Which McDonald's restaurant became the first one franchised by Ray Kroc in 1955?

The first McDonald’s restaurant franchised by Ray Kroc opened in Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1955.

Kroc opened the restaurant at 400 North Lee Street after becoming involved with the McDonald brothers’ operating system. The site served as a model for the standardized procedures, menu, service, and appearance that Kroc wanted to reproduce across the United States.

The Des Plaines restaurant is often called the first McDonald’s franchise operated by Kroc, while the McDonald brothers’ San Bernardino restaurant predates it. The Des Plaines building has been preserved through museum and reconstruction efforts. This distinction matters in branding history because Kroc’s expansion created the consistent visual and operational identity that allowed the arches and other brand elements to spread nationally.