Photo: Coal Miki, flickr
Al Bernardin, former dean of McDonald's Hamburger University (the fast-food chain's training center) and inventor of the legendary Quarter Pounder, died of a stroke, the Chicago Tribune reported. He was 81 years old.
Bernardin began his career at McDonald's corporate headquarters in 1960, and later as vice president of development was instrumental in the birth of the company's Filet-o-Fish sandwich, french fries and hot apple and cherry pies, the paper reported.
But it was in 1971, as owner of a franchise in Fremont, Calif., that Bernardin sealed his legacy with the introduction of the Quarter Pounder with the slogan "Today Fremont, tomorrow the world."
"I felt there was a void in our menu vis-a-vis the adult who wanted a higher ratio of meat to bun," he said in 1991, the Tribune reported.
His son, Mark Bernardin, told the Tribune that the frozen french fry was his father's other contribution to the fast-food universe.
Bernardin at one time owned nine McDonald's franchises in the Fremont, Calif., area and became a philanthropist, the paper reported.
1-05-2010 @3:59PM judejaded said... THE DUDE MADE MILLIONS AND LIVED TO 81 SENDING UNTOLD NUMBERS TO THE HOSPITAL W/CORONARY DISEASE. ILL BET HE WAS A REPUBLICAN..
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1-06-2010 @7:11AM Anais said... Of couse the inventor was a Republican! Only someone with business savy could invent something that withstood the test of time! (And still stands popular today!) When was the last great invention a Dumb-a-crat came up with; a mercury filled light bulb?
1-05-2010 @5:27PM James Urhausen said... You're not jaded - just a jerk!!!!! Like he made thoses choices for people......
1-05-2010 @8:07PM Liz said... Judejaded you are a typical liberal idiot. Blame someone else because YOU chose to gorge yourself with unhealthy food. God forbid you accept any sense of responsiblity. The man didn't stuff it down your throat, YOU chose to take YOURSELF to McDonalds, put YOUR money down, order the sandwhich (and more then likely supersized fries to go with it) then YOU chose to sit down and scarf it down and low and behold this man is evil for making you do it. Grow up your a typical liberal idiot that wants the government to think for you.
1-06-2010 @1:38PM jammy said... he lived to 81 ... Obviously he never ate a quarter pounder. smart guy.
1-15-2010 @11:01PM yaker said... Democrats just can't take responsibility for themselves can they?
1-06-2010 @7:17PM village said... Wow.... I could really go for a Big Mac !
1-06-2010 @7:57PM Jim said... I'm really sick of everything being an excuse to knock Republicans...even a simple hamburger blog...Can't wait until election time
1-07-2010 @7:33PM Gennie said... No one force fed anyone. We chose what we put in our bodies. Are you one of those people that blames other people because you drink too?
1-07-2010 @10:46PM Debbie said... He made millions sending people to heart attacks and whatever health issue they may have come up with but if you will look and see most democrats are the fat cats. such as Harry Reid.Most republicans are thin. but there are exceptions to every rule both democrats and republicans.
1-07-2010 @11:49PM B.Marshall said... Pretty good Anais......and true. Your comment about Demo.'s and murcury filled light bulbs made me laugh.....Coronary artery disease is due to a combination of things like genetics and family history, life style, etc. not eating beef in balance with other healthy foods. As an older person (not as old as he), I myself suspect he invented the quarter pounder when beef was healthier meat and raised and slaughtered in a more humane way though, especially not using sick cattle to be eaten by humans. Having said that, I do miss eating more frequent cheeseburgers like the old days decades ago when our meat source was healthier. Was just discussing with a friend tonight (one of us non-party registered and one democrat ..:o) our search for organically and humanely raised and humanely killed meat out here in the more rural areas of Eastern PA.
I do get a kick out of most of the blogs I've discovered on the computer. You kids are funny......the posts seem to fall into mostly 2 catagories. Whitty/funny or very angry and volitale......
1-06-2010 @5:45PM Phobe said... so....coronary artery disease? that's ur own damn fault if u get it. Has NOTHING to do with Mcdonalds. Lets be realistic here! in order to get Coronary artery disease you have to exert absolutely no exercise what-so-ever. Basically a couch potato. Of course plaque will accumulate in your arteries because your body doesn't have any reason to send around HDL's which are good cholesterol that eat away bad plaque in your arteries and carry it back to your liver for further processing. If you are overweight and DO NOT exercise you not only are at risk of becoming obese as well as obtaining possible atherosclerosis, or coronary artery disease. A burger does not kill you.....we kill ourselves off.....think real hard how often American's actually get active or work there heart 20-30 min a day with exercise....no we exercise the drive thru and then blame that instead of our own lazy selves.
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1-05-2010 @4:19PM Phoebe said... by the way....I AM A REPUBLICAN AND PROUD OF IT! .......obama...change...yeah sure.......change what obama my underwear??? If anything mcdonalds should help pay for exercise ads and spend some money maybe showing a woman stop at mcdonalds but then stop at the gym so it shows a balance so people can realize that yes you can eat that burger but dance, walk, jog, bike, swim...etc...for at least 30 min to help maintain a healthy body. :)
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1-05-2010 @5:26PM Bob said... You are so right. I am so tired of nosey liberal democrats trying to run my and everyone else's life when they can't even run their own!
1-05-2010 @7:28PM phil said... You go girl! I couldn't agree with you more.
1-08-2010 @5:15AM Tim said... Are you kidding me? McDonalds ought to show you the balance of life? McDonalds ought to continue to sell it's burgers and spend its advertising dollars the way it deems fit. What is wrong with you? Why have Americans become such whinny little run-to-momma belly achers? We have more optoins than any generation ever on the planet and want someone to make our decisions for us. That is so weird to me. Grow up Americans and start taking care of and taking responsibility for yourselves.
1-08-2010 @2:27PM Jake said... Don't be shocked that Phoebe is a "proud republican" and wants the government to tell McDonalds how to spend their advertising money. I am so glad to see that somebody finally hit the nail on the head with the Republican v. Democrat vein of this message board... they are exactly the same. They both just want to take money from people who earn it and then tell them what to do with what little they don't take. Why does nobody seem to notice that "bi-partisan" does NOT mean "non-partisan." Wouldn't that make more sense?
1-05-2010 @4:34PM cjb said... i love the quarter pounder
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1-05-2010 @8:21PM Tom said... I bet he ate the food. I loved McDonalds in the 60's when they used fresh meat and they only cost 15 cents. They actually made the shakes on a machine, not that pre-made shake mix they use now. And the fries were heavenly, a taste of malt in them too. They could do the same thing but then they would have to price like In and Out Burger and maybe take an extra 2 minutes. Its amazing how much quality we are willing to give up for a little time or money.
1-05-2010 @4:44PM Bob said... Life is to be enjoyed not endured.
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