might be embarrassed when someone else ordered a more expensive item in a restaurant; as the food at McDonald's is all similarly priced, this ceased to be an issue). When it opened in Hong Kong in 1975, McDonald's was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms, driving customers to demand the same of other restaurants and institutions. By popularizing the idea of a quick restaurant meal, the study suggests, McDonald's led to the easing or elimination of various taboos, such as that on eating while walking in Japan. In most cases, McDonald's quickly became accepted, and was no longer seen as a foreign institution. McDonald's in Khobar, Saudi ArabiaWhen environmentally damaging packaging and waste produced by the company's restaurants became a public concern, McDonald's started a joint project with Friends of the Earth to eliminate the use of polystyrene containers and to reduce the amount of waste produced. Emblem of globalizationMcDonald's in Tokyo, JapanMcDonald's has become emblematic of globalization, sometimes referred as the "Mcdonaldization" of society. The Economist magazine uses the "Big Mac index" (the price of a Big Mac) as an informal measure of purchasing power parity among world currencies. Thomas Friedman suggested that no countries with McDonald's had gone to war with each other. His theory ("Golden Arches" theory) seemed to have been disproved when NATO bombed Serbia in 1999, although it was pointed out in The Economist that NATO itself has no McDonald's. McDonald's remains a target of anti-globalization protesters worldwide. RestaurantsThe first McDonald's was not a restaurant at all, but a walk-up hamburger stand. The company's early franchises were built to a standard pattern that did not offer seating; this was in part to prevent loitering. However, the potential of sit-down restaurants was clear from the beginning, and the company switched to a new standard design for sit-down restaurants in 1967, upon which current standalone restaurants are still based. The company introduced the Drive-Thru in 1975, following the lead of competitor Wendy's, rapidly adding it to existing restaurants wherever this was feasible. A McDonald's restaurant at Forum the Shopping Mall, Orchard Road, SingaporeHowever useful the standard design may have been in popularizing McDonald's and making the company's restaurants instantly recognizable, it is not always possible, or appropriate, for all restaurant locations. McDonald's has often faced organized campaigns claiming it would threaten its surroundings, particularly in historic locations. Possibly in an effort for European nations to become more accepting of the McDonald's concept, the first McDonald's in Italy, opened 1986 near the Spanish Steps in Rome, is widely heralded as the most luxurious McDonald's restaurant. It features indoor fountains, marble walls and floors. Other restaurants in similarly sensitive settings have muted décor and blend into existing architecture. McCaféThe McCafé is a bistro-like restaurant concept by McDonald's Corporation in an effort to gain a share of the ever popular and expanding gourmet coffee market, to avoid losing market share to companies such as Starbucks. With comfortable leather chairs and couches, natural wood accents, and bistro style tables, the ambience is that of a typical modern coffee shop. Dine-in patrons forego the plastic trays and paper wrappers for the more elegant china plates and stainless steel silverware. The menu boasts the standard bistro fare, including paninis, coffee and espresso drinks, and baked goods and pastries, and all menu items are available for take-out. House coffee blends are sold both normally and in tins for home brewing. The concept was introduced in Australia in 1993 and has been successful in several other countries, including Brazil, Israel, Chile, Panama, New Zealand, Colombia, France, Italy, Singapore, the Philippines and most recently Canada. There are 22 McCafés in Hong Kong. The concept has recently been introduced into the U.S. including a McCafé in Orlando, Florida. Extreme McDonald's
Other interesting restaurants
MenuMcDonald's TV campaigns and slogansHamburger UniversityIn Oak Brook, Illinois, where the company headquarters is located, is the first Hamburger University, a school for future executive managers of regional franchises. Adjacent to the building is a McDonald's-themed hotel. Similar "Hamburger U" training schools have been set up around the world. Corporate governanceCurrent members of the board of directors of McDonald's are: Hall Adams, Edward Brennan, Robert Eckert, Enrique Hernandez, Richard Lenny, Walter Massey, Andrew McKenna, Cary McMillan, Michael J. Roberts, John W. Rogers, James A. Skinner, Anne-Marie Slaughter, and Roger W. Stone This page about McDonalds includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about McDonalds News stories about McDonalds External links for McDonalds Videos for McDonalds Wikis about McDonalds Discussion Groups about McDonalds Blogs about McDonalds Images of McDonalds |
