McDonald's
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{{Infobox McDonald's|logo=[[Image:McDonald's Corporate Logo.svg|200px]]}}
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'''McDonald's''' ({{nyse|MCD}}) is the world's largest chain of [[fast food restaurant]]s, serving nearly 47 million customers daily<ref>[http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/aboutus/faq.aspx McDonald's :: About Us :: FAQ<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. McDonald's primarily sells [[hamburger]]s, [[cheeseburger]]s, [[chicken (food)|chicken]] products, [[French fried potatoes|French fries]], [[breakfast]] items, [[soft drink]]s, [[milkshake]]s and [[dessert]]s. More recently, it has begun to offer [[salad]]s, [[wrap (food)|wraps]] and fruit. Many McDonald's restaurants have included a playground for children and advertising geared toward children, and some have been redesigned in a more 'natural' style, with a particular emphasis on comfort: introducing lounge areas and fireplaces, and eliminating hard plastic chairs and tables.
In addition to its signature restaurant chain, McDonald’s Corporation holds minority interest in [[Pret A Manger]] (a UK-based sandwich retailer), and owned the [[Chipotle Mexican Grill]] until 2006 and the restaurant chain [[Boston Market]] until 2007.<ref> [http://www.shareholder.com/mcd/EdgarDetail.cfm?CIK=63908&FID=1193125-08-37220&SID=08-00#D10K_HTM_TOC84398_8 MCD 10-K 2007, Item 1, pg. 1] </ref> The company has also expanded the McDonald's menu in recent decades to include alternative meal options like salads and snack wraps in order to capitalize on growing consumer interest in health and wellness, and to avoid the "veto vote" where one member of a group might refuse to go because there are not enough healthy options on the menu.
Each McDonald's restaurant is operated by a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself. The corporations' revenues come from the rent, royalties and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. McDonald's revenues grew 27% over the three years ending in 2007 to $22.8 billion, and 9% growth in operating income to $3.9 billion.<ref> [http://www.shareholder.com/mcd/EdgarDetail.cfm?CIK=63908&FID=1193125-08-37220&SID=08-00#D10K_HTM_TOC84398_8 MCD 10-K 2007, Item 6, pg. 9] </ref>
==History==
{{main|History of McDonald's}}
The business began in 1940, with a [[restaurant]] opened by siblings [[Dick and Mac McDonald]] in [[San Bernardino, California|San Bernardino]], [[California]]. Their introduction of the "Speedee Service System" in 1948 established the principles of the modern [[Fast food#Overview|fast-food restaurant]]. The present corporation dates its founding to the opening of a [[franchising|franchised]] restaurant by [[Ray Kroc]], in [[Des Plaines, Illinois|Des Plaines]], [[Illinois]] on [[April 15]], [[1955]]<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/about/mcd_history_pg1.html
|title=McDonald's history 1954-1955
|accessdate= 2008-06-22
|publisher=www.mcdonalds.com
}}</ref>
, the ninth McDonald's restaurant overall. Kroc later purchased the McDonald brothers' equity in the company and led its worldwide expansion and the company became listed on the public stock markets in [[1965]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/about/mcd_history_pg1/mcd_history_pg3.html
|title=McDonald's history 1965-1973
|accessdate= 2008-06-22
|publisher=www.mcdonalds.com
}}</ref>
With the expansion of McDonald's into many international markets, the company has become a symbol of [[globalization]] and the spread of the [[American way|American way of life]]. Its prominence has also made it a frequent topic of public debates about [[obesity]], [[Business ethics|corporate ethics]] and [[consumer]] [[Moral responsibility|responsibility]].
==Corporate overview==
===Facts and figures===
[[Image:Mcdonalds times sq.png|thumb|left|150px|A McDonald's store front in [[Times Square]].]][[Image:McCafe.jpg|thumb|left|150px|thumb|The interior of a [[McCafé]] concept located in [[Dublin, Ireland]].]]
McDonald's restaurants are found in 119 countries<ref>http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/aboutus/faq.aspx, retrieved 08 May 2008</ref> and territories around the world and serve nearly 47 million customers each day. McDonald's operates over 31,000 restaurants worldwide, employing more than 1.5 million people<ref>http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/aboutus/faq.aspx, retrieved 08 May 2008</ref>. The company also operates other restaurant [[brand]]s, such as Piles Café, and has a minority stake in [[Pret a Manger]].
