Not only is McDonald’s the most popular fast food restaurant in the U.S., but did you know that the beloved food chain’s first menu included hot dogs rather than hamburgers? Take a look at the list of facts you probably didn’t know about one of the most iconic brands in the U.S., because what else have you got to do? You can later share these fun facts over dinner with the family!
1. McDonald’s started as a hot-dog stand
Back in 1937, brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald were running a movie theater in California and struggling to make ends meet, when they noticed nearby a hot dog stand that always seemed to be full. They determined brothers decided to try their luck in the hot-dog business, and opened a hot dog stand nearby, the Airdrome Hot Dog stand, which came to be their first attempt to get into the restaurant business.
2. One out of every 8 Americans has worked at McDonald’s
McDonald’s is one of the country’s biggest employers, and according to the book “Fast Food Nation,” it is estimated that 1 in 8 Americans have worked for McDonald’s at a certain point in their lives. From the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, to actress Rachel McAdams and many other surprising celebrities, it shouldn’t be a surprise to know that before they started attending award shows, some celebrities had to put on a uniform and flip some burgers to make a living.
3. Bubblegum-flavored broccoli
If broccoli had a better taste, would kids eat it more often? Probably not, but the company wanted to find out, so they decided to see if they were that good, they could promote broccoli for children. In an attempt to make their menu healthier, the company decided to design broccoli with a taste of bubble gum. If you think the idea doesn’t sound appetizing, you’re absolutely right! The bubblegum-flavored broccoli was a failure, as kids were confused by the taste.
4. McDonald’s sells more toys than Mattel or Hasbro
Who doesn’t know what a Happy Meal is? Happy Meals have existed since 1977 and have since become famous for including a toy with the meal, thus the name. The company gives away around 1.5 billion toys per year with every Happy Meal, making it up to 20% of their sales. Thanks to their success, McDonald’s is not only the second largest food chain in the world, but it is also became the largest supplier of toys in the world, which is more than even Mattel or Hasbro.
5. A single chicken nugget was once sold for $8,100
Unless this was a magic nugget that grants you 3 wishes, you might be wondering what is the reason behind a nugget costing this outrageous sum of money. It turns out that the 3-year-old McDonald’s chicken nugget looked like America’s first president, George Washington. Rebekah Speight bought and then sold this nugget on eBay for $8,100 dollars to raise money for children at her local church (if you ask us, it looks nothing like him, but it was an important cause).
6. McDonald’s sells over 75 burgers per second
Another fact you probably didn’t know about the iconic food chain is that McDonald’s feeds 68 million people around the world every day, which means that it serves 1% of the world’s population per day. That’s why it shouldn’t come as a surprise to know that the restaurant giant sells over 75 burgers every second, according to its Operations and Training Manual.