McDonald's vs Xiaomi: Founders, CEOs and History
McDonald's was founded in 1940 by Maurice James McDonald, Richard James McDonald, Ray Kroc and is led by Chris Kempczinski. Xiaomi was founded in 2010 by Lei Jun, Lin Bin and is led by Lei Jun.
Company facts
McDonald's
- Founded
- 1940
- Headquarters
- Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Current CEO
- Chris Kempczinski
- Employees
- 150,000
Xiaomi
- Founded
- 2010
- Headquarters
- Beijing, China
- Current CEO
- Lei Jun
- Employees
- 56,531
Founders
McDonald's
Maurice James McDonald
Maurice "Mac" McDonald co-founded McDonald's with his brother Richard in 1940, opening a barbecue drive-in in San Bernardino, California.
Richard James McDonald
Richard McDonald co-founded McDonald's and played a leading role in the 1948 redesign that turned a local drive-in into the template for modern fast food.
Ray Kroc
Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955 and built the franchising organization that made the brand famous far beyond California.
Xiaomi
Lei Jun
Lei Jun founded Xiaomi in 2010 and is its chairman and CEO. He set the company's early strategy of selling well-specified phones online at low prices, built the MIUI user community, and later led Xiaomi's 2018 Hong Kong listing.
Lin Bin
Lin Bin co-founded Xiaomi in 2010 and served as its president, overseeing early phone development and supply-chain relationships. He handed the president role to others in 2019 and continued as vice chairman of the board.
CEOs and their tenures
McDonald's
- Ray Kroc1967–1973
CEO
Under Kroc's executive leadership, McDonald's scaled from a regional drive-in licensing experiment into an international enterprise with over 2,500 locations and $1 billion in annual systemwide sales by the end of his CEO tenure in 1973.
Source - Fred Turner1974–1987
CEO
Turner expanded McDonald's from roughly 2,500 restaurants in 1974 to over 10,000 across 45 countries by 1987, multiplying systemwide sales from $1.9 billion to over $14 billion.
Source - Michael R. Quinlan1987–1998
CEO
During Quinlan's 11-year CEO tenure, McDonald's expanded from approximately 10,000 to over 24,000 restaurants globally, and annual systemwide sales rose from $14.3 billion in 1987 to $36 billion in 1998.
Source - Jack M. Greenberg1998–2002
CEO
Greenberg pushed global restaurant count past 30,000, but rapid store expansion cannibalized existing franchisees and kitchen complexity slowed drive-thru service.
Source - James R. Cantalupo2003–2004
CEO
Under Cantalupo's leadership, McDonald's launched the global 'I'm Lovin' It' campaign and introduced premium salads, driving 11 consecutive months of positive same-store sales growth.
Source - Charlie Bell2004–2004
CEO
During Bell's seven-month tenure, McDonald's generated 7.5% global comparable sales growth in 2004, its strongest operational performance in over a decade.
Source - Jim Skinner2004–2012
CEO
Skinner generated roughly 250% total shareholder returns between 2004 and 2012. Annual systemwide sales expanded from $46 billion to $86 billion, McCafé was rolled out internationally, and the company completed the complete divestiture of Chipotle, Boston Mark…
Source - Don Thompson2012–2015
CEO
Rapid menu proliferation complicated kitchen operations and pushed drive-thru wait times to historical highs.
Source - Steve Easterbrook2015–2019
CEO
Easterbrook refranchised over 4,000 company-owned locations to lift franchised ownership from 81% to approximately 93%, expanding operating margin from 29% to 43%.
Source - Chris Kempczinski2019–present
CEO
Since becoming CEO in November 2019, Kempczinski executed the 'Accelerating the Arches' framework, growing FY2025 consolidated revenue to $26.885 billion and net income to $8.563 billion.
Source
Xiaomi
- Lei Jun2010–present
Founder, Chairman and CEO
Sets Xiaomi's product and ecosystem strategy and leads the EV business.
Source - Lin Bin2010–present
Co-founder and Vice Chairman
Co-founded Xiaomi with Lei Jun and served as president during its early growth before moving to the vice chairman role.
Source - Lu Weibing2022–present
President
Runs day-to-day operations of the group, having earlier led the Redmi brand and international business.
Source
Timeline: McDonald's and Xiaomi side by side
1940McDonald's
First McDonald's Opens in San Bernardino
Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald's restaurant on May 15, 1940 in San Bernardino, California. The original drive-in gave the brothers a live operating laboratory before they stripped the model down to a faster, lower-cost menu.
1948McDonald's
Speedee Service System Introduced
The brothers simplified operations in 1948 around 15-cent hamburgers, shakes, and fries.
1955McDonald's
Ray Kroc Opens Des Plaines Restaurant
Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald's in Des Plaines, Illinois on April 15, 1955 after becoming the brothers' franchise agent. That restaurant became the base for converting a California operating idea into a national franchise system.
1961McDonald's
Hamburger University Opens
Hamburger University opened in the basement of an Elk Grove Village, Illinois restaurant in 1961. The training program mattered because it formalized the standards and operating routines that franchisees needed to deliver a consistent experience.
1961McDonald's
Kroc Buys the Brothers' Company
McDonald's says it acquired the rights to the brothers' company in 1961 for $2.7 million. The deal gave Kroc control of the name and system, setting up the real estate-backed franchise model that later defined parent-company economics.
