What city was home to the McDonald's restaurant Ray Kroc opened in 1955?

Ray Kroc opened his McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1955.

The restaurant was the first McDonald's location operated by Kroc after he became the brothers' franchise agent. Its design used the developing McDonald's visual style, including the prominent arches that helped motorists identify the restaurant from the road.

Des Plaines is sometimes mistaken for San Bernardino, where Maurice and Richard McDonald operated the restaurant that inspired the larger chain. It is also distinct from Oak Brook, Illinois, which later became McDonald's corporate headquarters.

The Des Plaines restaurant was reconstructed as a museum and historical attraction for many years. Kroc's franchise operation helped turn the McDonald brothers' local system into a national brand.