McDonalds and Minority Millionaires

[Conley]

Ray Kroc, the founder of the world’s most successful fast food chain, was born 107 years ago this week. The one-time milkshake machine salesman was born on Oct. 5, 1902. He opened his first McDonald’s 52 years later. Today, it is almost impossible to grasp how huge the company he founded has become.

McDonald’s has some 15,000 restaurants in this country with 85 percent of them owned by franchisees. And listen to what those outlets have accomplished: More than half of the workers in America today got their very first job at a McDonald’s somewhere. The company has made more millionaires—and especially more black and Hispanic millionaires—than any other entity ever.

Kroc died in January 1984, just 10 months before McDonald’s sold its 50 billionth hamburger. That’s eight burgers for every man, woman, and child on earth today. Today, of the 90 meals a month we consume, the average American eats three of them at McDonald’s. Or at least they get their food there; most customers pick up their order at the drive-up window.

But we’re not all dining on Big Macs. Today McDonald’s sells as much chicken as it does beef. And here’s another fun factoid: Years ago, the Washington, D.C.-area McDonald’s sponsored a television show called "Bozo’s Circus." On it, the company spokesman, Ronald McDonald, was played by a 25-year-old Willard Scott. You’ll know him better as the Today show weatherman who celebrates centenarians’ birthdays.

http://www.personalliberty.com/this-week-in-history/ray-kroc-legacy-more-than-food/

That is some marketing success...I can't believe that is true. It makes sense though that the company would have made so many millionaires.

[Mister D]

More than half of the workers in America today got their very first job at a McDonald’s somewhere.

What!? I don;t believe that. I'd have to see how they got that figure.

[Conley]

More than half of the workers in America today got their very first job at a McDonald’s somewhere.

What!? I don;t believe that. I'd have to see how they got that figure.


Yeah I meant to bold that one too. Doesn't seem possible.

[Conley]

From the McDonald's website it states you need about half a million dollars "non-borrowed" as a down payment to buy a McD's franchise. This means that if it were an independent owner they would likely have to be a millionaire to even think about owning a McD's.

From their website: "Since the total cost varies from restaurant to restaurant, the minimum amount for a down payment will vary. Generally, we require a minimum of $500,000 of non-borrowed personal resources to consider you for a franchise. Individuals with additional funds may be better prepared for additional or multi-restaurant opportunities."

http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/franchising/us_franchising/purchasing_your_franchise.html

So you pretty much need to be almost a millionaire to start.

[Mister D]

Franchising sounds like a good gig though. I bet the hardest part is just raising the capital to get started.

[Mister D]

From the McDonald's website it states you need about half a million dollars "non-borrowed" as a down payment to buy a McD's franchise. This means that if it were an independent owner they would likely have to be a millionaire to even think about owning a McD's.

From their website: "Since the total cost varies from restaurant to restaurant, the minimum amount for a down payment will vary. Generally, we require a minimum of $500,000 of non-borrowed personal resources to consider you for a franchise. Individuals with additional funds may be better prepared for additional or multi-restaurant opportunities."

http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/franchising/us_franchising/purchasing_your_franchise.html

So you pretty much need to be almost a millionaire to start.


:D I thought so.

[Conley]

McDonald's exemplifies the role of small businesses in Americans' upward mobility. The company is largely a confederation of small businesses: 85 percent of its U.S. restaurants -- average annual sales, $2.2 million -- are owned by franchisees. McDonald's has made more millionaires, and especially black and Hispanic millionaires, than any other economic entity ever, anywhere.

McDonald's has 14,000 restaurants in America and an additional 17,000 in 117 other countries. The company will add 1,000 others in 2008, more than 90 percent of them abroad. Such is the power of the McDonald's brand, 48 percent of the people of India were aware of McDonald's before it opened its first restaurant on the subcontinent.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/26/AR2007122601485.html

Can't find anything support half of all American workers...

[Conley]

From the McDonald's website it states you need about half a million dollars "non-borrowed" as a down payment to buy a McD's franchise. This means that if it were an independent owner they would likely have to be a millionaire to even think about owning a McD's.

From their website: "Since the total cost varies from restaurant to restaurant, the minimum amount for a down payment will vary. Generally, we require a minimum of $500,000 of non-borrowed personal resources to consider you for a franchise. Individuals with additional funds may be better prepared for additional or multi-restaurant opportunities."

http://www.aboutmcdonalds.com/mcd/franchising/us_franchising/purchasing_your_franchise.html

So you pretty much need to be almost a millionaire to start.


:D I thought so.


Yeah. Really I don't get it...the food is not that good. I had breakfast there a few weeks ago. First time I'd eat McDonalds in probably five years, since a road trip. It just wasn't good, and I like the taste of junk food so it wasn't that.

