One of the largest and most successful fast-food chains in the world

McDonald's

The story of McDonald's is quite interesting.

The McDonald Brothers (Founders): Richard and Maurice McDonald originally opened McDonald's Bar-B-Q in 1940 in San Bernardino, California. It was a typical drive-in restaurant of the time. But in 1948, they revamped the restaurant into a fast-food model, eliminating carhops and streamlining their menu to focus on just a few items: burgers, fries, and shakes.

They introduced the "Speedee Service System", which worked like an assembly line, allowing them to serve food much faster than traditional restaurants. This system became the foundation of modern fast food.

Ray Kroc (The Man Who Built McDonald's Empire): In 1954, Ray Kroc, a traveling milkshake machine salesman, discovered the McDonald brothers' restaurant when they ordered several of his Multimixer machines. He was impressed by their efficiency and saw a huge business opportunity.

Kroc convinced the brothers to let him franchise McDonald's under their name. By 1955, he opened the first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois. Over time, he expanded aggressively, eventually buying out the McDonald brothers for $2.7 million in 1961.

McDonald's Today: After Kroc took over, he turned McDonald's into a global fast-food empire with:

The Golden Arches logo

The Ronald McDonald mascot

A focus on franchising

Strict consistency in food quality and service

Today, McDonald's is one of the largest and most successful fast-food chains in the world, serving millions of customers in over 100 countries.

So, while the McDonald brothers started it, it was Ray Kroc who made it what it is today!

Did you know

HOW WAS THE WORD "NEWS" DERIVED?

The word news comes from the late Middle English period (14th–15th century) and is derived from the plural form of new, meaning "new things" or "new occurrences." It was influenced by the Old French word nouvelles, which also means "new things" or "tidings."

There is a common but incorrect myth that news is an acronym for "North, East, West, South," suggesting it represents information from all directions. However, this is not true; the word simply evolved from the idea of reporting new events.

The word news has an interesting linguistic evolution:

1. Early Usage: The concept of reporting new events dates back to ancient civilizations. The Romans had the Acta Diurna, a daily gazette, and in China, the government circulated official reports called dibao as early as the Tang Dynasty. The word news itself first appeared in English in the 14th century, referring to "new things" or "fresh information."

2. Language Influence: It comes from the Middle English newes, which was the plural of new. The Old French nouvelles (meaning "new things" or "tidings") also played a role in shaping its meaning. Similar words exist in other languages: Spanish (noticias), German (Nachrichten), and Italian (notizie), all referring to updates or reports.

3. Misconception About NEWS as an Acronym: Some people believe news stands for "North, East, West, South," implying worldwide coverage. This is a false etymology; news simply refers to fresh or recent events.

4. Printed and Broadcast News: The first English-language newspaper appeared in the early 17th century. Over time, the meaning of news expanded to refer specifically to information disseminated via print, radio, television, and later, digital media.

So, the word news originally just meant "new things" but evolved into the concept of organized reporting over time.

Best bread in the world

BUTTER GARLIC NAAN

Indian food is making headlines again! This time, it's all about the bread. A super popular food guide called TasteAtlas just announced the “Top 100 Breads in the World", and butter garlic naan from India took the NUMBER ONE spot! Can you believe it? 

Amritsari kulcha

The number two spot was secured by another Indian bread - the Amritsari kulcha. Seven more Indian breads were in the top 50, like parotta, paratha, bhatura - so many delicious options. Breads from Türkiye, Malaysia, and Colombia also made the top 5, showing that there's awesome bread all over the world.

Visual means of communication

SIGN LANGUAGE 

Sign language is a visual means of communication used primarily by people who are deaf or hard of hearing. It consists of hand gestures, facial expressions, and body movements to convey meaning. Each country or region typically has its own sign language, such as:

American Sign Language (ASL) – used in the U.S. and Canada

British Sign Language (BSL) – used in the UK

Indian Sign Language (ISL) – used in India

French Sign Language (LSF) – used in France

Sign languages are fully developed languages with their own grammar and structure, distinct from spoken languages. They allow deaf individuals to communicate effectively and express complex ideas just like spoken languages do.