NAME: ________________________ DATE: ________________________

Listening Quiz
1. Who was / were the founders of 4. How did McDonald’s adapt to changing
McDonald’s? tastes and preferences of its customers?
Ray Kroc by introducing new menu items

Richard and Maurice McDonald by introducing new technologies

Steve Jobs both A and B

Bill Gates and Ronald McDonald none of the above

2. Who was / were the first franchisee(s) 5. Where is the McDonald’s Museum
of McDonald’s? located?
Ray Kroc New York

Richard and Maurice McDonald San Francisco

Steve Jobs San Bernadino

Bill Gates and Ronald McDonald Chicago

3. In what year did Ray Kroc purchase 6. What does the McDonald Museum
McDonald’s from the brothers? showcase?
1940 the history of the McDonald’s fast food chain

1948 the innovations that made McDonald’s popular

1954 both A and B

1961 none of the above

Discuss these questions with a friend or classmate.

Listening Quiz
Audio Script
McDonald's is one of the most well-known and successful fast-food chains in the world. The company
was founded in 1940 by Richard and Maurice McDonald, two brothers who opened a barbecue
restaurant in San Bernardino, California. In 1948, the brothers decided to streamline their menu and
focus on hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes, which proved to be a successful decision.

In 1954, Ray Kroc, a milkshake machine salesman, visited the McDonald's brothers' restaurant and was
impressed by their efficient systems and high-volume sales. He saw the potential for the restaurant to
become a franchise and became the first franchisee of McDonald's in 1955. He eventually bought the
company from the brothers in 1961 and turned it into the global empire it is today.

Under Kroc's leadership, the company expanded rapidly throughout the United States, and by the end of
the 1960s, there were over 1,000 McDonald's restaurants across the country. The company also began to
expand internationally, with the first international franchise opening in Canada in 1967. By the 1970s,
McDonald's had become a global brand, with restaurants in countries all over the world.

One of the keys to McDonald's success has been its ability to adapt to the changing tastes and
preferences of its customers. In the 1970s, the company began to offer a wider variety of menu items,
including the famous "Big Mac" and the "Filet-O-Fish." In the 1980s and 1990s, McDonald's responded to
growing concerns about healthy eating by introducing salads, fruit, and other healthier options to its
menu.

In recent years, McDonald's has continued to evolve, introducing new menu items and technologies to
appeal to customers. For example, the company has introduced mobile ordering and delivery options,
and has also begun to incorporate more plant-based options into its menu.

However, McDonald's has also faced criticism and controversies over the years. For example, the
company has been criticized for its marketing practices, particularly its targeting of children with
advertising. Additionally, the company has faced lawsuits over the years related to food safety and
employee treatment.

There is a McDonald's Museum located in San Bernardino, California, where the first McDonald's
restaurant opened in 1940. The museum showcases the history of the fast-food chain, from its humble
beginnings as a barbecue restaurant to its global success today. Visitors can see the original restaurant,
artifacts from the company's history, and learn about the innovations that helped make McDonald's the
iconic brand it is today. The museum also offers a chance to learn about Ray Kroc and the brothers who
founded the chain.

ANSWER KEY
1. Richard and Maurice McDonald 4. both A and B
2. Ray Kroc 5. San Bernardino
3. 1961 6. both A and B

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