The company owned a majority stake in [[Chipotle Mexican Grill]] until completing its [[divestment]] in October 2006. Until December 2003, it also owned [[Donatos Pizza]].
On August 27, 2007, McDonald's sold [[Boston Market]] to [[Sun Capital Partners]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smartmoney.com/bn/ON/index.cfm?story=ON-20070827-000332-1731&hpadref=1 |title=McDonald's Wraps Up Boston Market Sale |author= |publisher=Dow Jones & Company, Inc. News Services |date=2007-08-27 |accessdate=2007-08-28}}</ref>
===Types of restaurants===
Most standalone McDonald's restaurants offer both [[counter service]] and [[drive-through]] service, with indoor and sometimes outdoor seating. Drive-Thru, Auto-Mac, Pay and Drive, 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; it was first introduced in Arizona in 1975, following the lead of other fast-food chains. In some countries "McDrive" locations near [[highway]]s 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, that offer Walk-Thru service in place of Drive-Thru.
Specially themed restaurants also exist, such as the "Solid Gold McDonald's," a 1950s rock-and-roll themed restaurant.
In [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]], [[British Columbia]], there is also a McDonald's with a 24 carat (100%) gold [[chandelier]] and similar light fixtures.
[[Image:McDonalds Museum.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The site of the first McDonald's to be franchised by Ray Kroc is now a [[McDonald's Museum|museum]] in [[Des Plaines, Illinois|Des Plaines]], [[Illinois]]. The building is a replica of the original, which was the ninth McDonald's restaurant.]]
To accommodate the current trend for high quality coffee and the popularity of coffee shops in general, McDonald's introduced McCafés. The '''McCafé''' concept is a [[café]]-style accompaniment to McDonald's restaurants. McCafé is a concept of McDonald's [[Australia]], starting with Melbourne in 1993. Today, most McDonald's in [[Australia]] have McCafés located within the existing McDonald's restaurant. In [[Tasmania]] there are McCafés in every store, with the rest of the states quickly following suit. After upgrading to the new McCafe look and feel, some Australian stores have noticed up to a 60% increase in sales. As of the end of 2003 there were over 600 McCafés worldwide.
Some locations are connected to [[gas station]]s/[[convenience store]]s,<ref>[http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-14996359.html McDonald's and BP test combined operations. (McDonald's Restaurants; BP Oil Co.)]</ref> while others called '''McDonald's Express''' have limited seating and/or menu or may be located in a [[shopping mall]]. Other McDonald's are located in [[Wal-Mart]] stores. '''McStop''' is a location targeted at truckers and travelers which may have services found at [[truck stop]]s.<ref>[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=MH&s_site=miami&p_multi=MH&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB3604178F30F7B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM MCDONALD'S SERVES UP 'MCSTOP' -- ITS RESTAURANT FOR BIG CROWDS]</ref>
===Playgrounds===
Some McDonald's in suburban areas and certain cities feature large indoor or outdoor [[playground]]s, called "McDonald's PlayPlace" (if indoors) or "Playland" (outdoors){{Fact|date=August 2007}}. The first PlayPlace with the familiar crawl-tube design with ball pits and slides was introduced in 1987 in the USA, with many more being constructed soon after. Some PlayPlace playgrounds have been renovated into "R Gym" areas.
"R Gyms" are in-restaurant play area that features interactive game zones designed for children aged 4 to 12. Equipped with stationary bicycles attached to video games, dance pads, basketball hoops, monkey bars, an obstacle course, and other games which emphasize physical activity.<ref>[http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/07-07-2006/0004393223&EDATE= McDonald's(R) Unveils R Gym(TM): The New and Fun Way for Kids to Play]</ref>
The "R Gym" features the Toddler Zone, an active play environment with age appropriate games that develop physical coordination and social skills; the Active Zone, designed for children aged four-to-eight that promotes physical fitness through fun play; the Sports Zone which features a series of sport oriented activities to promote aerobic exercise for children aged 9-to-12; the Parent Zone which features seating and provides a monitoring area for their children; and the Dining Area which allows families to eat.
