The Founder (2016) Movie Script
I know what you're thinkin'...
What the heck do I need a 5-spindle for...
when I barely sell enough milkshakes to
justify my single-spindle. Right?
Wrong.
Are you familiar with the notion of the
chicken or the egg Mr. Griffith, I mentioned...
that there'd be costs.
Well, I think it applies here.
Do you not need the multimixer because, well heck,
you're not selling enough milkshakes.
Or are you not selling enough milkshakes
because you don't have a multimixer?
I firmly believe it's the latter.
Because your customer comes in here and he
knows if he orders a shake from your establishment...
that well, he's in for a terrific wait.
He's done it before and he thinks to himself, well
by golly, I'm not gonna make that mistake again.
But if ya had the Prince Castle,
5-spindle, multimixer...
with patented direct-drive electric motor
we'd greatly increase your ability to produce...
delicious, frosty milkshakes, FAST.
Mark my words.
Dollars to donuts, you'll be sellin' more
of those sons of bitches...
then you can shake a stick at.
You increase the supply,
and the demand will follow...
Increase supply, demand follows.
Chicken, egg. Do you follow my logic?
I know you do because you're a
bright, forward thinking guy who...
knows a good idea when he hears one.
So...
What do you say?
Nah.
But thanks anyways.
Order's up.
Hey, Miss?
How much longer?
- It shouldn't be a few more minutes.
- You said that 20 minutes ago.
I'm so sorry.
We're really busy today.
Ya see it's only sense.
The reason your budget will decrease...
supply, demand will follow.
Chicken and the egg...
Ya follow my logic?
Of course you do. You're a
bright, foward-thinking guy...
who knows a good idea when he hears one.
So...
What do you say?
There ya go.
- What is...
- Enjoy.
I ordered the barbecue beef.
I got a lot of good leads.
Real, real strong leads.
Yup.
What?
Nothing.
- That's wonderful.
- Wow.
I mean it's just tremendous interest.
Well I'm sure there is.
You sound like you don't believe me.
- Of course I do. Why wouldn't...
- Alright...
Well I got a lot of paperwork
to do here so, uh...
I'll, I'll call you from the road tomorrow.
- Okay.
- Alright. Alright.
Persistence. Nothing in the world
can take the place of persistence.
Talent won't.
Nothing is more common than
unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius won't.
Unrewarded genius is
practically a clich.
Education won't.
The world is full of educated fools.
Persistence and determination
alone are all powerful.
Show that you don't have to
be defeated by anything.
That you can have peace of mind,
improved health...
and a never-ceasing flow of energy.
If you attempt each and every
day to achieve these things...
the results will make themselves
obvious to you.
While it may sound like a magical notion...
it is in you to create
your own future.
The greatest discovery
of my generation is...
that human beings can alter their
lives by altering their attitude of mind.
War (?) and Ralph Waldo Emerson
declared...
"A man is what he thinks
about all day long."
Prince Castle sales,
how can I help you?
- Hi June.
- Ray, how's it goin' down there?
Good. Swell.
A lot of interest.
Hold on, let me
fetch your messages.
Let's see...
Jean (?) Rafferty from United Aluminum
needs to reschedule Friday.
Ed Nance calling about the refund.
Sloan and Sons called again.
We're 60 days past due.
A lady from the March of Dimes.
Oh!...
We got an order...
6 mixers.
- 6?
- Mmm hmm.
Some drive-in out in California.
Same place, one place?
No that's impossible.
I got the slip right here.
No, you I'm sure misunderstood.
You know what, gimme the number.
- You got a pen?
- Okay.
Alright.
Hello, McDonald's.
Hello, good afternoon.
May I please speak with your owner.
Which one?
I'm sorry?
Dick or Mac?
Uh... whichever one
is available I guess.
Hold on!
- This is Dick.
- Hello Dick, this is Ray Krok...
from Prince Castle sales.
The reason I'm calling is...
- someone placed an order...
- Yes, yes. That was me.
How soon can you get 'em out here?
Well that's actually why I'm
phoning now Dick actually...
I think there might have been some
kind of miscommunication...
Freezer!
Top shelf, left side.
Sorry.
No problem!
Uh... my secretary's under the
impression that you wanted 6.
Yah, uh... you know what?
I think that was a mistake.
Well that's what I figured.
I mean what kind of drive-in could
make 30 milkshakes at a time.
