Spread over 121 countries with 30,000 restaurants, and serving 46 million customers each day with the help of more than 400,000 employees, the reach of McDonald’s is amazing. It all started in 1948 when two brothers, Richard and Maurice ‘Mac’ McDonald, built several hamburger stands, with golden arches in southern California. One day a travelling salesman, Ray Kroc, came to sell milkshake mixers. The populatity of their $0.15hamburgers impressed him, so he bought the world franchise rights from them and spread the golden arches around the globe.
1. What lessons can other MNCs learn from the experience of McDonald’s?
2. Aware of the food habits of Indians, why did McDonald’s err in mixing beef extract in the oil used for fries?
3. How far has McDonald’s succeeded in strategising and meeting local cultures and needs?
