Forget the Seven Wonders of the World. Globally, the Golden Arches are surely the most infamous man-made landmark. For over 50 years, more consumers have chosen McDonald's as the site of their McConsumption than any other fast food chain. With over 25,000 restaurants worldwide, McDonald's has certainly achieved an overwhelming presence. To say nothing of its menu! Aside from such legendary fare as Big Macs and French Fries, McDonald's also totes brand name products like Chicken McNuggets, Filet-O-Fish, Quarter Pounders, Hotcakes, and Sausage, among other delightfully tempting artery-cloggers. Nevertheless, everything hasn't been food, folks, and fun. The company has been stung by a number of failed promotions such as the adult-targeted Arch line of sandwiches, heightened competition from Burger King and Wendy's, and a heavily publicized law suit over a scalding cup of coffee. Ouch, is that how Grimace got his name?

You couldn't escape Micky D's if you tried

The company, founded in Des Plaines, IL in 1955, has grown by cosmic degrees during nearly every year of its existence. In fact, McDonald's often averages over 1,000 new restaurants a year. American icon and Mc-Creator Ray Kroc started out as a malt machine salesman. He signed a franchise agreement with Dick and Mac McDonald in 1954. Within five years, McDonald's had sold its millionth burger, had 100 stores, and was wholly managed by Kroc, who bought the McDonald brothers out in 1961. Ronald McDonald first climbed to his big red feet in 1963; that same year also brought a new menu item, the Filet-O-Fish. In 1965, the restaurant gained further fame and acclaim by introducing its first television commercial. Five years later, doors opened on the Ronald McDonald House, the company's exceptionally successful public service housing project for the families of hospitalized children.

McDonald's goes modern

In the early 1990s the company's remarkable success seemed indomitable. McDonald's opened its first branch in India, making the cultural and religious shift to lamb-burgers. After India, the company linked arms with Disney, signing a $1 billion contract to swap promotional gimmicks (hence the Pocahontas toys in Mickey D's Happy Meals). But just when life seemed rosy for the company, the Hamburgler got caught. The Arch Deluxe, a regular hamburger marketed as fare for the more mature and selective, flopped. While McDonald's Teenie Beanie Babies campaign was a success, 1997's Campaign 55 (Big Macs for 55 cents) failed to meet expectations. A confusing marketing promotion meant that customers could receive the 55 cent burger only if they paid for other, more pricey items.

The baht of many jokes

Amid 1998 hamburger wars between Mickey D's and Burger King--as both announced UK expansion plans--co-founder Dick McDonald died at 89. Meanwhile, the company decided to invest more than $400 million in Central Europe over the next three years. Projected by the year 2000: the addition of 400 restaurants in this region. Perhaps struck by the grandeur of expansion, the newly appointed president and chief executive, Jack M. Greenberg, issued an inspired inter-company statement: "we will reinvent the category in which we compete." This sentiment can't be stretched to McDonald's Thailand market, however. In August 1998, word leaked out that McThai does not conduct any of its own exporting. Until this point, the Bangkok office had, as part of a patriotic image campaign, called itself a key "exporter" that brings "millions of baht into Thailand."

Elsewhere in Asia, McDonald's cut Japanese hamburger prices in 1998 in an attempt to bolster sales in the flailing Asian market. Despite the soft Eastern economy, McDonald's plans to invest $1.5 billion in the Asia-Pacific region in the next three years.

Sign of the times

In 1998 the restaurant's covert motto became food, fewer folks, and fun. For the first time in history, the company eliminated 23 percent of its home office workforce, or 525 employees. Although the decision seems harsh on an immediate and personal level, McDonald's gains in the long run. In fact, after scrutinizing the company's cost-saving measures, analysts are raising their 1999 earnings estimates about a nickel a share. McDonald's third quarter earnings for 1998 were reportedly 7.4 percent higher than the previous year's $3.01 billion. In December 1999, McDonald's agreed to purchase the bankrupt Boston Chicken company (operators of the Boston Market chain) for $173.5 million. McDonald's was able to turn the company around to profitability once again, and has pledged to keep most of the 750 Boston Market restaurants open, though a few will be converted into McDonald's other restaurants, Donatos Pizza ad Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Gigaburgers

Speaking of billions, McDonald's claims that it has sold 99 billion burgers or 99 Gigaburgers (GB). Yet this news is not reassuring to those familiar with the older McDonald restaurant signs. Could this be a case of Burger 100 B, or B100B? Once those age-old Golden Arches flip over with that fateful 100 billionth burger, McDonald's is at risk of advertising a grand total of "00 Billion Burgers Sold." While this dire forecast is unlikely to cause much havoc, McDonald's spokesperson Chuck Ebeling does admit that the expensive signs will be difficult to change. And change they will. The old signs are being remodeled to catch up to the times. When that fateful 100 billionth burger is sold, no worries. Ebeling told the Wall Street Journal that keeping the world informed of the number of hamburgers sold simply isn't "meaningful to most customers."

McVeggie Sandwiches? Only in New York

Prodded by fast food-deprived vegetarians, three McDonald's franchises in lower Manhattan have started to sell meatless burgers. While the concept might not catch on nationwide, McDonald's officials admit they "are open to the idea." The same officials note that McDonald's already sells veggie burgers in Britain, Holland, and India. Factors which will make or break the cowless concept include consumer demand and manufacturing costs.

Beyond burgers