Better make it 8.
What's that Al?
There's a brand new box in the...
Now isn't the best time.
Yeah, I'm sorry.
I understand.
Ah, I'm still a little bit...
You know where to send 'em, right?
San Bernardino, California...
- corner of 14th and 8th.
- Hold on a minute. Alright.
To anyone in particular?
Just the store is fine.
McDonalds.
- Okay? Thanks so much.
- Yeah, uh...
- Don't worry, it moves fast.
- Really?
You guys have a great day.
Hi, welcome to McDonald's,
may I take your order?
Yeah, gimme a hamburger and
french fries and a Coca-Cola.
That'd be $0.35 cents please.
Alright.
$0.15 cents is your change.
Here you are.
What is this?
Your food.
No, no, no...
I just ordered.
And now it's here.
Are ya sure?
Great.
Where are the uh... ya know,
silverware and plates and everything.
You just eat it straight outta the wrapper,
and then you throw it all out.
Alright.
Really?
Okay.
Where do I eat it?
In your car... ?
At the park?
- Yeah.
- Home...
- Wherever you'd like!
- Okay, okay... thanks.
May we join you?
Huh? Yeah.
Sure.
Thank you!
Ah, just throw it right there,
I'll take care of it.
How is everything?
This might be the best
hamburger I've ever had in my life.
Well, we aim to please.
Uh... Mac McDonald.
Oh!
Well, look at this.
Ray Kroc.
The multimixer fella.
- You spoke with my brother Dick.
- I did, yeah.
What are you doin' way out here?
I'm in Los Angeles,
business meeting...
I thought, I'm in the neighborhood,
I should just swing by and say hello.
Well, I'm sure glad you did.
This whole thing?
This is some operation.
Care for a little tour?
- Of the... ?
- Yeah.
Yeah, I would.
Well, finish up, I'll
come back for ya.
Alrighty! Thanks.
Speed. That's the
name of the game.
The first stop for every
McDonald's hamburger is the grill...
manned by 2 cooks whose soul job it is
to grill those all beef beauties to perfection.
Meanwhile, as the patty cooks...
our dressers get the buns ready.
Watch out!
- Burger crossing!
- Burgers crossing. Burgers crossing.
Every McDonald's burger...
has 2 pickles...
a pinch of onions and a precise
shot of ketchup and mustard.
- Now where'd ya get those?
- We made 'em.
- Made them?!
- Yeah, custom built. Whole kitchen is.
- Next!
- That is...
The finishing station where
we put the whole thing together.
And...
Viol!
A fresh delicious burger from
grill to counter in 30 seconds.
How the heck did you come up with this?
Oh I didn't. We did.
Dick McDonald, my brother.
Hi, boy I gotta tell ya...
This is the most...
well it's nice to meet you.
The fries...
What about 'em?
They're 5% too crisp.
No, they're perfect.
I think we should drop to
2 minutes, 50 seconds.
Wasn't that what we were at before?
400, not 375
Higher temp, shorter cook.
I think they're spot on.
Fellas excuse me, may I?
None of my beeswax, but
I'm with the big fella here...
I love 'em. Golden brown on the
outside, fluffy white inside...
- and they're not too oily, salty, crunchy, whatever...
- Who are you?
Oh this is Ray Kroc,
the multi-mixer fella you spoke to.
So when do you figure
we can expect 'em?
- Eh... sent them blue label air so...
- Good, good...
- Need 'em for backup.
- Hey, wait, wait...
Wait, wait... wait a minute.
I'm gonna take you out to dinner.
You're really not my type.
- You and your brother.
- What for?
This is the most remarkable food restaurant I've
ever seen in all my years in this industry...
and I've seen it all.
I wanna hear your story.
Well... we were young and hungry...
and there wasn't a job to be
had in all of New Hampshire so...
we decided to pack our bags and head West.
To Hollywood.
I wanted to be in the movie business and
well... Dick? He wanted to be employed.
So we landed a job at Columbia
Pictures driving trucks.
Then after a few years we had enough saved to buy
our own little piece of show business...
a beautiful little movie theater in
Glendora, which would have been swell...
except for the timing.
- It was September of '29.
- Oh...
One minute we're screening the Gold Diggers of Broadway,
the next it's brother can you spare a dime.
- I couldn't.
- Nobody in town was making any money...
except for one fella, Wiley Reed,
had a hotdog and rootbeer stand.
