--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But after World War II, the brothers…" description: "\"“But after World War II, the brothers realized they were running hard just to stay in one place. They weren’t building volume even though their parking..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/ray-kroc-3141_assembly-line_but-after-world-war-ii-the-brothers-real_920989.jpg" --- # But after World War II, the brothers realized they were… ![“But after World War II, the brothers realized they were running hard just to stay in one place. They weren’t building volume even though their parking lot was always full. So they did a courageous thing. They closed that successful restaurant in 1948 and reopened it a short time later with a…” quote by Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/ray-kroc-3141_assembly-line_but-after-world-war-ii-the-brothers-real_920989.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/ray-kroc-3141_assembly-line_but-after-world-war-ii-the-brothers-real_920989.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39b/ray-kroc-3141_assembly-line_but-after-world-war-ii-the-brothers-real_920989.jpg) > ““But after World War II, the brothers realized they were running hard just to stay in one place. They weren’t building volume even though their parking lot was always full. So they did a courageous thing. They closed that successful restaurant in 1948 and reopened it a short time later with a radically different kind of operation. It was a restaurant stripped down to the minimum in service and menu, the prototype for legions of fast-food units that later would spread across the land. Hamburgers, fries, and beverages were prepared on an assembly line basis, and, to the amazement of everyone, Mac and Dick included, the thing worked!”” [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A successful restaurant was deliberately shut down and rebuilt as a minimal‑service, assembly‑line model, creating the fast‑food prototype. **In simple terms:** They closed a thriving restaurant to create a new, efficient fast‑food concept. Key Takeaway Embrace radical redesign to unlock new markets. Themes innovation business strategy Mood inspirational pragmatic Type business historical When to use this quote - restaurant closures - startup pivots - franchise expansion - process redesign Key Concepts disruption efficiency standardization Questions to Reflect On - What core elements must be preserved during radical change? - How does minimalism affect customer experience? A Different Perspective Risk of alienating existing customers and staff. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Assembly line](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/assembly-line/) [Brothers Realized](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers-realized-1424768/) [Fast food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fast-food/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Operation Restaurant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/operation-restaurant-1424769/) [Restaurant 1948](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/restaurant-1948-1424767/) [Successful Restaurant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/successful-restaurant-1071251/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [World war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war/) [World war ii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-war-ii/) ## Related quotes > [The secret of a successful restaurant is sharp knives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-secret-of-a-successful-restaurant-is-sharp-knives/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“Sharp knives, of course, are the secret of a successful restaurant.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/sharp-knives-of-course-are-the-secret-of-a-successful-restaurant/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [A successful restaurant makes everything in it, including the patrons, seem a little better than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/a-successful-restaurant-makes-everything-in-it-including-the-patrons/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I think I have the secret of a successful L.A. restaurant, especially now that so many Europeans live there. You have to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-think-i-have-the-secret-of-a-successful-l-a-restaurant-especially/) [Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/) > [I put the hamburger on the assembly line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/i-put-the-hamburger-on-the-assembly-line/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [McDonald's is a people business, and that smile on that counter girl's face when she takes your order is a vital part of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/mcdonald-s-is-a-people-business-and-that-smile-on-that-counter-girl-s/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [This is rat eat rat, dog eat dog. I'll kill 'em, and I'm going to kill 'em before they kill me. Speaking of competition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/this-is-rat-eat-rat-dog-eat-dog-i-ll-kill-em-and-i-m-going-to-kill-em/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [Speaking of competition in the fast-food industry. This is rat eat rat, dog eat dog. I'll kill 'em, and I'm going to kill 'em…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/speaking-of-competition-in-the-fast-food-industry-this-is-rat-eat-rat/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [All the ideas in the universe can be described by words. Therefore, if you simply take all the words and rearrange them randomly enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-the-ideas-in-the-universe-can-be-described-by-words-therefore-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The bottom line is more tax money is going to be needed. 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That was the year Henry Ford put his cars on rollers and made his workers adopt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/historical-fact-people-stopped-being-people-in-1913-that-was-the-year/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“CRUNCH! Izzy jumped off the bench, which made Alex laugh all over again. “Chill out.” He pointed at a cloud of smoke. “Look, it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/crunch-izzy-jumped-off-the-bench-which-made-alex-laugh-all-over-again/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [Now, I love a good factory tour. Drop me into a bottling plant, an automotive assembly line, or a jellybean factory, and I'm happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-randolph/now-i-love-a-good-factory-tour-drop-me-into-a-bottling-plant-an/) [Marc Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-randolph/) ## More by Ray Kroc > [I believe in God, family, and McDonald's. And in the office, that order is reversed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/i-believe-in-god-family-and-mcdonald-s-and-in-the-office-that-order/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [“The best part of it for me personally was that every time I saw a new Walgreen’s store going up it meant new business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/the-best-part-of-it-for-me-personally-was-that-every-time-i-saw-a-new/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [Creativity is a highfalutin' word for the work I have to do between now and Tuesday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/creativity-is-a-highfalutin-word-for-the-work-i-have-to-do-between/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [“We started Franchise Realty Corporation with $1,000 paid-in capital, and Harry parlayed that cash investment into something like $170 million worth of real estate.