The Hamburger University is an accredited school that awards graduates a degree in foodservice. It was founded in 1961 by Fred Turner and has grown to educate an annual body of 5,000 students. Over 80,000 men and women have graduated. The current Illinois site was built in 1983 at a cost of $40 million. 6 overseas campuses were later added, one of which is in Tokyo.
Can you believe this school exists? No? Well, it is true. The school has even spawned imitators such as Burger King University in Florida.
And what type of person would go there I wonder? A fry cook extraordinaire? A cashier looking to move up? Or perhaps an overzealous night manager?
For some inexplicable reason I can imagine myself meeting a Hamburger University alumnus at a dinner party. It is a lively affair with people everywhere. As I stand around waiting for the food to be served I strike up a conversation with the gentleman next to me.
“Hey.”
“Hello.”
“How’s it goin’?
"Fine, thank you. Yourself?"
"I’m good. My name’s Phil. Nice to meet you."
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Rutherford E. Livingston the third, but please, call me Mr. Livingston."
"Uh…sure. So what do you do for a living Mr. Livingston?"
"I’m a restaurant manager for the leading global foodservice retailer consisting of 31,000+ stores servicing 47 million customers a day. My store alone averages about 4 million in sales while total corporate revenue amounts to nearly 28 billion dollars annually.”
“Wow. Did you have to go to school for that?”
“I did. I attended Hamburger University and graduated summa cum laude, class of ’86, with a masters in Hamburgerology, an emphasis in Affiliate Relations and two major course studies, one in Crew Development, the other Classical Greek. I was also captain of the Lacrosse team the year we beat Yale for the Oswald Cup.”
“That's impressive.”
“I know. Now if you’ll excuse me there are more important people I’d like to talk to. Do have a nice night.”
What pompous arrogance! But could I expect any less from a McElitist? They and their company are on top in this modern age of fast food and convenience.
McDonald's, McDonald's, McDonald's. I kind of have a love hate relationship with the chain. I love the taste of the food but hate the effect it has on my body.
Because of my questionable health I try to avoid eating anything on the menu except for the ice cream. McFlurries happen to be an addiction of mine. It’s pretty hard to conceal the fact when Japan is inundated with McTemptation. I’m serious. Outside stations, in malls, on major roadways, McDonald’s is everywhere. This country has more stores than any other non-US place in the world.
Speaking of McDonald's in Japan, I'd like to tell you about Den Fujita. His story is remarkable for it was him who first introduced fast food to Japan.
I was delighted to find out about Den and Ray while at a school I was working for a few years back. There were dozens of these manga books on historical figures. Flipping through them in the school library helped me kill time between classes. Den Fujita’s was the most fascinating, so I actually sat down and read it. Now that knowledge has been passed on to you.
One more thing. I came across an interesting quote I'd like to also share. It's from Den around the time he opened his first McDonald’s.
"The reason Japanese people are so short and have yellow skins is because they have eaten nothing but fish and rice for two thousand years…If we eat McDonald's hamburgers and potatoes for a thousand years we will become taller, our skin become white, and our hair blonde."
A pity I won’t live to see the day.
Can you believe this school exists? No? Well, it is true. The school has even spawned imitators such as Burger King University in Florida.
And what type of person would go there I wonder? A fry cook extraordinaire? A cashier looking to move up? Or perhaps an overzealous night manager?
For some inexplicable reason I can imagine myself meeting a Hamburger University alumnus at a dinner party. It is a lively affair with people everywhere. As I stand around waiting for the food to be served I strike up a conversation with the gentleman next to me.
“Hey.”
“Hello.”
“How’s it goin’?
"Fine, thank you. Yourself?"
"I’m good. My name’s Phil. Nice to meet you."
"A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Rutherford E. Livingston the third, but please, call me Mr. Livingston."
"Uh…sure. So what do you do for a living Mr. Livingston?"
"I’m a restaurant manager for the leading global foodservice retailer consisting of 31,000+ stores servicing 47 million customers a day. My store alone averages about 4 million in sales while total corporate revenue amounts to nearly 28 billion dollars annually.”
“Wow. Did you have to go to school for that?”