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Stone. It has 12 months, broken down into two groups of six. Skinner, Anne-Marie Slaughter, and Roger W. The old Icelandic calendar is not in official use anymore, but some holidays and annual feasts are still calculated according to it in Iceland. Rogers, James A. The Persian names are included in the parentheses. Roberts, John W. The Iranian / Persian calendar, currently used in Iran and Afghanistan, also has 12 months. Current members of the board of directors of McDonald's are: Hall Adams, Edward Brennan, Robert Eckert, Enrique Hernandez, Richard Lenny, Walter Massey, Andrew McKenna, Cary McMillan, Michael J. They are. Similar "Hamburger U" training schools have been set up around the world. The names in the solar calendar are just the names of the zodiac sign in which the sun travels. Adjacent to the building is a McDonald's-themed hotel. These are also the names used in the Indian national calendar for the newly redefined months. In Oak Brook, Illinois, where the company headquarters is located, is the first Hamburger University, a school for future executive managers of regional franchises. The months in the lunar calendar are:. including a McCafé in Orlando, Florida. The Hindu Calendar has various systems of naming the months. The concept has recently been introduced into the U.S. In ordinary years, Adar 2 is simply called Adar. There are 22 McCafés in Hong Kong. Adar 1 is only added in leap years. The concept was introduced in Australia in 1993 and has been successful in several other countries, including Brazil, Israel, Chile, Panama, New Zealand, Colombia, France, Italy, Singapore, the Philippines and most recently Canada. The Hebrew calendar has 12 or 13 months. House coffee blends are sold both normally and in tins for home brewing. For details, please see Islamic calendar. The menu boasts the standard bistro fare, including paninis, coffee and espresso drinks, and baked goods and pastries, and all menu items are available for take-out. They are named as follows:. Dine-in patrons forego the plastic trays and paper wrappers for the more elegant china plates and stainless steel silverware. There are also twelve months in the Islamic calendar. With comfortable leather chairs and couches, natural wood accents, and bistro style tables, the ambience is that of a typical modern coffee shop. It began at the autumn equinox:. The McCafé is a bistro-like restaurant concept by McDonald's Corporation in an effort to gain a share of the ever popular and expanding gourmet coffee market, to avoid losing market share to companies such as Starbucks. A period of four years ending on a leap day was to be called a Franciade. Other restaurants in similarly sensitive settings have muted décor and blend into existing architecture. The five or six extra days needed to approximate the tropical year were placed after the months at the end of each year. It features indoor fountains, marble walls and floors. There were twelve months of 30 days each, grouped into three ten-day weeks called décades. Possibly in an effort for European nations to become more accepting of the McDonald's concept, the first McDonald's in Italy, opened 1986 near the Spanish Steps in Rome, is widely heralded as the most luxurious McDonald's restaurant. This calendar was proposed during the French Revolution, and used by the French government for about twelve years from late 1793. McDonald's has often faced organized campaigns claiming it would threaten its surroundings, particularly in historic locations. The famous mnemonic Thirty days hath September is the most common way of teaching the lengths of the months. However useful the standard design may have been in popularizing McDonald's and making the company's restaurants instantly recognizable, it is not always possible, or appropriate, for all restaurant locations. Months existing in the Roman calendar in the past include:. The company introduced the Drive-Thru in 1975, following the lead of competitor Wendy's, rapidly adding it to existing restaurants wherever this was feasible. Month-by-month links are provided here: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. However, the potential of sit-down restaurants was clear from the beginning, and the company switched to a new standard design for sit-down restaurants in 1967, upon which current standalone restaurants are still based. One of Wikipedia's sister projects, Wiktionary, provides translations of each of the Gregorian/Julian calendar months into a dozen or more languages. The company's early franchises were built to a standard pattern that did not offer seating; this was in part to prevent loitering. For the rationale behind the unusual day lengths, see February and August. The first McDonald's was not a restaurant at all, but a walk-up hamburger stand. The Gregorian calendar, like the Julian calendar before it, has twelve months:. McDonald's remains a target of anti-globalization protesters worldwide. The problems of creating reliable lunar calendars may explain why solar calendars, having months which no longer relate to the phase of the moon, and being based only on the more predictable motion of the sun against the sky, have generally replaced lunar calendars for civil use in most societies. His theory ("Golden Arches" theory) seemed to have been disproved when NATO bombed Serbia in 1999, although it was pointed out in The Economist that NATO itself has no McDonald's. However, a Metonic calendar (such as the Hebrew calendar) will drift against the seasons by about 1 day every 200 years. Thomas Friedman suggested that no countries with McDonald's had gone to war with each other. The most common solution to this problem is the Metonic cycle, which takes advantage of the fact that 235 lunations are approximately 19 tropical years (which add up to not quite 6940 days). The Economist magazine uses the "Big Mac index" (the price of a Big Mac) as an informal measure of purchasing power parity among world currencies. Second, the synodic month does not fit easily into the year, which makes constructing accurate, rule-based lunisolar calendars difficult. McDonald's has become emblematic of globalization, sometimes referred as the "Mcdonaldization" of society. At the simplest level, all lunar calendars are based on the approximation that 2 lunations last 59 days: a 30 day full month followed by a 29 day hollow month — but this is only marginally accurate and quickly needs correction by using larger cycles, or the equivalent of leap days. When environmentally damaging packaging and waste produced by the company's