First McDonald’s Restaurant Opens (April 15, 1955)

It’s hard to believe that McDonald’s has been around almost as long as I have. It is 70 years old today.

New Hampshire brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the very first McDonald’s on April 15, 1955, in San Bernardino, California. Their tiny drive-in bore little resemblance to today’s ubiquitous “golden arches,” but it would eventually come to epitomize the fast-food industry, thanks to a pioneering system for food prep.

History.com

This detail is at odds with my desk calendar which states:

On this day in 1955 Ray Kroc opens the first McDonald’s restaurant under McDonald’s Corporation in Des Plaines, Illinois.

It makes me wonder which one is correct.

That Cosmic Cross configuration is interesting, isn’t it? And there are two inconjuncts, one of which would disappear by noon, while the other would remain for the day.

Moon Inconjunct Pluto (perhaps)

This aspect means that your emotions are very intense and not always easy to deal with. Often your feelings make you want to do or say something without knowing why. Also you may have very intense moods in which you withdraw from those around you into a world of your own. If you do not feel accepted and emotionally supported at home, you may constantly feel guilty for what you think you have done to others, or jealous that people aren’t paying enough attention to you, or generally possessive of those around you.

Planets in Youth (page 136) by Robert Hand (1977)

Mercury Inconjunct Saturn (for sure)

This aspect can have several different meanings. First of all, you may have hidden fears that are difficult to express, but they cause you to do things that others can’t understand. These may include fear of the dark or of certain places or people. Or this aspect can mean that you often feel depressed and sad for no apparent reason. You tend to see the serious side of life, and it weighs on you more than on most people.

Ibid (page 164)

The Alternate Origin Story

The only real difference? The Moon is inconjunct to the Ascendant this time.

Moon Inconjunct Ascendant (maybe)

This aspect ties together a Moon sign and a rising sign that are very different. This indicates that the image you project to other people does not reveal very much about your real feelings. When you are upset, you surprise people by showing a totally different side of your personality.

Ibid (page 139)

And thereby hangs the tale. Reading between the lines, I would say that Ray Kroc’s vision for McDonald’s eventually outstripped the McDonald Brothers version, taking the franchise business to global markets and dominating the world’s fast food industry. It would also suggest that McDonald’s, as originally intended happened way before 1955, back in 1948. Kroc took over in 1961.

Now I see where the golden arches come from.