In which city did Ray Kroc open the first McDonald’s restaurant operated under his company in 1955?

Ray Kroc opened the first McDonald’s restaurant operated under his company in Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1955.

Kroc had become involved with Richard and Maurice McDonald after learning about their highly efficient hamburger operation in San Bernardino, California. He pursued expansion through franchising and opened the Des Plaines restaurant as a model for the developing McDonald’s system. The location helped demonstrate the standardized appearance, menu, service, and operating procedures that became central to the brand.

The Des Plaines restaurant was not the original McDonald brothers’ location. Their first restaurant opened in San Bernardino in 1940, while Kroc’s 1955 store represented a new phase of corporate expansion. The building later became associated with McDonald’s historical preservation and museum efforts.

Oak Brook is also often named because McDonald’s corporate headquarters were located there for many years. Chicago can appear in accounts because of the region’s importance, but the specific 1955 restaurant was in Des Plaines, Illinois.