Hey, people still gotta eat, right?
So we decided to open up our own
little stand, Hotdogs and Orange Juice...
in Arcadia, and it went okay.
I mean, we weren't
going gang-busters.
There just weren't enough
people in Arcadia.
Meanwhile, one town over is
San Bernardino...
and we wanna relocate but we've
got no money for a new stand...
and that's when my brother here,
comes up with one of his brilliant ideas...
- Tell him Dick.
- Well...
He says,
"Why don't we move the stand we've got."
- Put it on a truck.
- Genius, right?
Only there's one little problem.
On the road between the
two towns, there's an overpass...
and the building won't clear it.
Now I figure, that's it,
we're done for...
but then Dick says,
"Why don't we saw the building in half?"
Saw it in half.
Come on.
So we've moved the restaurant,
we're setting up shop...
but now we wanna do a few
a few tweaks because now it's 1940...
and drive-in's are all the rage, I mean
they are the hottest thing going...
and I say,
"Dick, we gotta get in on this"...
- and Dick says,
- "Okay"...
and 2 months later we open for business,
McDonald's Famous Barbecue.
24 item menu, uniformed waitresses
bring your food right to the car...
and it goes gang-busters.
We're going great guns!
But then... sales start to level off.
- The drive-in model as we've learned has
a few built in problems.
Tell me about it.
For starters, there's the customer issue.
Drive-in's tend to attract, shall we say,
a less than desirable clientele.
- Teenagers.
- Hot-rodders and hooligans and...
juvenile deliquents in blue jeans.
And then there's the service.
It takes forever and a day for your food to arrive,
and when it finally does...
- It's usually wrong.
- Yeah.
The car hops are too busy dodging gropes to remember
that you wanted strawberry phospate, not cherry.
- Well that's if they remember it at all.
- And then...
there's the expenses. The huge payroll
due to the large staff required...
- dishes constantly getting broken or stolen.
- Tremendous overhead.
So one day Dick has a realization. He sees
that the bulk of our sales are in only 3 items.
- Hamburgers, french fries, soft-drinks.
- 87%.
So we say to ourselves let's focus on what
sells and that's exactly what we do...
Brisket gone, tamales gone,
but we don't stop there.
We look at everything.
- What else don't we need?
- Turns out quite a lot.
- Car hops.
- Walk up to a window, get your food yourself.
- Dishes.
- All paper packaging, disposable.
Cigarette machines, jukeboxes,
drive out the riff raff.
- Creating a family friendly environment here.
- But that's not enough.
Alright.
See, our whole lives we've piggy-backed
off of other people's ideas...
We wanted something that wasn't
just different. It had to be better.
It needed to be ours.
And that's what brings us
to the biggest cut of all.
Which was?
- The wait.
- Orders ready in 30 seconds, not 30 minutes.
Mecca.
- We look at each other one night...
- You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?
We're gonna have to tear down,
rebuild, reconfi... rethink the whole dang thing.
We're talking about shutting
down a thriving business for months.
People are gonna think we're crazy.
We were, crazy.
And you are gonna love how we did it.
Dick, you gotta tell him.
- Tennis court.
- Okay, he brings me out to this tennis court...
and he's drawn this line the
exact dimenions of our kitchen...
Sink on the right, extruder on the left.
Bagging and hood.
Okay. Garnish... this is uh...
- burger finish.
- Got it.
and then this is burger slide.
We could just move those.
- Okay.
- Multimixer, soft drinks...
We bring out our whole staff and
we have 'em go through the motions...
making pretend burgers and fries.
Alright, Steve, ya gotta
anticipate that...
Ya gotta keep the tray level!
Dick is running around with a stick
marking where all the equipment should be.
Tuck in. Tony are you going to skip the
pickles when we're really doing it?
They do it over and over, hashing it out,
choreographing it like some crazy burger ballet.
What's going on over there?
Yes.
No!
NO!
Everybody stop!
Garnish #1.
Garnish #2.
You've got pickles, you've got onions.
It's a goddamn hamburger.
- Come on, clear out.
- Let's clear off.
It's time for the pink chalk.
and then rootbeer, orange.
See all this open space here now?
We've rearrange the fry situation so now...
it's stage left, the fryer is stage right.
Again...
That's great.
Come on guys.
- We're pretty tied up here with the Lazy Susan.
