Since its founding in 1948, McDonald’s has grown from a family burger stand to a global fast-food behemoth, with more than 30,000 locations in 118 countries. Those nations, however, are about to have their ranks reduced by one: the Golden Arches are pulling up stakes in Iceland this week, and Icelanders pining for a Big Mac and large fries will soon be going hungry. The global chain says it is shuttering its three stores in the capital, Reykjavik, citing the collapse of the local economy and the high cost of imports. The closures aren’t a first for the company: McDonald’s has pulled out of Bolivia, Jamaica and a handful of other countries due to poor sales. But the setback is decidedly unusual for the world’s largest fast-food chain.
Dick and Mac McDonald opened their eponymous burger stand in 1948 in San Bernardino, Calif. Under the guidance of Ray Kroc, a onetime milkshake-mixer salesman wowed by the restaurant’s success, McDonald’s franchises grew swiftly: by the end of the 1960s, there were more than 1,000 across the U.S. The first international franchise opened in 1967 in British Columbia, and was followed by another in Costa Rica later that year. Read more.