restaurants became a public concern, McDonald's started a joint project with Friends of the Earth to eliminate the use of polystyrene containers and to reduce the amount of waste produced. Note that for calendrical calculations, one would probably use days measured in the time scale of Universal Time, which follows the somewhat unpredictable rotation of the Earth, and progressively accumulates a difference with ephemeris time called ΔT. In most cases, McDonald's quickly became accepted, and was no longer seen as a foreign institution. y is years since the epoch (2000), expressed in Julian years of 365.25 days. By popularizing the idea of a quick restaurant meal, the study suggests, McDonald's led to the easing or elimination of various taboos, such as that on eating while walking in Japan. Note: time expressed in Ephemeris Time (more precisely Terrestrial Time) with days of 86400 SI seconds. When it opened in Hong Kong in 1975, McDonald's was the first restaurant to consistently offer clean restrooms, driving customers to demand the same of other restaurants and institutions. 2000 12:00 TT):. Among the findings were that McDonald's had solved the problem of losing face for many customers (who might be embarrassed when someone else ordered a more expensive item in a restaurant; as the food at McDonald's is all similarly priced, this ceased to be an issue). Valid for the epoch J2000.0 (1 Jan. Watson) looked at the impact McDonald's had had on East Asia, and Hong Kong in particular. These are not constant, so a first-order (linear) approximation of the secular change is provided:. A group of anthropologists in a study entitled Golden Arches East (Stanford University Press, 1998, edited by James L. Here is a list of the average length of the various astronomical lunar months [1]. Some observers have suggested that many of McDonald's innovations have become commonplace and are no longer seen as such, and that the company should be given credit for increasing the standard of service in markets it enters. The long-term average duration is 29.530 588 days (29 d 12 h 44 min 2.8 s), or about 29 ½ days. Several other people later similarly ate only at McDonald's for a month, but by choosing menu items more judiciously (Spurlock ate everything on the menu at least once, always accepted upsizing requests of Mcdonald's employees, and continued to eat after he was full) and exercising frequently, showed no ill effects. Because of the perturbations of the orbits of the Earth and Moon, the actual time between lunations may range from about 29.27 to about 29.83 days. They also began a practice of putting all nutritional information for all menu items in light grey small print on the reverse of their tray liners. the Moon travelling with the Sun). Subsequent to the showing of the film at the Sundance Film Festival, but before its cinematic release, McDonald's phased out its Supersize meal option and began offering several healthier menu items, though no link to the film was cited in this decision. e. For 30 days Spurlock ate nothing but McDonald's (supersizing whenever asked) and by the end of the month Spurlock reported mood swings, sexual dysfunction, and had gained 24.5 pounds (11.11 kg). This longer period is called the synodic month (from Greek syn hodô or σὺν ὁδῴ, with the way, i. Also in 2004, Morgan Spurlock's documentary film Super Size Me produced negative publicity for McDonald's, with allegations that McDonald's food was contributing heavily to the [5] epidemic of obesity in American society, and failing to provide nutritional information about its food for its customers. a full circle) to catch up and return to the same position with respect to the Sun. This was especially controversial as the report was made within weeks of a British Government report stating that the present generation may be the first to die before their parents due to spiraling obesity in the British population. e. In June 2004, the UK's Private Eye reported that McDonald's was handing out meal vouchers, balloons, and toys to children in pediatric wards. Because the Earth orbits the Sun, it takes the Moon extra time (after completing a sidereal month, i. In fact the product was sliced, pre-fried, sometimes had dextrose added, was then frozen, shipped, and re-fried and then had salt added. So the appearance depends on the position of the Moon with respect to the Sun (as seen from the Earth). A McDonald's print ad stated that "after selecting certain potatoes" "we peel them, slice them, fry them and that's it." It showed a picture of a potato in a McDonald's fries box. The cause of moon phases is that from the Earth we see the part of the Moon that is illuminated by the Sun from different angles as the Moon traverses its orbit. In 2003, a ruling by the UK Advertising Standards Authority determined that the corporation had acted in breach of the codes of practice in describing how its french fries were prepared. The "draconic/draconitic" month refers to the mythological dragon that lives in the nodes and regularly eats the Sun or Moon during an eclipse. While the book does mention other fast-food chains, it focuses primarily on McDonald's. At this time a solar or lunar eclipse is possible. Among the critiques are allegations that McDonald's (along with other companies within the fast-food industry) uses its political influence to increase their own profits at the expense of the health of the nation and the social conditions of its workers. when it is at one of the nodes. Also in 2001, Eric Schlosser's book Fast Food Nation included scathing criticism of McDonald's' business practices. e. This is thought to be one of the largest fines imposed on a company for breaking laws relating to child working conditions. The three bodies are only on a line when the Moon is on the ecliptic, i. In July 