- Yeah, watch it. This is the timing if the Lazy Susan...
Those are finished burgers!
You can't... hold it!
I still think there's a 3rd version.
- Well, what do you want to move?
- I want to move everything.
To stage left please.
Got it all drawn?
This is better.
Is that alright?
This so.
- I guess... let's assume our battle stations.
- Okay, okay.
Finally...
after about 6 hours of this...
we get it just right. It's a symphony
of efficiency, not a wasted motion.
Good form Jasper!
Feel good about those pickles.
Ketchup!
Use your Lazy Susan.
Put your back into it Seth!
And pickles and pickle and...
mustard!
We take the layout to a builder,
custom build the kitchen to our exact specs.
Ta dah! The speedy system is born.
The world's first ever system to deliver
food fast. It is totally revolutionary...
- and a complete disaster.
- Why?
Opening day, cars pull up onto the lot and they start
honking immediately because no car-hop comes up.
You place your order.
We try to explain to them the walk
up window and they are uh...
bewildered? No, furious.
"What do you mean I gotta get out of my car?"
Most of 'em just cuss us
out and drive off...
and the few that stay are mad as heck because they are
eating off paper and they've gotta discard their own trash.
Why?
You're doing great, you're doing great.
Yeah, we won't be coming out to
the car but you can just come on up.
Welcome to McDonald's.
We may have underestimated the learning curve.
So by 5 o'clock, Dick is calculating how
much it's gonna cost to go back to drive-in...
but I am not ready to throw in the towel.
So I go back to our old Hollywood days, I
think to myself, we gotta go big with this.
We gotta put on a show.
So I say, "Dick, I wanna throw
a grand re-opening...
a gala premeire that would put
Louis B. Mayer to shame.
So we rent a bunch of spotlights...
the ones we used to haul
around in the Columbia days...
we get sparklers, a juggler for the kiddies,
it is an event...
people show up in droves,
and then...
The flies.
They must have been
drawn by all the lights.
Millions of 'em.
It was like a scene out of Exodus.
The pharaoh would have
released the Israelites...
Total disaster.
Now it is 'towel' time.
The next day Dick and I meet up to
discuss going back to the old format.
And as we're talking there's
a knock at the service window...
I tell him we're closed.
- We're closed.
- but he's looked so cute.
Hang on, hang on...
- What would you like son?
- Can I buy a bag of burgers from you?
And I feel bad so I fire up the
grill and I make him a batch...
There you are.
And as he's walking away from the
service window, a car pulls up.
And then another.
Dick...
And then another.
Hello, welcome to McDonald's.
Hello there.
Pretty soon there's a line around the block.
- The word has spread.
- And it's off to the races.
And we are an overnight sensation,
30 years in the making.
So that's our story.
Franchise.
- Beg pardon?
- Franchise.
Franchise the damn thing.
It's too damn good for just one location.
There should be McDonald's everywhere.
Coast to coast, sea to shining sea.
- Mr. Kroc...
- Hey, I got a confession I wanna make to you boys...
I'm not out here in California for any kind
of business meetings. I came out here for you.
A few days ago I got into St. Louis, Missouri and I
was doing some business and I broke out my map.
And I followed my finger on
one single highway, West.
- Route 66. And somethin' told me...
- Mr. Kroc...
Somethin' told me to get into my car and drive
that highway and you know where it led me?
Right here.
Right smack dab here.
Right to this unbelievable establishment...
and when I saw these lines to your home
operation and I tasted your product...
I knew what needed to happen.
Franchising. Franchise, franchise, franchise.
Franchise.
We already tried.
5. Three in Southern California,
one in Sacramento and one in Phoenix...
And that's all there will ever be.
Why?
Two words:
Quality Control.
It's almost impossible to enforce standards from afar.
Places were a mess. Filthy
kitchens, inconsistent menus...
Sacramento was selling burritos.
To watch your precious creation
be mismanaged like that...
- Your name.
- Put Mac in the hospital.
- Well, you put somebody in charge of supervising.
- We did.
So then, what happened?
He obviously didn't do a great job.
So you hire somebody else, get somebody better.
Our energies are better spent making
this place the best it can possibly be.
It's better to have one great restaurant
than 50 mediocre ones.
- Yeah, yeah. I still think you hire the right guy...
- Ray, we're not interested.
Look, I think you boys are missing
something here that is...
