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Big Mac
In the 1950s, a certain businessman by the name of Ray Kroc founded what has become a multi-billion-dollar, world-wide institution. It's name is McDonald's.
In the mythological history of the American hamburger (which never contains any ham unless you order a 'Royal Bacon'), some Amercan hamburger historians say it was first created at a road-side bar in the 1930s in the state of Maine. Some say the true origin belongs to Walter Anderson of Wichita, Kansas, who opened a burger-bar called the White Castle in 1921.
But Ray Kroc bought a 'drive-in-burger-bar' in San Bernardino California from Richard
and Maurice McDonald. Hence the name McDonald's.
Kroc's fool-proof technique was 'culinary standardisation'. The kitchen became a military-style assembly line. Every time you bought one you knew it would be the same as the day before.
A McDonald's hamburger weighs 1.6 onces and has the special trick of adding a pickle slice, one inch in diametre. The price in France for a classic 'McDo' burger is 95 centimes. (Less in the United States).
The McDonald's Corporation is an icon with a current market capitalisation of $67.2 billion. There is of course the Hamburger University, the McDonald's training centre, in Illinois. All managers of whatever nationality must complete a rigorous course before graduation.
The infamous José Bové, anti-globalisationalist (and anti-American) is well known for destroying a 'McDo" resturant in the south of France.
It has emerged that the real reason for the tragedy was that his young supporters were told they could not have extra pickles on their burgers.