2001, McDonald's was fined £12,400 by British magistrates for illegally employing and over-working child labor in one of its London restaurants. Now (as seen from the Earth) the Sun moves along the ecliptic, while the Moon moves along its own orbit that is inclined on the ecliptic. Other legal battles include:. It is important for predicting eclipses: these take place when the Sun, Earth and Moon are on a line. In one noteworthy case, McDonald's sued a Scottish café owner called McDonald, even though the business in question dated back over a century. It lasts 27.212 220 days (27 d 5 h 5 min 35.8 s), or about 27 ¼ days. It has threatened many foodservice businesses with legal action unless they drop the Mc or Mac from their trading name. Hence the time it takes the Moon to return to the same node is again shorter than a sidereal month: this is called the draconic, nodical, or draconitic month. McDonald's has also been criticized for its approach to preserving its image and copyrights. The plane of the Moon's orbit precesses over a full circle in about 18.6 years, so the nodes move backwards over the ecliptic with the same period. see McLibel case. The line of intersection of these planes defines two points on the celestial sphere: the ascending and descending nodes. The libel charge and fine were overturned in an appeals case. The orbit of the Moon lies in a plane that is tilted with respect to the plane of the ecliptic: it has an inclination of about five degrees. Government, which subsequently introduced legislation to change the libel laws to remedy the defects highlighted by the ECHR judgment. The apparent diameter of the full moon varies with the full moon cycle which is the beat period of the synodic and anomalistic month, and also the period after which the apsides point to the Sun again. The ECHR ruled against the U.K. The apparent diameter of the Moon varies with this period, and therefore this type of month has some relevance for the prediction of eclipses (see Saros), whose extent, duration, and appearance (whether total or annular) depend on the exact apparent diameter of the Moon. libel law breached the right to a fair trial and freedom of expression. This longer period is called the anomalistic month, and has an average length of 27.554 551 days (27 d 13 h 18 min 33.2 s), or about 27 1/2 days. Government in the European Court of Human Rights, claiming that the lack of access to legal aid and the heavy burden of proof that lay with them to prove their claims (rather than McDonald's, the claimants, having to prove that the claims were false) under U.K. It takes the Moon longer to return to the same apsis because it moved ahead during one revolution. Steel and Morris then made a separate but related claim against the U.K. In particular, the position of the extreme points (the line of the apsides: perigee and apogee), makes a full circle in about nine years. High Court, and were awarded £60,000 damages, which later was reduced to £40,000 by the Court of Appeal. However, the orientation (as well as the shape) of this orbit is not fixed. McDonald's won the case in the U.K. Like all orbits, the Moon's is an ellipse rather than a circle. In the high profile McLibel Trial, McDonald's took two anti-McDonald's campaigners, Helen Steel and Dave Morris, to court for a trial lasting two and a half years—the longest in English legal history and part of a 20-year battle—after the pair distributed leaflets critical of the company in London's streets. the analogous tropical year of the Sun. McDonald's' historic tendency towards promoting high-calorie foods such as French fries has earned it the nickname "the starchy arches". This slightly shorter period is known as tropical month; cf. McDonald's has been the target of criticism for allegations of exploitation of entry-level workers, use of sweatshop labor to produce "happy meal" toys, ecological damage caused by agricultural production and industrial processing of its products, selling unhealthy food, production of packaging waste, exploitative advertising (especially targeted at children, minorities, and low-income people), and contributing to suffering and exploitation of livestock. Therefore it takes the Moon less time to return to an ecliptic longitude of zero than to the same point amidst the fixed stars: 27.321 582 days (27 d 7 h 43 min 4.7 s). Urban legends about the company and its food are plentiful and it is often the target of unusual lawsuits. Because of precession, this point moves back slowly along the ecliptic. Even though its foreign franchise locations are usually locally owned and use locally-produced foods, the company is seen as a symbol of American domination of economic resources. It is customary to specify positions of celestial bodies with respect to the vernal equinox. As the world's largest restaurant chain, McDonald's also finds itself a target for external criticism. This type of "month" has appeared among cultures in the Middle East, India, and China in the following way: they divided the sky in 27 or 28 lunar mansions, characterized by asterisms (apparent groups of stars), one for each day that the Moon follows its track among the stars. Its moves to protect its reputation and trademarks have at times been seen as heavy-handed. The actual period of the Moon's orbit as measured in a fixed frame of reference is known as a sidereal month, because it is the time it takes the Moon to return to the same position on the celestial sphere among the fixed stars (Latin: sidus): 27.321 661 days (27 d 7 h 43 min 11.5 s) or about 27 ⅓ days. At the same time, its global reach and broadly standard product line and level of service have led to McDonald's becoming the target of anti-globalization protests, and as the highest-profile fast food company, it is often blamed for obesity and excessive