===Redesign===
[[Image:McForeverYoung.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A McDonald's in [[Shenango Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania|Shenango Township, Pennsylvania]] just outside of [[New Castle, Pennsylvania|New Castle]] was rebuilt in 2007 with the new "Forever Young" look.]]
In 2006, McDonald's introduced its "Forever Young" brand by redesigning all of their restaurants, the first major redesign since the 1970s.<ref>[http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/extra/P150732.asp?GT1=8180 McDonald's wants a digital-age makeover]</ref><ref>[http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_20/b3984065.htm Mickey D's McMakeover]</ref>
The new design will include the traditional McDonald's yellow and red colors, but the red will be muted to terra cotta, the yellow will turn golden for a more "sunny" look, and olive and sage green will be added. To warm up their look, the restaurants will have less plastic and more brick and wood, with modern hanging lights to produce a softer glow. Contemporary art or framed photographs will hang on the walls.
The exterior will have golden awnings and a "swish brow" instead of the traditional double-slanted [[mansard roof]].
The new restaurants will feature areas:
* The "linger" zone will offer armchairs, sofas, and [[Wi-Fi]] connections.
* The "grab and go" zone will feature tall counters with bar stools for customers who eat alone; [[Plasma TV]]s will offer them news and weather reports.
* The "flexible" zone will be targeted toward families and will have booths featuring fabric cushions with colorful patterns and flexible seating.
*Different music targeted to each zone.
===Business model===
McDonald's Corporation earns revenue as an investor in properties, a franchiser of restaurants, and an operator of restaurants. Approximately 15% of McDonald's restaurants are owned and operated by McDonald's Corporation directly. The remainder are operated by others through a variety of franchise agreements and joint ventures.
The McDonald's Corporation's [[business model]] is slightly different from that of most other fast-food chains. In addition to ordinary [[franchising|franchise]] fees and marketing fees, which are calculated as a percentage of sales, McDonald's may also collect [[renting|rent]], which may also be calculated on the basis of sales. As a condition of many franchise agreements, which vary by contract age, country and location, the Corporation may own or lease the properties on which McDonald's franchises are located. In most, if not all cases, the franchisee does not own the location of its restaurants.
The UK business model is different, in that fewer than 30% of restaurants are franchised, with the majority under the ownership of the company. McDonald's trains its franchisees and others at [[Hamburger University]] in [[Oak Brook, Illinois|Oak Brook]], [[Illinois]].
In other countries McDonald's restaurants are operated by joint ventures of McDonald's Corporation and other, local entities or governments.
As a matter of policy, McDonald's does not make direct sales of food or materials to franchisees, instead organizing the supply of food and materials to restaurants through approved third party logistics operators.
According to ''[[Fast Food Nation]]'' by [[Eric Schlosser]] (2001), nearly one in eight workers in the [[United States|U.S.]] have at some time been employed by McDonald's. (According to a news piece on Fox News this figure is one in ten). 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]], [[potato]]es, and [[apple]]s. The selection of meats McDonald's uses varies with the culture of the host country.
==Controversies==
As a prominent example of the rapid globalization of American fast food industry, McDonald's is often the target of criticism for its menu, its expansion, and its business practices. For example, in 1990, two [[United Kingdom|British]] activists, [[David Morris]] and [[Helen Steel]], distributed leaflets entitled ''What's wrong with McDonald's?'' on the streets of London. McDonald's wrote to Steel and Morris demanding they desist and apologize, and, when they refused, sued them for libel in a case known colloquially as the [[McLibel case]].
In 2001, [[Eric Schlosser]]'s book ''[[Fast Food Nation]]'' included criticism of McDonald's' business practices. Among the critiques were 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 people's health and the social conditions of its workers. The book also brought into question McDonald's advertisement techniques in which it targets children. While the book did mention other fast-food chains, it focused primarily on McDonald's.