[Mister D]

Not sure where this "Chip Wood" got that stat.

I remember loving the taste of their fries and burger patties as a kid. Then some vegetarians and Hindus complained about frying the potatoes in lard. ::) It might just be that my taste buds have changed over the years. Anyway, I've always disliked fast food breakfasts. I'll take a greasy spoon over a fast food joint any day when it comes to breakfast.

[Conley]

The worst part was the coffee. It takes a lot for me to dislike coffee...this just tasted like someone had used double the water. I'm not sure if it's always like that or if I just got a bad batch.

[Mister D]

The worst part was the coffee. It takes a lot for me to dislike coffee...this just tasted like someone had used double the water. I'm not sure if it's always like that or if I just got a bad batch.


Switch to tea, sir. ;)

[Conley]

The worst part was the coffee. It takes a lot for me to dislike coffee...this just tasted like someone had used double the water. I'm not sure if it's always like that or if I just got a bad batch.


Switch to tea, sir. ;)


I can't even begin to guess what their tea would taste like. Mop water would be my guess. :-\

The potatoes, I could make better ones myself. The sausage breakfast sandwich was ok though.

[Mister D]

The worst part was the coffee. It takes a lot for me to dislike coffee...this just tasted like someone had used double the water. I'm not sure if it's always like that or if I just got a bad batch.


Switch to tea, sir. ;)


I can't even begin to guess what their tea would taste like. Mop water would be my guess. :-\

The potatoes, I could make better ones myself. The sausage breakfast sandwich was ok though.


Can't be any worse than Lipton which seems to be popular in the US. ::) I just got another shipment in. 2 ounces of Tianjin which has a slightly smoky flavor and 2 ounces of Hunan Black. I have about 8 varieties of loose Chinese tea in my desk at work. I don't mess around. I had a nice green oolong from the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam but I tend to stick with Chinese teas. I could on about this forever. What was my point? Drink tea! It's good for you and it tastes great. :)

That's something I need to try at home. I never make taters for breakfast but on weekends that might be a good idea. I need the carbs for my afternoon run. I figure I could just eat a bigger breakfast a little later. Plus, yu add a vegetable to your breakfast. My breakfasts are usually all meat and juice. What is your recipe?

[Conley]

Well there are a million and one ways to make em...I usually just cube up a potato and throw in some onion and green bell peppers with olive or canola oil...works well with meat too, a little spicy sausage does great. I like my potato browned so I will cook that for a while by itself before adding the other ingredients.

[Mister D]

Well there are a million and one ways to make em...I usually just cube up a potato and throw in some onion and green bell peppers with olive or canola oil...works well with meat too, a little spicy sausage does great. I like my potato browned so I will cook that for a while by itself before adding the other ingredients.


Sounds easy enough. I guess if it's cubed it should cook relatively quickly. Well, I'm going to give it a go next week. I already went shopping this week and I have no potatoes here. So it all goes in the hot oil? That's it?

[Mister D]

These are called hash browns, right? I could glance at a few recipes online.

[Conley]

Well salt, pepper, some oregano...yep in the oil.

Depending on the size of your potato chunks it can go quickly. I make mine small but potato takes a while, especially to get that golden brown.

What did you get at the store?

[Conley]

These are called hash browns, right? I could glance at a few recipes online.


Hash browns or home fries, yup. They're a little different I think but either one would do. What I make is some kind of bastard version between the two I think.

[Mister D]

Well salt, pepper, some oregano...yep in the oil.

Depending on the size of your potato chunks it can go quickly. I make mine small but potato takes a while, especially to get that golden brown.

What did you get at the store?


I think I would probably prefer them small which has the added benefit of cooking faster. Damn, I'm getting hungry now. ;D

I do my weekly shopping on Saturday mornings. I got some chicken for chicken salad and some field peas for split pea soup. That should cover me at work for the week. I'll be cooking tomorrow.

[Conley]

What kind of chicken? Whole chickens?

I love soups but it's not cold enough here yet. Split pea is a good one...filling. I like it with some ham too.

[Mister D]

What kind of chicken? Whole chickens?

I love soups but it's not cold enough here yet. Split pea is a good one...filling. I like it with some ham too.


For salad I just use a breast, lots of diced onion, salt/pepper, and low fat mayo. It still has 1/2 the fat of regular mayo and actually tastes better, IMHO. I guess I'll have to pick up some rye bread tomorrow.

I eat soup all year round. I'm a big fan. I've been using bacon for the split pea. I fry up some bacon and add the onions and carrots (celery if I have it) to the drippings and cook until somewhat tender. Then I add the chicken broth, water and field peas. After maybe 2.5 hours I drop the boat motor in there and get it nice and smooth. You can't go wrong. It's a powerhouse of nutrition.

