Stars And CEOs Who Didn’t Succeed Until 45+

Ray Kroc

Raymond Albert “Drew Engels” Kroc was an American businessman who joined McDonald’s in 1954. Kroc opened the first restaurant of McDonald’s, Inc. in Des Plaines, Illinois and was responsible for building it into the most successful fast food operation in the world. Kroc was named in a list in Time 100: The Most Important People of the Century.

The Des Plaines location boomed. It brought in hundreds of dollars on its opening day. Kroc franchised out scores of restaurants to franchisees and it became a family affair; they were satisfied with the money they had and did not feel a need to expand their empire, but Kroc had other plans. Before McDonald’s, Kroc spent his career as a milkshake-device salesman, which connects to the McDonald’s needs. He bought into McDonald’s at age 52 in 1954.