packaging waste. Most Jews currently follow a precalculated calendar, but the Karaites rely on actual moon observations. As one of the world's largest and best recognized franchise systems, it must endeavour to successfully deal with matters of internal cohesion between the interests of its franchisees and that of the franchisor. Therefore the beginning and lengths of months in these calendars can not be accurately predicted. Some of these are unique to franchising. The date and time of this actual observation depends on the exact geographical longitude as well as latitude, atmospheric conditions, the visual acuity of the observers, etc. McDonald's faces varying problems. Moreover, many cultures (most notably those using the ancient Hebrew (Jewish) calendar and the Islamic calendar) start a month with the first appearance of the thin crescent of the new moon after sunset over the western horizon. According to Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser (2001), nearly one in eight workers in the US has at some time been employed by McDonald's. Synodic months are still the basis of many calendars. McDonald's trains its franchisees and others at Hamburger University in Oak Brook, Illinois. From excavated tally sticks, researchers have deduced that people counted days in relation to the Moon's phases as early as the Paleolithic age. However, in the UK the business model does not remain as concurrent with the global model with less than 30% of restaurants franchised and the majority under the ownership of the company itself. The traditional concept arose with the cycle of moon phases; such months (lunations) are synodic months and last ~29.53 days. As a condition of the franchise agreement, the Corporation owns the property on which most McDonald's franchises are located. The month is a unit of time, used with calendars, which is approximately as long as some natural period related to the motion of the Moon. In addition to ordinary franchise fees, supplies, and percentage of sales, McDonald's also collects rent, partially linked to sales. Willmann-Bell, Richmond VA; ISBN 0-943396-33-6. The McDonald's Corporation's business model is slightly different from that of most other fast-food chains. 8000. These were primarily created in the 1970s and 1980s in the USA, but later internationally. D. Some McDonald's in suburban areas and certain cities feature large indoor or outdoor playgrounds, called "McDonald's PlayPlace" or "Playland". to A. Specially themed restaurants also exist, such as "Rock-and-Roll McDonald's" 1950s themed restaurants. C. There are also a few locations, located mostly in downtown districts, which offer Walk-Thru service in place of Drive-Thru. Chapront (1991): Lunar tables and programs from 4000 B. In contrast, locations in high-density city neighborhoods often omit drive-through service. Chapront-Touzé, J. In some countries "McDrive" locations near highways offer no counter service or seating. ^ Derived from ELP2000-85: M. The Drive-Thru, Auto-Mac, or McDrive as it is known in many countries, often has separate stations for placing, paying for, and picking up orders, though the latter two steps are frequently combined. Haustmánuður (mid September - mid October, "autumn month"). Most standalone McDonald's restaurants offer nither counter and drive-through service, with indoor and sometimes outdoor seating. Tvímánuður (mid August - mid September, "two" or "second month"). Revenues for 2004 were US$19.1 billion, with net income at $2.75 billion. Heyannir (mid July - mid August, "hay business month"). It also has a subsidiary, Redbox, which in 2003 started as 18-foot wide automated convenience stores, but as of 2005 has focused on DVD rental machines. Sólmánuður (mid June - mid July, "sun month"). Until December 2003 it also owned Donatos Pizza. Skerpla (mid May - mid June, another forgotten goddess). In addition, the company operates other restaurant brands, such as Aroma Café, Boston Market, Chipotle Mexican Grill, and has a minority stake in Pret a Manger. Harpa (mid April - mid May, Harpa is a female name, probably a forgotten goddess, first day of Harpa is celebrated as Sumardagurinn fyrsti). More than 70 percent of McDonald's restaurants around the world are owned and operated by independent local businesspersons. Náttleysi ("Nightless days"). Thirty thousand locations serve 51 million customers each day. Einmánuður (mid March - mid April, "lone" or "single month"). McDonald's brand is in 122 countries around the world. Góa (mid February - mid March, "Góa's month, see Nór"). . Þorri (mid January - mid February, "frozen snow month"). However, the company today dates its "founding" to the opening of CEO Ray Kroc's first franchised restaurant, the company's ninth, in 1955. Mörsugur (mid December - mid January, "fat sucking month"). The company began in 1940 with a restaurant opened by siblings Dick and Mac McDonald, but it was their introduction of the "Speedee Service System" in 1948 that established the principles of the fast-food restaurant. Ýlir (mid November - mid December, "Yule month"). McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is the world's largest chain of fast-food restaurants. Gormánuður (mid October - mid November, "slaughter month" or "Gór's month"). In Sedona, Arizona, a McDonalds has the world's only "Green Arches", to fit in with the city's natural look. Skammdegi ("Short days"). In Moscow, Russia, a McDonald's exists that also doubles as a firehouse museum/memorial. Esfand (اسفند), 29 days, 30 in leap years. In Israel, some McDonald's restauraunts are kosher, although most are not. Bahman (بهمن), 30 days. East Coast Park in Singapore has a skate-thru, together with the main restaurant. Dey (دی), 30 days. The McDonalds restaurant in Bray, Ireland, occupies the entire former Town Hall. Azar (آذر), 30 