In which U.S. city did Ray Kroc open the McDonald’s restaurant that began his franchise expansion?

Ray Kroc opened the McDonald’s restaurant that began his franchise expansion in Des Plaines, Illinois. The restaurant opened in 1955 and became a landmark in McDonald’s corporate history.

Kroc had become interested in the McDonald brothers’ operation because of its unusually efficient, standardized service model. He secured franchise rights and used the Des Plaines restaurant to demonstrate how the system could be reproduced in new locations.

The site was designed to embody the McDonald’s identity, including the prominent Golden Arches associated with the restaurant format. It helped establish a recognizable visual and operational template for later franchises.

San Bernardino was the location of the McDonald brothers’ original restaurant, while Oak Brook later became McDonald’s corporate headquarters. Those locations are therefore easy to confuse with Des Plaines.