[Mister D]

These are called hash browns, right? I could glance at a few recipes online.


Hash browns or home fries, yup. They're a little different I think but either one would do. What I make is some kind of bastard version between the two I think.


The home fries are shredded, right? I have a shredder here I haven't touched. I should try that too.

[Conley]

These are called hash browns, right? I could glance at a few recipes online.


Hash browns or home fries, yup. They're a little different I think but either one would do. What I make is some kind of bastard version between the two I think.


The home fries are shredded, right? I have a shredder here I haven't touched. I should try that too.


I think it's the other way around. Home fries are diced and home fries are shredded. Could I use a cheese grater for that?

[Conley]

Seems there would be a lot of liquid.

[Mister D]

These are called hash browns, right? I could glance at a few recipes online.


Hash browns or home fries, yup. They're a little different I think but either one would do. What I make is some kind of bastard version between the two I think.


The home fries are shredded, right? I have a shredder here I haven't touched. I should try that too.


I think it's the other way around. Home fries are diced and home fries are shredded. Could I use a cheese grater for that?


Ah, I see.

The grater I have is pretty big. I'll have to try it out but I think it would shred a potato.

[Mister D]

Seems there would be a lot of liquid.


Good point and it jogged my memory. Aren't you supposed to drain them?

[Conley]

Seems there would be a lot of liquid.


Good point and it jogged my memory. Aren't you supposed to drain them?


That would make sense, especially if the goal is to make them crispy. I might look up a recipe and try...no potatoes in the house currently.

[Mister D]

I'm going all out next weekend. I'm making some taters, two eggs over easy, and some corn beef brisket. I'll wash it down with some tea and OJ. Oh yes...8)

[Mister D]

Seems there would be a lot of liquid.


Good point and it jogged my memory. Aren't you supposed to drain them?


That would make sense, especially if the goal is to make them crispy. I might look up a recipe and try...no potatoes in the house currently.


I'm thinking the shredded potatoes would brown up in no time. I'm not sure how I feel about the oil though. Butter might be a better option. I'm partial to butter in the morning not least because olive oil is mild laxative.

[Conley]

Oh yeah, can't go wrong with butter. Now I will try to forget that about olive oil, although I'll say my once daily poop is always in the morning and generally early. 8)

[Mister D]

Oh yeah, can't go wrong with butter. Now I will try to forget that about olive oil, although I'll say my once daily poop is always in the morning and generally early. 8)


Seriously, olive oil has caused some system trouble for me in the past. I try to avoid it early in the day. It seems to have virtually no effect toward late afternoon. It probably has something to do with having eaten already that day. When olive oil is in my first meal or even with lunch I often have to go.

Making some tots now with habanero hot sauce. All this talk of taters...

[Conley]

:D

Frozen tots?

[Mister D]

:D

Frozen tots?


Yeah, those OreIda ones. I skipped my wings tonight so I feel justified. >:(

[Conley]

:D, yeah and you ran 5 miles too.

[Mister D]

:D, yeah and you ran 5 miles too.


That's true! :)

[MMC]

The worst part was the coffee. It takes a lot for me to dislike coffee...this just tasted like someone had used double the water. I'm not sure if it's always like that or if I just got a bad batch.


Switch to tea, sir. ;)


I can't even begin to guess what their tea would taste like. Mop water would be my guess. :-\

The potatoes, I could make better ones myself. The sausage breakfast sandwich was ok though.


Can't be any worse than Lipton which seems to be popular in the US. ::) I just got another shipment in. 2 ounces of Tianjin which has a slightly smoky flavor and 2 ounces of Hunan Black. I have about 8 varieties of loose Chinese tea in my desk at work. I don't mess around. I had a nice green oolong from the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam but I tend to stick with Chinese teas. I could on about this forever. What was my point? Drink tea! It's good for you and it tastes great. :)

That's something I need to try at home. I never make taters for breakfast but on weekends that might be a good idea. I need the carbs for my afternoon run. I figure I could just eat a bigger breakfast a little later. Plus, yu add a vegetable to your breakfast. My breakfasts are usually all meat and juice. What is your recipe?


I do enjoy Teas. But in the morning I prefer Coffee. I have an awesome oolong tea made with chestnuts and orange blossoms with a hint of ceder in it. Then I also have a Red Cha which is a spicey tea and high in antioxidants. Lipton Tea I use to make ice tea in a Glass Jug and set in the sun. Then in the winter I also go with Hot Apple Cider rather than hot chocalate. Or I will go with brandy in the Lipton tea. Or Hot butterscotch snapps mixed in with the Hot chocalate.

[Conley]

It's a tea party! :o