I tell ya, ya gotta...
somethin' here...
Wuh... what is that?
- A concept.
- Huh.
What are those?
Oh, it's a way to make the place
stand out when you're driving by.
The golden arches, I call 'em.
The golden arches...
- Who thought of that?
- Oh that's some pure Dick magic right there.
Did ya ever build one like that?
Just one...
Phoenix.
Ethel?
In here.
Oh boy. I saw a restaurant.
I've never seen a restaurant like this in my life.
They got this fully automated... system.
- It's called the speedy system.
- Mmm hmm.
Which is a good name for
it because man it is speedy.
I tell ya, it's like something sprung
from the mind of Henry Ford or something.
- It's revolutionary?
- It's revolutionary.
That's exactly what it is,
it's revolutionary.
- And you wanna invest in it?
- I don't know.
I don't know. I'm not sure yet.
I just know I want to be a part of it.
- Boy.
- So here we go.
What do you mean by that?
Wax cups, folding nooks, multimixers.
A new idea to chase.
Those things put a roof over our heads.
At least over mine.
What do you mean over yours?
Over our heads...
It's a good roof Ray.
It's a good house.
It's a good life if you
weren't too busy to live it.
We could go to the club more than twice a year.
Christ, just take a walk around the block together.
Isn't time to enjoy a little
and stop chasing your tail?
When's enough gonna be enough for you?
Honestly?
Probably never.
Why should I settle
when other men won't?
I don't know Ray.
Maybe if I had a wife that had an
ounce a vision.
Showed me an ounce of support.
Sorry, wrong word.
I've done nothing but support you.
Oh look, I'm sorry...
- Ups, downs, dwindling savings, your schemes...
- You're right.
Are ya familiar with the concept
of the chicken and the egg Mr. Johnson...
because I think that's applicable here.
Hey Dick...
What is it with this guy?
- Do it for your country.
- What?
If you boys don't want to
franchise for yourselves, that's fine...
Do it for your country.
Do it for America.
Ya know what, I drove through a lot of towns.
A lot of small towns.
And they all had two things in common...
They had a courthouse and they had a church.
On top of the church, got a cross...
and on top of the courthouse they have a flag.
Flags, crosses, crosses flags.
Driving around I just cannot stop thinking
about this tremendous restaurant.
Now at the risk of sounding blasphemous...
forgive me.
Those arches have a lot in common
with those buildings.
A building with a cross on top, what is that?
It's a gathering place...
where decent wholesome people come together
and they share values protected by that American flag.
It could be said that that beautiful
building flanked by those arches...
signifies more or less the same thing.
It doesn't just say,
"Delicious hamburgers inside"...
They signify family. It signifies community.
It's a place where Americans come together to break bread.
I am telling you...
McDonald's can be...
the new American church.
Feeding bodies and feeding souls
and it ain't just open on Sundays, boys.
It's open 7 days a week.
Crosses...
Flags...
Arches.
Give us a minute Ray.
Sure.
I don't know.
This is your dream.
It's bigger than your dream.
Arches. Your arches...
coast to coast.
I can't put you through that again.
I know how bad you want this...
- and you should have it.
- Your diabetes...
- Last time...
- We'll do things differently.
We'll learn from our mistakes.
- How so?
- Keep a tighter leash on everything.
Complete oversight.
Every change goes through us.
Who says he's gonna listen?
We'll make him listen.
Draw up a contract.
Clear as day. Black and white.
Fine.
Fine.
Fine.
Fine.
Fine.
Let's get to work boys.
What's the first step?
Just leave that to me.
We are a dynamic fast-growing company and
we're poised to make major in-roads nationally...
So in addition to giving us a real strong
foothold right here in the Midwest...
to display it's location with service as a
kind of a lure for other franchises if you will.
What are those?
- What are...
- Those.
Lemme see... oh those, yeah...
That's just my little way of separating
us from the rest of the pack.
Yah like 'em?
I call 'em The Golden Arches.
You look familiar.
Have we met before?
I don't think so... no.
I think I'd remember that.
Peruse the inside of your...
if you don't mind.
Take a look... yeah,
read that.
The fold-a-nook.
It's like a Murphy bed for your kitchen.
Huh?
Take look at the blueprints,
here we are.
We had those done locally.
Yeah, I never forget a face.
Unique, original, totally innovative...
There's nothing like this. Nothing.
In the entire food service sector.
