McDonald Empire

John Cullen
Professor Fleury-Lawson
Business & Society
18 September 2011
Big Mac: Inside the McDonald’s Empire
In 1948 was a big year in the start of the fast food industry. Two people named Richard and Maurice McDonald opened up a fast food restaurant called McDonald’s. Little do they know this business would soon turn into an empire. After just 50 years in this business, McDonald’s is now operating in 119 countries. That is the largest franchise in the entire universe. When having a big franchise like this, it can have many of its up’s and down’s. Up’s can consist of having a good year and down’s can consist of having a big money lose due to people suing a company.
A risk to having a big franchise like McDonald’s is people know you are wealthy. When people know you are wealthy then they try to find reasons to sue you. After a while of research, there has been no exact count on how many times McDonald’s have been sued. These law suits range from people blaming it on them being too heavy and having stuff in their food or even getting sick because of it. Another risk to having a big franchise is that it has its own standards. If McDonald’s does not change the menu up, people will start to get bored of it. You do not want that because when they get bored of the menu, they will resort to other fast food restaurants. Having a big franchise has its shares of risks.
On the other hand, owning a big franchise can have great opportunities. When you own a big franchise all you want to do is too keep expanding. McDonalds started in one little town and it turned into the most popular restaurant in the world. Each franchise has its own opportunities and goals. McDonald’s surpassed its goals and is off the charts. With the expanding and popularity of McDonald’s it has now going down in history. It has been a success.
When owning a franchise it obviously has its risks and opportunities. As long as you don’t touch upon the risks, you will be okay. Today, I know people who go to McDonald’s once a day. It has been a success through the United States and many other countries.