1968McDonald's
Big Mac Added to National Menu
The Big Mac, developed by owner-operator Jim Delligatti of Pittsburgh, was added to the national menu in 1968. It became a durable core product and a recognizable signal of the company's ability to turn franchisee ideas into systemwide menu platforms.
1975McDonald's
Egg McMuffin Builds Breakfast
The Egg McMuffin, created by owner-operator Herb Peterson of Santa Barbara, California, was added to the national menu in 1975. It helped turn breakfast into a major daypart rather than leaving the restaurants dependent on lunch and dinner traffic.
2003McDonald's
I'm Lovin' It Campaign Launches
McDonald's launched its global "I'm lovin' it" marketing campaign in 2003, its first worldwide brand campaign.
2010Xiaomi
Xiaomi Founded
Lei Jun and seven co-founders establish Xiaomi in Beijing and release the MIUI Android software.
2011Xiaomi
Mi 1 Launches
Xiaomi launches its first smartphone, sold online.
2014Xiaomi
India Entry and $45B Valuation
Xiaomi enters India and raises funding at a reported $45B valuation.
2017McDonald's
Global McDelivery Day with UberEATS
McDonald's marked Global McDelivery Day in 2017 to support the broader launch of McDelivery with UberEATS. Delivery expanded restaurant reach beyond the counter and drive-thru, while also adding packaging, marketplace-fee, and kitchen-throughput challenges.
2018Xiaomi
Hong Kong IPO
Xiaomi lists on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under stock code 1810 with a weighted voting rights structure.
2019McDonald's
Dynamic Yield Acquisition
McDonald's agreed to acquire Dynamic Yield in 2019 to personalize drive-thru menu boards, kiosks, and app experiences using signals such as time of day, weather, restaurant traffic, and trending items.
2021Xiaomi
EV Entry Announced
Xiaomi announces it will build electric vehicles and sets up a dedicated EV subsidiary.
2021Xiaomi
Acquired DeepMotion
Xiaomi acquired DeepMotion for $77 million. Autonomous-driving technology company acquired to support Xiaomi's EV program.
2024McDonald's
Quarter Pounder E. Coli Outbreak
U.S. Public health agencies linked a 2024 E. Coli outbreak to slivered onions served on McDonald's Quarter Pounders in affected states.
2024Xiaomi
SU7 Launch
Xiaomi launches the SU7 electric sedan in March 2024 and begins deliveries.
2025McDonald's
$26.9B FY2025 Revenue
McDonald's reported $26.885 billion in FY2025 revenue and $8.563 billion in net income.
2025Xiaomi
Record Year and YU7 Launch
Xiaomi launches the YU7 SUV, delivers 411,082 vehicles, and reports FY2025 revenue of ~$63.6B (RMB457.3B).
2026Xiaomi
Memory Costs Hit Profit
Q1 revenue falls 10.9% to ~$13.8B (RMB99.1B) and Q2 revenue falls 6.1% to ~$15.1B (RMB108.9B) as memory-chip costs squeeze margins.
Acquisitions
McDonald's
- Dynamic Yield2019$300M
- Apprente2019Undisclosed
- Boston Market2000$173.5M
- Donatos Pizza1999Undisclosed
- Chipotle Mexican Grill stake1998Undisclosed
Questions about McDonald's vs Xiaomi
Who is the CEO of McDonald's Corporation and Xiaomi Corp.?
McDonald's Corporation is led by Chris Kempczinski and Xiaomi Corp. is led by Lei Jun. Both serve as the top executive responsible for the company's strategy, operations, and financial performance.
When was McDonald's Corporation founded vs Xiaomi Corp.?
McDonald's Corporation was founded in 1940 — 70 years before Xiaomi Corp., which was founded in 2010. McDonald's Corporation's longer operating history gives it a deeper track record but also potentially more institutional inertia compared to the younger Xiaomi Corp..
How many employees does McDonald's Corporation have compared to Xiaomi Corp.?
McDonald's Corporation employs approximately 150,000 people, while Xiaomi Corp. employs approximately 56,531. McDonald's Corporation has the larger workforce at 150,000 employees, compared to Xiaomi Corp.'s 56,531. A higher headcount does not necessarily imply greater efficiency — it often reflects differences in business model (e.g., manufacturing vs. software).
Where are McDonald's Corporation and Xiaomi Corp. headquartered?
McDonald's Corporation is headquartered in United States and Xiaomi Corp. is headquartered in China. Their different home markets mean they may face different regulatory frameworks, tax regimes, and currency exposure.
Who founded McDonald's Corporation and Xiaomi Corp.?
McDonald's Corporation was founded by Maurice James McDonald, Richard James McDonald, Ray Kroc. Xiaomi Corp. was founded by Lei Jun, Lin Bin.
Which company has a longer operating history — McDonald's Corporation or Xiaomi Corp.?
McDonald's Corporation has been operating for approximately 86 years, making it the more established of the two companies. Xiaomi Corp. has been in operation for around 16 years. A longer operating history often signals greater institutional resilience and brand recognition, though it can also mean slower adaptation to new market conditions.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the McDonald's vs Xiaomi overview