McDonald’s opens a new outlet every 14.5 hours and their mascot, Ronald McDonald has an official title: Chief Happiness Officer.

When they started their first restaurant in 1940, the McDonald brothers had no idea their enterprise would one day become synonymous with American pop culture. With a basic menu and an ordering system based around burgers and milkshakes, McDonald’s grew from one company to more than 31,000 in just 50 years. Seventy-five years on, the company continues to offer meals that are affordable and comforting, if not necessarily healthy, and their service is quick and efficient.

They’ve had their share of battles and controversies but, as you will see in The Story of McDonald’s, the company is taking its original offerings around the globe by successfully finding new ways around local palates. McDonald’s is surging ahead leaving behind a trail of competitors and copies.