21. Ray Kroc, born October 5, 1902, under the sign of Libra
Some of the traits attributed to those born on October 5 are optimism, enthusiasm, and above all charm. A way with words is part of their personality. They can also be easily annoyed by error, and have a tendency to be controlling, indifferent to alternative points of view. Ray Kroc was a salesman with considerable charm and enthusiasm when he encountered the McDonald brothers and their restaurant in 1954. As an experienced seller of restaurant equipment, Kroc knew a well-organized kitchen when he saw one, and the McDonald’s setup impressed him. He convinced the brothers to franchise their system, and went about promoting the system and the restaurants.
As part of building the chain, Kroc also built his own legend, much of it based on his imagination rather than fact. Kroc bought out the McDonald brothers in 1961, under circumstances which remain disputed by descendants of the parties, historians, and McDonald’s corporate executives. Kroc worked to ensure that the food served and its taste were the same at every McDonald’s in the country, and his advertising (and restaurants) were aimed directly at families with young children in the 1970s. By the time of his death in 1984, he had accumulated a fortune which exceeded $600 million, 30 years after entering the first McDonald’s restaurant.