Ray Kroc

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Ray Kroc (October 5, 1902 - January 14, 1984) took over the then small-scale McDonald's Corporation franchise in 1955 and built it into the most successful fast food operation in the world. Dubbed the Hamburger King^{[citation needed]}, Kroc was included in the TIME 100 list of the world's most influential builders and titans of industry, and amassed a $500 million fortune during his lifetime.[1] He was also the owner of the San Diego Padres baseball team starting in 1974.

[edit] Life

Kroc was born to parents of Czech origin in Chicago, Illinois in 1902. During the First World War he trained to become an ambulance driver, along with Walt Disney, though the war ended before he ever saw action. He tried his hand at a number of trades, including paper-cup salesman and pianist, between the end of the war and the early 1950s. He eventually became a multi-mixer milkshake machine salesman, traveling across the country. This work introduced him to brothers Richard and Maurice (Mac) McDonald, who had opened the first McDonald's restaurant in 1940, in San Bernardino, California. Their innovative hamburger restaurant ran eight multi-mixers at a time.

Convinced that he could sell numerous mixers to every new restaurant that opened, he partnered with the brothers to open and franchise additional McDonald's restaurants. More ambitious than the brothers, Kroc ran the business aggressively, to the point of opening another McDonalds across the street from the original restaurant.^{[citation needed]}. Soon the first store was out of business, and Kroc bought the brothers out in 1961 for $2.7 million.

Kroc died of a heart ailment at Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego on January 14, 1984. Kroc was survived by his second wife, Joan B. Kroc.

[edit] Presence in pop culture

A number of quotes about entrepreneurship and capitalism have been ascribed to Ray Kroc. According to one, Kroc was purported to have said,

If any of my competitors were drowning, I'd stick a hose in their mouth and turn on the water. It is ridiculous to call this an industry. This is not. This is rat eat rat, dog eat dog. I'll kill 'em, and I'm going to kill 'em before they kill me. You're talking about the American way – of survival of the fittest.

Some business programs reference the story of Kroc and McDonald's as a case study in successful entrepreneurship. However, some critiques point out that a number of negative repercussions have come about with the rise of the McDonald's model of fast food. Similarly, his many pithy aphorisms on entrepreneurship are cited both for their eloquence and their unapologetic and raw assessment of consumerism and the field of sales.

Mark Knopfler's song "Boom, Like That" poetically satirizes Kroc's life, and includes lyrics based on the quote above (see link below).

[edit] External links

• Obituary, New York Times, January 15, 1984 Ray Kroc Dies at 81; Built McDonald's Chain
• Obituary, New York Times, July 16, 1998 Richard McDonald, 89, Fast-Food Revolutionary
• TIME Magazine profile
• The Burger That Conquered the Country, TIME, Sep. 17, 1973
• Ray Kroc, McDonald's, and the Fast-Food Industry, Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All Time, by Daniel Gross
• Ray Kroc quotes at Thinkexist.com
• Famous Entrepreneurs at motivational website EvanCarmichael.com
• Lyrics of Mark Knopfler's song "Boom, Like That" which satirizes Kroc

v • d • e McDonald's
People:	Dick and Mac McDonald · Ray Kroc · Ralph Alvarez · Fred L. Turner · George Cohon · Don Gorske · Michael R. Quinlan · Joan B. Kroc
Products:	International variations · Big Mac · Big N' Tasty/Big Tasty · Kiwiburger · Lean Beef Burger · Quarter Pounder Chicken McNuggets · McChicken · McRib · Filet-O-Fish · Egg McMuffin · McGriddles · Happy Meal McDonald's Deluxe line · Arch Deluxe · McDonald's Premium line · Deli Choices
Advertising:	Ronald McDonald · Mac Tonight · Golden Arches · The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald · M.C. Kids video game · Global Gladiators · McDonald's Monopoly · Supersize · Urban legends · McDonald's Treasureland Adventure
Related subjects:	History · Legal issues · Global locations · McDonald's Museum · Ronald McDonald House · Hamburger University · Rock N Roll McDonald's · List of McDonald's trademarks · McWords
Criticism:	Fast Food Nation · Legal cases · McDonaldization · McJob · Super Size Me
Annual revenue Image:Green Arrow Up Darker.svg $20.460 Billion USD (2005) · Employees: 447,000 (2005) · Stock symbol: NYSE: MCD · Website: McDonalds.com

v • d • e San Diego Padres

San Diego, California The Franchise – History • Players • Division Ballparks – Qualcomm Stadium • PETCO Park Culture – Garvey Home Run • 4SD • San Diego Sports Curse • Swinging Friar • The San Diego Chicken • "Holliday Never Touched Home!" Important Figures – Tony Gwynn • Randy Jones • Dave Winfield • John Moores • Kevin Towers • Trevor Hoffman • Rickey Henderson • Bruce Bochy • Dick Williams • Jake Peavy Team Hall of Fame – Buzzie Bavasi • Nate Colbert • Jerry Coleman • Tony Gwynn • Randy Jones • Ray Kroc • Dave Winfield Retired Numbers – 6 • 19 • 31 • 35 • 42 National League Pennants (2) 1984 • 1998 National League Western Division Titles (5) 1984 • 1996 • 1998 • 2005 • 2006 Seasons (40) 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 • 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 • 1999 • 2000 • 2001 • 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 Minor League Affiliates Portland Beavers (AAA) • San Antonio Missions (AA) • Lake Elsinore Storm (A) • Fort Wayne Wizards (A) • Eugene Emeralds (A) • AZL Padres (Rookie)

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