In 2002, vegetarian groups, largely [[Hindu]], successfully sued McDonald's for misrepresenting their French fries as vegetarian.<ref>[http://hbharti.com/h_bharti_mcd/mcdonlads%20_letter_05_05_93.jpg Letter from McDonald's headquarters claiming fries are vegetarian]</ref>
[[Morgan Spurlock]]'s 2004 [[documentary film]] ''[[Super Size Me]]'' said that McDonald's food was contributing to the epidemic of [[obesity]] in society, and that the company was failing to provide nutritional information about its food for its customers. Six weeks after the film premiered, McDonald's announced that was eliminating the super size option, and was creating the adult happy meal.
[[Anthony Bourdain]] on his show, [[Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations|No Reservations]], has criticized McDonald's among other fast-food restaurants for its culinary blandness.
In 1999 [[José Bové]] vandalized a McDonald's in France to protest against the introduction of fast food in the region.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/profile/jose_bove.shtml |title=José Bové |accessdate=2008-05-29 |quote=In 1999, Bove spent another three weeks in jail after he led activists in the destruction of - guess what - a branch of McDonald's. For Bove, the golden arches represent the industrialization of all food production, the worst of "malbouffe - bad food". For the anti-global movement, his imprisonment made him one of its first martyrs. |publisher=[[BBC]] }}</ref>
===Arguments in defense of McDonald's===
In response to public pressure, McDonald's has sought to include more healthy choices in its menu and has introduced a new slogan to its recruitment posters: "Not bad for a [[McJob]]". (The word McJob, first attested in the mid-1980s<ref>"[http://www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/books/11/11/offbeat.mcjob.ap/ Merriam-Webster: 'McJob' is here to stay]". ''The Associated Press''. [[November 11]] [[2003]].</ref> and later popularized by Canadian novelist [[Douglas Coupland]] in his book Generation X, has become a buzz word for low-paid, unskilled work with few prospects or benefits and little security.) McDonald's disputes the idea that its restaurant jobs have no prospects, noting that its CEO, [[Jim Skinner]], started working at the company as a regular restaurant employee, and that 20 of its top 50 managers began work as regular crew members. <ref>[http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/news/corppr/2005/CPR_09212005.html McDonald's Debuts Advertising on the World of Opportunity Under the Golden Arches]</ref> In 2007, the company launched an advertising campaign with the slogan "Would you like a career with that?" on [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] television, outlining that their jobs have many prospects.
In a bid to tap into growing consumer interest in the provenance of food, the fast-food chain recently switched its supplier of both [[coffee|coffee beans]] and [[milk]]. UK chief executive Steve Easterbrook said: “British consumers are increasingly interested in the quality, sourcing and ethics of the food and drink they buy". McDonald's coffee is now brewed from beans taken from stocks that have been certified by the conservation group the [[Rainforest Alliance]]. Similarly, milk supplies used for its hot drinks and milkshakes have been switched to organic sources which could account for 5% of the UK's organic milk output.<ref>[http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2007/07/03/104864/mcdonalds-milk-goes-organic.html McDonald's milk goes organic - 03/07/2007 - FarmersWeekly<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
In other cases, the firm has shown itself ready to adjust its business practices. When the public became concerned that product packaging was environmentally damaging, McDonald's started a joint project with [[Friends of the Earth]] to eliminate the use of [[polystyrene]] containers, in the United States, to reduce the amount of waste produced.
The [[Oak Brook, Illinois]]-based McDonald's Corporation announced on [[May 22]], [[2008]] that it is switching to transfat-free cooking oil for [[french fries]] in the U.S. and Canada. The company will use canola-based oil with corn and soy oils by year's end for its baked items, pies and cookies.<ref>[http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080522/mcdonald-039-holds-down-dollar-meal-making-menu-healthier.htm ibtimes.com, McDonald's Holds down Dollar Meal, Making Menu Healthier]</ref><ref>[http://www.gmanews.tv/story/96850/McDonalds-says-all-US-french-fries-cooked-in-zero-trans-fat-oil www.gmanews, McDonald's says all US French fries cooked in zero-trans-fat oil]</ref>
==Environmental record==
[[Image:Mcdonalds bush.JPG|left|240px|thumb|Potted plants at a McDonald's.]]