days. Sälen in Sweden opened the first ski-through McDonald's in the world. Aban (آبان), 30 days. The restaurant is now closed. Mehr (مهر), 30 days. Louis, Missouri was a riverboat on the Mississippi River. Shahrivar (شهریور), 31 days. A former McDonald's in St. Mordad (مرداد), 31 days. McDonald's recently won a contract with the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority to place restaurants in renovated oases, many of which are located over the tollways. Tir (تیر), 31 days. A McDonald's near Vinita, Oklahoma is situated above Interstate 44, such that it is possible to eat while cars and trucks pass underneath. Khordad (خرداد), 31 days. The building to host the highest (above ground level) McDonald's restaurant is the KL Tower in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Ordibehesht (اردیبهشت), 31 days. The highest elevation McDonald's is located in La Paz, Bolivia, at 3,600 meters (11,800 feet) above sea level. Farvardin (فروردین), 31 days. The lowest elevation McDonald's is located in the village of Ein Bokek in Israel, near the Dead Sea, at 396 meters (1,300 feet) below sea level. Miina. Cheese's) and a McGourmet section where panini and gourmet sundaes are for sale. Kumbha. It sports two floors, a massive game and arcade area (much like at Chuck E. Makara. The world's largest McDonald's is located in Orlando, Florida, USA, off International Drive. Dhanus. Because of this, it is said that "the sun never sets on the Golden Arches," a parody on the old claim "the sun never sets on the British Empire.". Vrishcika. The world's easternmost McDonald's is also located in New Zealand, in the city of Gisborne and the westernmost restaurant is in Western Samoa, as they are the closest to either side of the International Date Line. Tulaa. The southernmost franchise is located in Invercargill, New Zealand. Kanyaa. The northernmost McDonald's restaurant is located on the Arctic Circle in Rovaniemi, Finland. Simha. This resulted in a local company announcing plans to launch its own fast-food chain using the McDonald's name, although the South African High Court eventually ruled in McDonald's favor. Kataka. In South Africa, however, McDonald's had to battle against the country's trademark laws, which stated that a registered trademark had to be used within a certain period of time. Mithuna. In 2001, McDonald's lost a 9-year legal action against Frank Yuen of McChina Wok Away, Chinese takeway outlets in various part of the UK. Vrishabha. In 1996, McDonalds forced Scottish sandwich shop owner Mary Blair of Fenny Stratford, Buckinghamshire to drop McMunchies as her trading name. Mesha. In 1996, McDonald's lost a legal battle at the Danish Supreme Court to force Allan Pedersen, a mincemeat sandwich vendor, to drop his shop name McAllan. Phaalguna. In 1994, McDonald's sued a restaurant in Kingston, Jamaica, because of trademark infringement, although it had opened in 1971, before McDonald's entered the Jamaican market. Maagha. In 1994, McDonald's successfully forced Elizabeth McCaughey of the San Francisco Bay Area to change the trading name of her coffeeshop McCoffee, which had operated under that name for 17 years. Pausha. Pursuing a 26-year legal action against an Illinois restaurant owned by a man named Ronald McDonald (opened in 1956). Maargashiirsha. 2006: McDonald's announces that it will include nutritional information on the packaging for all products beginning in March[3] and that its upcoming menu changes will emphasize chicken, salads, and other "fresh foods" rather than hamburgers[4]. Kaartika. 2005: McDonald's opens a Wi-Fi service in select restaurants with Nintendo for Nintendo DS. Aashvayuja. The practice had earlier been tested, and abandoned, in the U.S. Bhaadrapada. Some restaurants in New Zealand also follow suit. Shraavana. It should become standard practice in all Australian restaurants by 2007. Aashaadha. 2005: Owing in part to competitive pressure, McDonald's Australia begins "Made for you" policy in which the food is cooked after the customer orders (as opposed to the firm's normal procedure since 1948, in which the food is cooked, then sold as needed). Jyaishtha. The experiment is in part motivated by labor costs, since the minimum wage in North Dakota is over 40 percent lower than that in Oregon or Washington. Vaishaakha. The center, located in Fargo, North Dakota takes orders from more than a dozen stores in Oregon and Washington. Chaitra. 2005: McDonald's experiments with call centers for drive-through orders. Adar 2, 29 days. 2004: Morgan Spurlock directs and stars in Super Size Me documentary film in which the protagonist eats nothing but McDonald's food for 30 days to the detriment of his health. Adar 1, 30 days, intercalary month. 2003: The firm reports a $126m loss for the fourth quarter [2]. Shevat, 30 days. [1]. Tevet, 29 days. market has fallen three percentage points in five years and is now at 15.2 percent. Kislev, 29/30 days. 2003: According to Technomic, a market research firm, McDonald's' share of the U.S. Heshvan, 29/30 days. The campaign was labeled "i'm lovin' it™" and began simultaneously in more than 100 countries around the world. Tishri, 30 days. 2003 McDonald's starts a global marketing campaign which promotes a new healthier and higher-quality image. Elul, 29 days. It announces it is withdrawing from three countries (including Bolivia) and closing 175 underperforming restaurants. Av, 30 days. It responds to the stiff competition from other fast-food restaurants, offering higher quality burgers and more variety, by attempting to move more upmarket by expanding its menu and refitting restaurants. Tammuz, 29 days. 2002: McDonald's posts its first quarterly loss ($344m) for the last quarter. Sivan, 30 days. 2002: A survey in Restaurants and Institutions Magazine, ranks McDonald's 15th in food quality among hamburger chains, highlighting the company's failure to enforce standards across its franchise network. Iyyar, 29 days. 2001: The FBI reports that employees of Simon Worldwide, a company hired by McDonald's to provide promotion marketing services for Happy Meals and the 'Millionaire'/'Monopoly' contest, stole winning game pieces worth more than $20 million. Nisan, 30 days. 2000: The company opens its 1000th British store inside the Millennium Dome. Dhul Hijja ذو الحجة (or Thw al-Hijjah). 