According to John and Evelyn Petersen’s son, they were approached by a salesman at their drive-in, at State Street’s curve uptown, who wanted to be partners in a new ambition of making and serving hamburgers, fries, and shakes. The guy's name was Ray Kroc. He was peddling shake machines and wanted to get a franchise going across the country.
John did not want a partner. He told Ray to get out and not come back. Their son was not happy!
After World War II, Kroc found employment as a milk-shake mixer salesman for the food-service equipment manufacturer Prince Castle. When Prince Castle Multi-Mixer sales plummeted because of competition from lower-priced Hamilton Beach products, Kroc — impressed by Richard and Maurice McDonald, who had purchased eight of his Multi-Mixers for their San Bernardino, California, store — visited them in 1955. Kroc became convinced that the concept and design of this small chain had the potential to expand across the nation.