In April 2008, McDonald's announced that 11 of its Sheffield restaurants have been using a biomass trial that had cut its waste and carbon footprint by half in the area. In this trial, waste from the restaurants were collected by [[Veolia Environmental Services]] and used to produce energy at a power plant. McDonald's plans to expand this project, however the lack of biomass power plants in the U.S. will prevent this plan from becoming a national standard anytime soon.<ref>[http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2214193/mcdonald-hails-success-waste "McDonald's hails success of waste-to-energy trial"] ''businessgreen.com''. [[April 14]], [[2008]]. Accessed [[April 22]], [[2008]].</ref> In addition, in Europe, McDonald's has been recycling vegetable grease by converting it to fuel for their diesel trucks.<ref>[http://www.herald-dispatch.com/business/x1705909477 "Local woman creates environmental-friendly Web site"] ''herald-dispatch.com''. [[April 19]], [[2008]]. Accessed [[April 22]], [[2008]].</ref>
Furthermore, McDonald's has been using a corn-based bioplastic to produce containers for some of their products. Although industries who use this product claim a carbon savings of 30% to 80%, a [[The Guardian|Guardian]] study shows otherwise. The results show that this type of plastic does not break down in landfills as efficiently as other conventional plastics. The extra energy it takes to recycle this plastic results in a higher output of greenhouse gases. Also, the plastics can contaminate waste streams causing other recycled plastics to become unsaleable.<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/26/waste.pollution "'Sustainable' bio-plastic can damage the environment"] ''gaurdian.co.uk''. [[April 26]], [[2008]]. Accessed [[May 6]], [[2008]].</ref>
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recognized McDonald's to demonstrate a continuous effort to solid waste reduction by inspecting its packaging for efficient material for and by promoting the use of recycled-content materials.
<ref>[http://www.epa.gov/wastewise/industry/id-food.htm U.S. Environmental Protection Agency] retrieved 17 April 2008</ref> McDonald's report that they are committed towards environmental leadership by effectively managing electric energy, by conserving natural resources through recycling and reusing materials, and by addressing water management issues within the restaurant.
<ref>[http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/values/place/enviroment.html McDonald's Corporation website] retrieved 17 April 2008</ref>
When McDonald’s received criticism for its environmental policies in the 1970s, it began to make substantial progress towards source reductions efforts.<ref>[http://www.umich.edu/~nppcpub/resources/compendia/CORPpdfs/CORPcaseA.pdf National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher Education]</ref> For instance, an “average meal” in the 1970s—a Big Mac, fries, and a drink—required 46 grams of packaging; today, it requires only 25 grams, allowing a 46 percent reduction.<ref>[Environmental Defense Fund. Task Force Report. p. 42.]</ref> In addition, McDonald’s eliminated the need for intermediate containers for [[Coke]] by having a delivery system that pumps syrup directly from the delivery truck into storage containers, saving two million pounds of packaging annually.<ref>[ Environmental Defense Fund and McDonald's Corporation. Waste Reduction Task Force Final Report. Oak Brook, IL: McDonald's, 1991. p. 22.]</ref> Overall, weight reductions in packaging and products, as well as the increased usage of bulk packaging ultimately decreased packaging by 24 million pounds annually.<ref>[ McDonald’s Corporation. McDonald's Packaging — The Facts. Oak Brook, IL: McDonald’s, 1990. p. 7.]</ref>
==Legal cases==
{{main|McDonald's legal cases}}
McDonald's has been involved in a number of [[lawsuits]] and other legal cases, most of which involved [[trademark]] disputes. The company has threatened many food 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 (Sheriff Court Glasgow and Strathkelvin, [[21 November]] [[1952]]).
It has also filed numerous [[defamation]] suits. The [[McLibel case]] is probably the best known of these. McDonald's sued two Greenpeace activists for distributing pamphlets attacking its environmental, labor and health records. After the longest trial in UK legal history, McDonald's won a technical victory for showing that some allegations were untrue. But it was a massive public relations disaster since the judge also found that more than half of what was on the pamphlet was truthful, or were simply the opinions of the activists and therefore non-prosecutable.