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/we-started-franchise-realty-corporation-with-1-000-paid-in-capital/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [“One man's famine makes another man's feast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/one-man-s-famine-makes-another-man-s-feast/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [It requires a certain kind of mind to see beauty in a hamburger bun,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/it-requires-a-certain-kind-of-mind-to-see-beauty-in-a-hamburger-bun/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [“I was about to lose one of my biggest accounts, Walgreens, the people I had created a tremendous amount of business for and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/i-was-about-to-lose-one-of-my-biggest-accounts-walgreens-the-people-i/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [If any of my competitors were drowning, I'd stick a hose in their mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/if-any-of-my-competitors-were-drowning-i-d-stick-a-hose-in-their-mouth/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [“One time a McDonald’s operator came to me with the idea he’d dreamed up to cut costs by producing a doughnut-shaped patty. His notion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/one-time-a-mcdonald-s-operator-came-to-me-with-the-idea-he-d-dreamed/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [All money means to me is a pride in accomplishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/all-money-means-to-me-is-a-pride-in-accomplishment/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [I wasn't prepared for this big room with clattering typewriters and teletype printers. You could hardly hear yourself think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/i-wasn-t-prepared-for-this-big-room-with-clattering-typewriters-and/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [There’s almost nothing you can’t accomplish if you set your mind to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/there-s-almost-nothing-you-can-t-accomplish-if-you-set-your-mind-to-it/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [If any of my competitors were drowning, I'd stick a hose in their mouth and turn on the water. It is ridiculous to call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/if-any-of-my-competitors-were-drowning-i-d-stick-a-hose-in-their/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [“the basics have to be stressed over and over. If I had a brick for every time I’ve repeated the phrase QSC and V…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/the-basics-have-to-be-stressed-over-and-over-if-i-had-a-brick-for/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) > [No self-respecting pitcher throws the same way to every batter and no self-respecting salesman makes the same pitch to every client.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kroc/no-self-respecting-pitcher-throws-the-same-way-to-every-batter-and-no/) [Ray Kroc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) [Explore all 137 Ray Kroc quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kroc/) ## More Assembly line quotes > [Now, I love a good factory tour. Drop me into a bottling plant, an automotive assembly line, or a jellybean factory, and I'm happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-randolph/now-i-love-a-good-factory-tour-drop-me-into-a-bottling-plant-an/) [Marc Randolph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-randolph/) > [“CRUNCH! Izzy jumped off the bench, which made Alex laugh all over again. “Chill out.” He pointed at a cloud of smoke. “Look, it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/crunch-izzy-jumped-off-the-bench-which-made-alex-laugh-all-over-again/) [Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/) > [Historical fact: People stopped being people in 1913. That was the year Henry Ford put his cars on rollers and made his workers adopt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/historical-fact-people-stopped-being-people-in-1913-that-was-the-year/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [I thought it was a stroke of genius that Hans Selye used the word stress, because it's true that if you don't know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-kabat-zinn/i-thought-it-was-a-stroke-of-genius-that-hans-selye-used-the-word/) [Jon Kabat-Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-kabat-zinn/) > [“That done, I sank into an uneasy sleep wherein I dreamed of an assembly line of pale, bloodless girls walking down an endless dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-rice/that-done-i-sank-into-an-uneasy-sleep-wherein-i-dreamed-of-an/) [Jeff Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-rice/) > [The bottom line is more tax money is going to be needed. Just how much will be the primary issue on the agenda when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-gumbel/the-bottom-line-is-more-tax-money-is-going-to-be-needed-just-how-much/) [Bryant Gumbel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-gumbel/) > [All the ideas in the universe can be described by words. Therefore, if you simply take all the words and rearrange them randomly enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-the-ideas-in-the-universe-can-be-described-by-words-therefore-if/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mr Edison gave America just what was needed at that moment in history. They say that when people think of me, they think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/mr-edison-gave-america-just-what-was-needed-at-that-moment-in-history/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) > [There have been some medical schools in which somewhere along the assembly line, a faculty member has informed the students, not so much by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-montagu/there-have-been-some-medical-schools-in-which-somewhere-along-the/) [Ashley Montagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-montagu/) > [Most of today's film actresses are typical of a mass-production age: living dolls who look as if they came off an assembly line and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-lawrenson/most-of-today-s-film-actresses-are-typical-of-a-mass-production-age/) [Helen Lawrenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-lawrenson/) > [I feel like a defective model, like I came off the assembly line flat-out fucked and my parents should have taken me back for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-feel-like-a-defective-model-like-i-came-off-the-assembly-line-flat/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I had been at an assembly line for films, I don't know if I would be the best driver. 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