What was the name of McDonald’s training center founded in 1961 to teach franchisees and managers?

McDonald’s training center founded in 1961 to teach franchisees and managers was called Hamburger University.

Hamburger University was established in 1961 at McDonald’s headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois. Its purpose was to standardize restaurant operations by teaching managers and franchise owners the company’s procedures, service expectations, food-safety practices, and leadership methods.

The school became an important part of McDonald’s branding because consistency was central to the company’s promise. Customers were meant to encounter familiar food, service, and restaurant standards whether they visited a location in one American state or another. Training helped make that promise practical as the chain expanded.

The name is intentionally informal and memorable, but the institution is a professional management-training program rather than a culinary college devoted only to hamburgers. McDonald’s later established additional Hamburger University campuses and training facilities around the world.