McDonald's has defended itself in several cases involving workers' rights. In 2001 the company 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 (R v [2002] EWCA Crim 1094). In April 2007 in [[Perth, Western Australia|Perth]], [[Western Australia]], McDonald's pleaded guilty to five charges relating to the employment of children under 15 in one of its outlets and was fined AU$8,000.<ref>{{cite news | first= | last= | coauthors= | title=McDonald's fined for employing underage workers |date=2007-04-12 | publisher=ABC News Online | url =http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200704/s1895071.htm | work = | pages = | accessdate = 2007-04-12 | language = }}</ref>
Possibly the most infamous legal case involving McDonald's was the 1994 decision in [[Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants|The McDonald's Coffee Case]].
In a McDonalds [[American Idol]] figurine promotion, the figurine that represents "New Wave Nigel" wears something that closely resembles [[Devo]]’s [[Energy Dome]], which was featured on the band's album cover, ''[[Freedom of Choice]]''. In addition to the figurine's image, it also plays a tune that appears to be an altered version Devo's song "[[Doctor Detroit]]." Devo copyrighted and trademarked the Energy Dome and is taking legal action against McDonald's. <ref>{{cite web | url=http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_popmachine/2008/06/devo-looks-to-w.html | title="Devo looks to whip McDonald's good" | author=Caro, Mark | publisher=Chicago Tribune | date=2008-06-26 | accessdate=2008-06-27}}</ref>
==Products==
[[Image:Ronald McDonald.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Ronald McDonald]]]]
{{main|McDonald's products}}
{{seealso|McDonald's products (international)}}
McDonald's predominantly sells [[hamburgers]], various types of [[chicken]] [[sandwiches]] and products, [[French fries]], [[soft drinks]], [[breakfast]] items, and [[desserts]]. In most markets, McDonald's offers [[salads]] and [[vegetarian]] items, [[Wrap (food)|wraps]] and other localized fare. This local deviation from the standard menu is a characteristic for which the chain is particularly known, and one which is employed either to abide by regional food taboos (such as the religious prohibition of beef consumption in [[India]]) or to make available foods with which the regional market is more familiar (such as the sale of McRice in [[Indonesia]]).
==Advertising==
{{main|McDonald's advertising}}
McDonald's has for decades maintained an extensive advertising campaign. In addition to the usual media (television, radio, and newspaper), the company makes significant use of billboards and signage, sponsors sporting events from ranging from [[Little League]] to the [[Olympic Games]], and makes coolers of [[orange drink]] with their logo available for local events of all kinds. Nonetheless, television has always played a central role in the company's advertising strategy.
To date, McDonald's has used 23 different slogans in [[United States]] advertising, as well as a few other slogans for select countries and regions. At times, it has run into trouble with its campaigns.
===Children's advertising===
{{main|Ronald McDonald|McDonaldland}}
==Global operations==
[[Image:McDonaldsWorldLocations.svg|thumb|320px|right|Countries with McDonald's stores]]McDonald's has become emblematic of [[globalization]], sometimes referred as the "[[McDonaldization]]" of society. ''[[The Economist]]'' magazine uses the "[[Big Mac Index]]": the comparison of a [[Big Mac]]'s cost in various world [[currency|currencies]] can be used to informally judge these [[currency|currencies']] [[purchasing power parity]].
The [[EFTA]] countries are leading the [[Big Mac Index]] with the top 3 most expensive [[Big Mac]]'s. [[Iceland]] has the most expensive [[Big Mac]], followed by [[Norway]] and [[Switzerland]].
The brand is known informally as "Mickey D's" (in the US and Canada), "Macky D's" (in the UK and Ireland), "Mäkkäri" (in Finland), "McDo" (in France, Quebec, the Philippines and the Kansai region of Japan), "Maccer's" (in Ireland), "Macarrannis" (in Mexico), "Maccas" (in New Zealand and Australia), "McD's" (in New Zealand), "Donken" (in Sweden), "de Mac" (in the Netherlands), Mäkkes (in Germany), "Mac" (in Brazil and the Kanto region of Japan) or "Mek" (in Serbia).
