[Jim from C-Town]

McDonald's also does the best job of marketing to the kids. The hook ‘em early.

[Richard Kimball]

Most of the McDonald's food is also aimed at kids. Kids like stuff that is easy to chew (many are losing or growing in new teeth.) They don't like bones or mixed textures in their food. Nothing is too spicy. That's why the McNuggets took off.

Although they haven't done much in terms of innovation lately, McD's pioneered the basic layout of the fast food restaurant, the breakfast menu, the style of the fry holder, self-serve drinks, the dollar menu, and of course, the whole chicken strip-McNugget thing.

Almost all of the national chains are based on the McDonald's model.