2000: Eric Schlosser publishes Fast Food Nation, a book critical of fast food in general and McDonalds in particular. Dhul Qadah ذو القعدة (or Thw al-Qi`dah). Bové was sentenced to three months in prison for his role in the incident. Shawwal شوّال. had increased import duties on French Roquefort cheese and other European Union products. Ramadhan رمضان. The incident follows a European Union ban on American meat imports, on the grounds that they use hormone treatments; in response the U.S. Sha'aban شعبان. 1999: French leftist activist José Bové and others gain worldwide attention when they destroy a half-built McDonald's franchise in Millau (Aveyron). Rajab رجب. Only about half of the counts are in McDonald's favour despite enormous legal resources deployed against self-representing defendants. Jumaada-ul-Akhir (or Jumaada al-THaany) (Jumaada II) جمادى الآخر أو جمادى الثاني. 1997: McDonald's wins the "McLibel" case, in what many consider to be a Pyrrhic victory in terms of the company's image. Jumaada-ul-Awwal (Jumaada I) جمادى الأول. 1996: The first Indian McDonald's opens. Rabi`-ul-Akhir (or Rabi` al-THaany) (Rabi' II) ربيع الآخر أو ربيع الثاني. At the opening ceremony, the Belarusian militia are accused of brutality toward members of the public hoping to enter the restaurant in Minsk. Rabi`-ul-Awwal (Rabi' I) ربيع الأول. 1996: First McDonald's opens in Belarus, marking the chain's 100th country. Safar صفر. 1996: Following the end of apartheid, the first McDonald's opens in South Africa. Muharram ul Haram (or shortened to Muharram) محرّم. McDonald's starts conducting market impact studies before granting further franchises. Fructidor. Circa 1995: McDonald's receives complaints from franchisees that too many franchises are being granted, leading to competition among franchisees. Thermidor. 1994: The first McDonald's opens in Africa, in Cairo, Egypt. Messidor. and fires three random shots from a .44 Magnum revolver, killing two customers and wounding a third, before taking his own life. Summer:. 1993: On a sunny afternoon, August 10, 1993, Dion Terres walks into a Kenosha, Wisconsin McDonald's restaurant at 75th Street and Pershing Blvd. Prairial. Along with adjacent buildings, it is later demolished. Floréal. 1992: On April 23 the world's largest McDonald's restaurant opens in Beijing, China (over 700 seats). Germinal. They shoot, stab, and beat three employees to death and leave a fourth permanently disabled. Spring:. 1992: Freeman MacNeil, Darren Muise, and Derek Wood, an employee of the McDonald's in Sydney River, Nova Scotia, break into the restaurant after closing, planning to rob the place. Ventôse. She sued in what became known as the McDonald's coffee case. Pluviôse. 1992: Stella Liebeck receives third degree burns from coffee purchased at a McDonald's drive-through. Nivôse. Unlike other foreign investments, the restaurant accepts rubles, not dollars, and is extremely popular, with waiting lines of several hours common in its early days. Winter:. To overcome Soviet supply problems, the company creates its own supply chain, including farms, within the USSR. Frimaire. parent company; a wall display within the restaurant shows the Canadian and Soviet flags. Brumaire. For political reasons, McDonald's Canada is independently responsible for this opening with little input from the U.S. Vendémiaire. At the time it is the largest McDonald's in the world (it is still Europe's biggest). Autumn:. 1990: On January 31, the first Soviet McDonald's opens in Moscow. Sextilis, renamed to August in honor of Caesar Augustus. Belgrade, Yugoslavia follows in the same year. Quintilis, renamed to July in honor of Julius Caesar. 1988: McDonald's opens its first restaurant in a communist country, in Győr, Hungary. Mercedonius, an occasional month after February to realign the calendar. In keeping with its historic setting near the Spanish Steps, it has a subdued facade and sets new standards for its interior decor. December, 31 days. 1986: McDonald's opens its first outlet in Italy, in Rome. November, 30 days. restaurants lose money on the game "When America Wins, You Win" after the Soviet bloc nations boycott the Games, leading to a high number of medals won by the U.S. October, 31 days. Its U.S. September, 30 days. 1984: The company is a main sponsor of the 1984 Summer Olympics. August, 31 days. 1984: On July 18, James Oliver Huberty rakes a McDonald's restaurant with gunfire, killing 21 people in the San Ysidro section of San Diego, California in the McDonald's massacre. July, 31 days. 1983: McDonald's introduces the Chicken McNugget, a then-novel bite-size piece of mixed dark and white meat; it quickly becomes a best-seller. June, 30 days. It flops, and is removed from the menu, but is later reintroduced after Chicken McNuggets prove successful. May, 31 days. 1980: McDonald's introduces the McChicken sandwich, its first poultry item. April, 30 days. 1979: The first McDonald's opens in France (Strasbourg). March, 31 days. 1979: The Happy Meal is introduced in the U.S. February, 28 days, 29 in leap years, or 30 on certain occasions in related calendars. It would later be known as "McDrive" in some countries. January, 31 days. 1975: The Drive-Thru is introduced in January in Sierra Vista, Arizona. It is the company's 3000th restaurant. 