In which Illinois city did Ray Kroc open McDonald’s Store No. 1?

Ray Kroc opened McDonald’s Store No. 1 in Des Plaines, Illinois.

The restaurant opened in 1955 and served as Kroc’s first McDonald’s location. Kroc had obtained the right to franchise the McDonald brothers’ system, and the Des Plaines restaurant became an early showcase for standardized menus, service, equipment, and visual presentation.

Des Plaines is in the Chicago metropolitan area, which can lead to the less precise answer “Chicago.” The restaurant itself, however, was located in Des Plaines, not in the city of Chicago. That distinction matters because the site is identified by its municipality in McDonald’s historical records.

The original structure was later recreated and operated as a museum. It is associated with the beginning of Kroc’s expansion strategy, while the brothers’ earlier restaurant history is centered in San Bernardino, California.