《中学生英语文库 美国名人小故事》：
During World War l, Ray Kroc dropped out of high school to drive an ambulance. After the war,he tried many jobs such as jazz pianist, radio station manager, selling homes, and finally, selling a milkshake machine that would make six drinks at once. In 1954, he went to a small restaurant in San Bernardino, Galifornia, where he sold eight of his Multi-Mixers. He usually sold only one to a restaurant so he wondered why this restaurant was so successful,The owners of the restaurant were Mac and Dick McDonald. Ray went into business with them and he started other restaurants using their name.He decided he must have a business plan to measure the success of his new chain of restaurants.His ideas included a limited menu, low prices,speed or fast food, volume, cleanliness, and efficiency.
Often, people will steal a glass or silverware with the company's name. He decided to use only paper products so there was never a loss to the company.
He designed his kitchens to be all the same,one of his efficiency ideas. New personnel were carefully trained according to rigid operating procedures. Due to the high volume, the kitchen was like an assembly line so workers only had to do a limited number of tasks very well.The primary meal was a hamburger, french fries (cut up potato) , and a milkshake. The condiments to add to the hamburger were left on the counter for the customer to add to his own special-
ized hamburger.. Ketchup, mayonnaise, and mustard could be added to the hamburger which already had lettuce and pickles that were added in the kitchen. The bun made of bread had sesame seeds on it. In 1955, the total cost was fifteen cents or two yuan.
Milkshakes were limited to vanilla, chocolate,and strawberry. You could also order a soda of cola, root beer, orange, or temon-lime. Today,more soda flavors have been added. You can order a double hamburger or a chicken sandwich.The first McDonald's Ray Kroc started was in Illinois in 1955. Within six years, he had started 200 restaurants and he bought out the McDonald brothers for $2.7 million. By 1995, there were more than 10,000 McDonald Restaurants in Ameri-
ca, with 5,000 more in countries throughout the world, including Ghina.
The big yellow M is now familiar to people in most countries. McDonald's became the first national chain of restaurants and the most successful.
If you want a quick meal, you might try a hamburger, fries, and a mifkshake. It has become one of the most common meals in America.
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