1974: On October 12, the first McDonald's opens in the United Kingdom in Woolwich, southeast London. 1973: The Quarter Pounder is introduced. 1971: The first Australian McDonald's opens in the Sydney suburb of Yagoona in December. Other European countries follow in the early 1970s. It is the first McDonald's to sell alcohol, as it offers beer. 1971: The first McDonald's opens in Germany (Munich) in December. The franchisee is Ahold. 1971: On August 21, the first European McDonald's outlet opens in the Netherlands, in Zaandam (near Amsterdam). 1971: The first Asian McDonalds opens in July in Japan, in Tokyo's Ginza district. It is demolished two years later, with only part of the sign remaining; this has since been restored. 1970: Having changed hands in 1968, the original "Big M" restaurant closes. 1968: The Big Mac, similar to the Big Boy hamburger, and Hot Apple Pie are introduced. 1967: The chain's current stand-alone restaurant design, with mansard roof and indoor seating, is introduced. 1967: The first McDonald's restaurant outside the United States opens in Richmond, British Columbia. It is the first new addition to the original menu, and goes national the following year, with fish supplied by Gorton's of Gloucester. 1963: The Filet-O-Fish is introduced in Cincinnati, Ohio, in a restaurant located in a neighborhood dominated by Roman Catholics who practiced abstinence (the avoidance of meat) on Fridays. An entire cast of McDonaldland characters is developed. The character eventually spreads to the rest of the country via an advertising campaign, although it is later decided that both Scott and his version of the original costume are unsuitable for the role. After the show was cancelled, Goldstein hires Scott to portray McDonald's new mascot, "Ronald McDonald" in the first three television advertisements featuring the character. Bozo was a franchised character, played (in Los Angeles) by Willard Scott. franchisee sponsors a children's show called Bozo's Circus. A Washington, D.C. Early 1960s: One of Kroc's marketing insights is his decision to market McDonald's hamburgers to families and children. Had the brothers maintained their original agreement, which granted them 0.5 percent of the chain's annual revenues, they or their heirs would have been collecting in excess of $100 million per year today. Renamed "The Big M", Kroc drives it out of business by opening a McDonald's just one block north; he attended the opening. The agreement allows the brothers to keep their original restaurant, but in an oversight they fail to retain the right to remain a McDonald's franchise. 1961: The McDonald brothers agree to sell Kroc business rights to their operation for $2.7 million, a sum that Kroc borrows from a number of investors (including Princeton University); Kroc considers the sum extreme, and it strains his relationship with the brothers. 1960: Kroc's company is renamed "McDonald's Corporation". Harry Sonneborn would remain a key influence in the McDonald's corporation till his resignation in 1967. Sonneborn as the Chief Financial Officer for McDonald's. 1955: Ray Kroc hires Harry J. The company still refers to this restaurant as "McDonald's #1". The company's literature usually refers to this date as the "beginning" of the company, then already 15 years old, writing the McDonald brothers out of its history in favor of "Founder" Kroc. The first day's revenues are $366.12. Kroc opens the company's ninth restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, in suburban Chicago on April 15. 1955: Ray Kroc founds "McDonald's Systems, Inc." on March 2, as a legal structure for his planned franchises. He even attempts to prevail on his wartime acquaintance with Walt Disney, in the failed hope of opening a McDonald's at the soon-to-be-opened Disneyland. Kroc works hard to sell McDonald's. (Others who had visited the restaurant and come away inspired were James McLamore, founder of Burger King, and Glen Bell, founder of Taco Bell.) After seeing the restaurant in operation, Kroc approaches the McDonald brothers, who have already begun franchising, with a proposition to let him franchise McDonald's restaurants outside the company's homebase of California and Arizona, with himself as the first franchisee. 1954: Entrepreneur and milkshake-mixer salesman Ray Kroc becomes fascinated by the McDonald's restaurant during a sales visit, when he learns of its extraordinary capacity and popularity. 1953: Fourth McDonald's restaurant opens in Downey, California at the corner of Lakewood and Florence Avenue, and is today the world's oldest McDonald's restaurant still in operation. It is the first to feature the Golden Arches design; later in the year the original restaurant is rebuilt in this style. The second McDonald's opens in Phoenix, Arizona. 1953: The McDonald brothers begin to franchise their restaurant, with Neil Fox as the first franchisee. The restaurant is extremely successful, and its fame spreads by word of mouth. At 15 cents, the burgers are about half as expensive as at standard diners, and they are served immediately. The carhops are fired, and when the restaurant reopens it sells only hamburgers, milkshakes, and french fries. 1948: After noting that almost all of their profits came from hamburgers, the brothers close down the restaurant for several months to implement their innovative "Speedee Service System", a streamlined assembly line for hamburgers. It became a popular and highly profitable teen hangout. As is common at the time, they employ around 20 carhops. The first McDonald's hamburger cost $0.15. Its menu consists of 25 items, mostly barbecue. 1940: The brothers move the Airdome building to San Bernardino, California, where they open the McDonald's restaurant on Route 66 on May 15. 1937: Brothers Dick and Mac McDonald open a hot dog stand called the Airdome in Arcadia, California. |