<P> Believing the McDonald 's formula was a ticket to success , Kroc suggested they franchise their restaurants throughout the country . The brothers were skeptical , however , that the self - service approach could succeed in colder , rainier climates ; furthermore , their thriving business in San Bernardino , and franchises already operating or planned , made them reluctant to risk a national venture . Kroc offered to take the major responsibility for setting up the new franchises elsewhere . He returned to his home outside of Chicago with rights to set up McDonald 's restaurants throughout the country , except in a handful of territories in California and Arizona already licensed by the McDonald brothers . The brothers were to receive one - half of one percent of gross sales . Kroc 's first McDonald 's restaurant opened on April 15 , 1955 , at 400 North Lee Street in Des Plaines , Illinois , near Chicago . The Des Plaines interior and exterior was painted by master painter Eugene Wright , who owned Wright 's Decorating Service . Eugene was asked to come up with a color scheme and he chose yellow and white , with dark brown and red being secondary trim colors . Those colors would go on to become the colors of all McDonald 's franchises . ( Recognizing its historic and nostalgic value , in 1990 the McDonald 's Corporation acquired the stand and rehabilitated it to a modern but nearly original condition , and then built an adjacent museum and gift shop to commemorate the site . ) </P>
<P> Believing the McDonald 's formula was a ticket to success , Kroc suggested they franchise their restaurants throughout the country . The brothers were skeptical , however , that the self - service approach could succeed in colder , rainier climates ; furthermore , their thriving business in San Bernardino , and franchises already operating or planned , made them reluctant to risk a national venture . Kroc offered to take the major responsibility for setting up the new franchises elsewhere . He returned to his home outside of Chicago with rights to set up McDonald 's restaurants throughout the country , except in a handful of territories in California and Arizona already licensed by the McDonald brothers . The brothers were to receive one - half of one percent of gross sales . Kroc 's first McDonald 's restaurant opened on April 15 , 1955 , at 400 North Lee Street in Des Plaines , Illinois , near Chicago . The Des Plaines interior and exterior was painted by master painter Eugene Wright , who owned Wright 's Decorating Service . Eugene was asked to come up with a color scheme and he chose yellow and white , with dark brown and red being secondary trim colors . Those colors would go on to become the colors of all McDonald 's franchises . ( Recognizing its historic and nostalgic value , in 1990 the McDonald 's Corporation acquired the stand and rehabilitated it to a modern but nearly original condition , and then built an adjacent museum and gift shop to commemorate the site . ) </P>
when was the first ever mcdonald 's opened
when was the first ever mcdonald 's opened
April 15 , 1955
April 15 , 1955