McDonald’s was founded in the 1940s by the McDonald brothers, who aimed to provide simple, affordable, and tasty fast food. Starting as a single drive-in restaurant in California, they revolutionized the fast-food industry with their “Speedee Service System.”
In 1954, Ray Kroc, a milkshake machine salesman, discovered the McDonald brothers’ restaurant while trying to understand why they needed so many machines. At that time, there was just one McDonald’s restaurant. Impressed by their efficiency and concept, he joined the business and helped turn it into a franchise model. Kroc’s vision and determination led to the rapid expansion of McDonald’s across the United States and eventually, the world. By 2004—fifty years later—McDonald’s had grown to over 30,000 restaurants worldwide. He brought in the idea of consistency and scale, making McDonald’s a name that could be trusted anywhere.
Starbucks began in 1971 in Seattle, focusing on selling high-quality coffee beans. The founders aimed to bring a unique coffee experience to their customers, laying the groundwork for what would later become a global coffeehouse chain.
Before joining Starbucks, Howard Schultz worked as a sales executive for a Swedish home appliance company. One day, he noticed that a small coffee retailer in Seattle kept ordering an unusually high number of drip coffee makers. Curious, he flew out to see why—and that’s how he first discovered Starbucks. At the time, in 1971, Starbucks had just one store. When he visited, he was impressed by their passion for quality. In 1982, he joined the company, and after a trip to Italy, he became inspired by espresso bars. He envisioned Starbucks as a place where people could gather—not just for coffee, but for connection. He introduced the idea of the “third place,” somewhere between home and work. Fifty years later, Starbucks has grown to more than 33,000 stores worldwide.
When Ray Kroc and Howard Schultz encountered McDonald’s and Starbucks, respectively, they saw potential where others didn’t. Through their curiosity, vision, and bold new ideas, they transformed these local businesses into iconic international brands. Each of them introduced a new way of thinking—Ray with franchising, Howard with experience and atmosphere—that changed how people eat and drink around the world. Their stories show that asking the right questions is often more important than giving the right answers—it’s what leads to breakthrough ideas and transformative action.
Leave a Reply