[[Thomas Friedman]] once said that no country with a McDonald's had gone to war with another.<ref>[http://www.thomaslfriedman.com/lexusolivetree.htm "The Lexus and the Olive Tree"]. thomaslfriedman.com. Accessed [[June 4]] [[2007]].</ref> However, the "[[List of countries with McDonald's franchises#Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention|Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention]]" is not strictly true. Careful historians point to the 1989 [[United States invasion of Panama]], [[Kosovo War#The NATO bombing campaign|NATO's bombing of Serbia in 1999]], and the [[2006 Lebanon War]] as exceptions.
Some observers have suggested that the company should be given credit for increasing the standard of service in markets that 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 on [[East Asia]], and [[Hong Kong]] in particular. 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. In East Asia in particular, McDonald's have become a symbol for the desire to embrace Western cultural norms. McDonald's have recently taken to partnering up with [[Sinopec]], China's second largest oil company, in the People's Republic of China, as it begins to take advantage of China's growing use of personal vehicles by opening numerous [[drive-thru]] restaurants.<ref>[http://www.canada.com/topics/finance/story.html?id=e4cdb03e-6e89-4df4-a38b-187283fdeab3&k=65519 McDonald's deal with oil company marries China's new love of fast food, cars]</ref>
===Global locations===
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* {{PAK}}
* {{PAN}}
* {{PER}}
* {{PRY}}
* {{PHL}}
* {{POL}}
* {{PRT}}
* {{PRI}}
* {{QAT}}
* {{ROU}}
* {{RUS}}
* {{SAM}}
* {{LCA}}
* {{SAU}}
* {{SRB}}
{{col-4}}
* {{SGP}}
* {{SVK}}
* {{SVN}}
* {{ZAF}}
* {{KOR}}
* {{ESP}}
* {{LKA}}
* {{SWE}}
* {{CHE}}
* {{SYR}}
* {{THA}}
* {{TTO}}
* {{TUR}}
* {{UKR}}
* {{UAE}}
* {{UK}}
** {{CYM}}
* {{USA}}
** {{ASM}}
** {{GUM}}
** {{VIR}}
* {{URU}}
* {{VEN}}
* {{YEM}}
* {{ZWE}}
{{col-end}}
==See also==
{{commons|McDonald's}}
{{Wikiquote|McDonald's Corporation}}
{{Wiktionary}}
* ''[[Fast Food Nation]]'', book by [[Eric Schlosser]]
* ''[[Maxime, McDuff & McDo]]'', documentary film about the unionizing of a McDonald's in [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]], [[Canada]].
* [[McDonaldization]], term used by sociologist [[George Ritzer]] to describe the process by which a society takes on the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant.
* [[McDonald's Video Game]], a satirical game placing the player in the role of McDonald's management.
* [[Don Gorske]], a McDonald's enthusiast, has consumed over 20,000 Big Mac hamburgers. He appeared on ''Super Size Me'', is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records, and has a movie called ''MacDaddy''.
* [[Super Size Me]], a documentary by [[Morgan Spurlock]].
* {{cite web |title=''Big Mac's Makeover: McDonald's Turned Around''|publisher='''The Economist''' |date=2004-10-14|url=http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=E1_PNRVRJR|accessdate=2008-04-08 }}
{{clear}}
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==External links==
* [http://www.mcdonalds.com/ McDonald's]
* [http://www.mcdonalds.ca/ McDonald's Canada]
* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/mckroes/sets/72057594069544156/ Worlds Biggest McDonald's Photo Collection] All kinds of storefronts of McDonald's restaurants in the world.
* [http://www.mcspotlight.org/ McSpotlight, an "Anti-McDonald's extravaganza"]
* [http://www.kevinhebert.com/alt.mcdonalds.html alt.mcdonalds FAQ]
===Multimedia===
* [http://archives.cbc.ca/economy_business/business/clip/12844/ CBC Archives] CBC Television reports on the opening of Moscow McDonald's (1990).
{{McDonald's}}
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[[Category:Companies based in DuPage County, Illinois]]
[[Category:Oak Brook, Illinois]]
[[Category:Restaurants in California]]
[[Category:Restaurants in Illinois]]
[[Category:Worldwide Olympic sponsors]]
[[Category:Restaurant chains]]
[[Category:Food companies of the United States]]
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