“I did. I attended Hamburger University and graduated summa cum laude, class of ’86, with a masters in Hamburgerology, an emphasis in Affiliate Relations and two major course studies, one in Crew Development, the other Classical Greek. I was also captain of the Lacrosse team the year we beat Yale for the Oswald Cup.”
“That's impressive.”
“I know. Now if you’ll excuse me there are more important people I’d like to talk to. Do have a nice night.”
What pompous arrogance! But could I expect any less from a McElitist? They and their company are on top in this modern age of fast food and convenience.
McDonald's, McDonald's, McDonald's. I kind of have a love hate relationship with the chain. I love the taste of the food but hate the effect it has on my body.
Because of my questionable health I try to avoid eating anything on the menu except for the ice cream. McFlurries happen to be an addiction of mine. It’s pretty hard to conceal the fact when Japan is inundated with McTemptation. I’m serious. Outside stations, in malls, on major roadways, McDonald’s is everywhere. This country has more stores than any other non-US place in the world.
Speaking of McDonald's in Japan, I'd like to tell you about Den Fujita. His story is remarkable for it was him who first introduced fast food to Japan.
This tale begins way back in the post war era when Den ran an import shop catering to Americas. The young man marveled at the size and vitality of his foreign customers and attributed this to their victory over the Japanese Imperial War Machine. After closely watching their habits Den realized that Americans ate large quantities of food, especially beef. That he thought was the secret to their success. If Japanese children followed the same diet they too could become strong like Americans. The one problem was that beef was very expensive and unsuitable for most family incomes.
Several years later in 1967 Den was visiting the United States on business. He came across a McDonalds and had a revelation. Fast food was an efficient system that provided beef and other high calorie foods to the general populace at low cost. If the same system could be transferred to Japan it could do the same for Japanese people. McDonalds was the solution Den had been longing for.
Den did his research and arranged to meet with Ray Kroc. In case you don’t know who Ray is he was the former milkshake machine salesman who took control of McDonald’s from the McDonald brothers and later turned it in to a commercial empire the likes of which the world had never seen.
On the fateful day of their meeting the conversation went something like the following:
“So tell me Mr. Fujita, what business do you propose?” asks Ray.
“I am impressed by the success McDonalds makes in America. I think the same success can be made in Japan.”
“And why do you think that?”
“In Japan the people have poor food. They eat fish, vegetables and rice. This does not make them strong. Here in America everyone is big. Japanese want to be big too. They need beef. They want beef. McDonald’s hamburgers can give Japanese what they want. Hamburgers can make Japan strong.”
“I see.”
“Yes. Japan and McDonald’s can benefit from harmonious relationship.”
“Mr. Fujita, I’ll be honest with you. Many men have come in to my office asking to open McDonald’s in Japan but I have had my reservations. I now realize that I was waiting for the right man. You are that man.”
“Really? Thank you. It is great honor,” bows Den.
“I’m giving you a chance because you got passion. I like that.”
“Oh, I am so happy. Thank you. Thank you,” he bows again.
“There is of course a condition.”
“Condition?”
“You will immediately start work on opening a restaurant. That will be the first of 500 store locations I expect built in the next 10 years. Are you the man for the task?”
“Yes, Mr. Kroc. I will make 500 stores. I promise.”
“Very well. We have a deal.”
Den knew that for McDonalds to be successful the first Japanese store needed to attract many customers. He and Ray decided that Tokyo would be the place to start. However, they soon disagreed on what part of the city. Ray believed that the suburbs would be best because that is where McDonald’s thrived most in the United States. Den begged to differ.
“Mr. Kroc. Japan and America are very different. People do not drive cars. They do not gather outside city center. A restaurant in suburbs is a mistake."
“What?! Our stores in the suburbs generate more in sales than our city locations. Profits do not lie," stammers Ray raising an index finger in to the air.
“I understand. But those are sales in America. Japan is not the same. It is a different market. Perhaps we can try a different way.”
“OK. I’m listening.”
“In Tokyo there is a place called Ginza. It is famous for good shopping and fun environment. Many young people go there. They like new fashions and trends. A new store can get attention. If we are to make success, Ginza is the place.”
