When Ray Kroc joined McDonalds in 1955 and built it into one of America’s biggest brands, it was lauded as the quintessential American success story, full of good, high-quality food and happy children. More than half-a-century later, that goodwill is all but gone. The restaurant chain has been a focus of protestors demanding higher wages (most McDonald’s restaurant workers make less than $10 an hour) and people are comparing feeding children a Big Mac to giving them whiskey and cigarettes. The company itself is still strong, with the stocks nearly doubling in the past five years and profits staying strong. …Read more »