“Den, you had be better right about this.”
“I will not disappoint Mr. Kroc."
In 1971 Den opened the first McDonald’s in Asia beneath a Mitsukoshi Department store in Ginza. It was an immediate success with many other stores soon following. By 1981 there were well over 500 restaurants. Den Fujita had fulfilled his promise to Ray Kroc.
By 2000 he was also one of the 30 richest men in Japan. Then he died.
Several years later in 1967 Den was visiting the United States on business. He came across a McDonalds and had a revelation. Fast food was an efficient system that provided beef and other high calorie foods to the general populace at low cost. If the same system could be transferred to Japan it could do the same for Japanese people. McDonalds was the solution Den had been longing for.
Den did his research and arranged to meet with Ray Kroc. In case you don’t know who Ray is he was the former milkshake machine salesman who took control of McDonald’s from the McDonald brothers and later turned it in to a commercial empire the likes of which the world had never seen.
On the fateful day of their meeting the conversation went something like the following:
“So tell me Mr. Fujita, what business do you propose?” asks Ray.
“I am impressed by the success McDonalds makes in America. I think the same success can be made in Japan.”
“And why do you think that?”
“In Japan the people have poor food. They eat fish, vegetables and rice. This does not make them strong. Here in America everyone is big. Japanese want to be big too. They need beef. They want beef. McDonald’s hamburgers can give Japanese what they want. Hamburgers can make Japan strong.”
“I see.”
“Yes. Japan and McDonald’s can benefit from harmonious relationship.”
“Mr. Fujita, I’ll be honest with you. Many men have come in to my office asking to open McDonald’s in Japan but I have had my reservations. I now realize that I was waiting for the right man. You are that man.”
“Really? Thank you. It is great honor,” bows Den.
“I’m giving you a chance because you got passion. I like that.”
“Oh, I am so happy. Thank you. Thank you,” he bows again.
“There is of course a condition.”
“Condition?”
“You will immediately start work on opening a restaurant. That will be the first of 500 store locations I expect built in the next 10 years. Are you the man for the task?”
“Yes, Mr. Kroc. I will make 500 stores. I promise.”
“Very well. We have a deal.”
Den knew that for McDonalds to be successful the first Japanese store needed to attract many customers. He and Ray decided that Tokyo would be the place to start. However, they soon disagreed on what part of the city. Ray believed that the suburbs would be best because that is where McDonald’s thrived most in the United States. Den begged to differ.
“Mr. Kroc. Japan and America are very different. People do not drive cars. They do not gather outside city center. A restaurant in suburbs is a mistake."
“What?! Our stores in the suburbs generate more in sales than our city locations. Profits do not lie," stammers Ray raising an index finger in to the air.
“I understand. But those are sales in America. Japan is not the same. It is a different market. Perhaps we can try a different way.”
“OK. I’m listening.”
“In Tokyo there is a place called Ginza. It is famous for good shopping and fun environment. Many young people go there. They like new fashions and trends. A new store can get attention. If we are to make success, Ginza is the place.”
“Den, you had be better right about this.”
“I will not disappoint Mr. Kroc."
In 1971 Den opened the first McDonald’s in Asia beneath a Mitsukoshi Department store in Ginza. It was an immediate success with many other stores soon following. By 1981 there were well over 500 restaurants. Den Fujita had fulfilled his promise to Ray Kroc.
By 2000 he was also one of the 30 richest men in Japan. Then he died.
End of story.
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| Den Fujita (1926-2004) |
I was delighted to find out about Den and Ray while at a school I was working for a few years back. There were dozens of these manga books on historical figures. Flipping through them in the school library helped me kill time between classes. Den Fujita’s was the most fascinating, so I actually sat down and read it. Now that knowledge has been passed on to you.
One more thing. I came across an interesting quote I'd like to also share. It's from Den around the time he opened his first McDonald’s.
"The reason Japanese people are so short and have yellow skins is because they have eaten nothing but fish and rice for two thousand years…If we eat McDonald's hamburgers and potatoes for a thousand years we will become taller, our skin become white, and our hair blonde."
A pity I won’t live to see the day.