Nice brochure,
professionally done.
Have we met?
The paper cup guy.
Yeah.
That was a long time ago.
That was a long time ago...
What do you think?
I don't know.
There's...
Look...
I'm gonna level with ya, uh...
I need this one.
Do ya think...
Is there anything you can do to help me out?
I'll tell ya what.
Lemme refer ya to one of my colleagues.
Somebody who may be better
suited to meet your needs.
Thank you.
Ray Kroc...
Address?
143, Juniper Road.
Arlington Heights, Illinois.
Home telephone number?
Ah... use my office telephone number.
That's the place to reach me.
Alright.
Of course we'll need an appraisal on your
home before we can issue funds.
Be right.
Just be right one time.
One time.
- June, did you schedule the stake out with the engineer?
- All set.
What about the fire department?
Did you get the approval for the driveway design?
Left a message with them yesterday.
- Excavation permits?
- I'm meeting with them today.
All right.
Hey, what's going on with
San Bernardino by the way?
I just spoke to Dick,
he said they're working on it.
They're working on it...
That's what he said.
Ray Kroc on the line.
- Hi Ray.
- Boy, you boys are killin' me.
What's the old up?
I break ground in 2 weeks.
These things take time and
you're proposing substantial alterations.
I'm adding a basement and a furnace,
that's all.
We need our architect to thoroughly review it
and make sure everything is safe and up to code.
Fine, has he seen it yet?
Has he taken a look at it?
I'm not sure to be honest.
I've got bulldozers rolling up
on the 23rd.
I'm not the one who scheduled that.
Ray, I need you to take a breath.
Take a breath...
Do you realize what it's going to cost me if I have to push?
Hopefully it won't come to that.
Every restaurant in the Midwest has a basement
and a furnance.
This is standard stuff.
I understand, but it's our
name on that building.
God forbid the floor caves in and people get hurt,
or worse, because of some design flaw we missed.
Let's just slow down a minute
and make sure it's done right.
So much for the speedy system, huh?
- Did he just hang up on you?
- Yes.
Unless we got violently disconnected.
Okay...
He'll be fine.
Where's the front of the uh... show me.
Alright.
Just make sure the windows are big enough so that the
customer can look in to the restaurant, all the way to the kitchen.
Doesn't look right.
Let's see this...
- Ray?
- What?
We got a letter from San Bernardino.
Read it to me.
Dear Ray, thank you for your letter sharing your
idea to strike a deal with Coca-Cola...
to sponsor menu boards at
the new Des Plaines location.
An intriguing notion indeed.
As you rightly point out...
such an arrangement would provide a steady source
of revenue to the store at no additional labor cost.
- However...
- However?
However what?
However this goes beyond our core beliefs.
McDonald's was founded with the idea...
- of families and not strict commerce.
- Son of a bitch.
- They dunno what they're talkin' about.
- And so on and so on...
There ya go gentlemen.
Back to work.
Lemme explain.
Be real small, right across the bottom.
Very discreet.
We're just not comfortable with the notion
of turning our menu into an advertisement.
See, it's not an ad,
it's sponsorship.
It's distasteful.
It's free money!
There are plenty of things we could do to
make a quick buck. That doesn't mean we should.
- Loads of restaurants do this.
- Well we don't.
Why not?
Because I have no interest in indulging
in that sort of crass commercialism.
It's not McDonald's.
I didn't realize I was parterning
with a beatnik.
I'll have you know I'm a card
carrying Republican!
Yeah, well you coulda fooled me.
He hung up again.
Well he's just a little excitable,
that's all.
A hothead like that,
you don't know what he's capable of.
It's all bluster Dick.
His bark is worse than his bite.
- That's what Neville Chamberlain said.
- He'll relax...
Give him some time.
What are doin', come on!
There's time to lean, there's time to clean.
Let's go.
Put that hat on straight.
400 degrees, right?
That a boy, way to work.
Nice.
Hey, there's one pickle on there.
2 pickles on all the buns.
2 pickles on all of 'em.
Don't... don't.
Look watch.
Flip 'em like that. Really turn 'em over and
then press 'em one time.
And that one's too pink.
There, all right?
Wait... and you...
get these...
Pretty damn good.
- What's your name?
- Fred Turner sir.
Nice work.
Fred Turner.
Fred Turner.
I'm sorry.
I know I've been neglecting you.
What do you say tomorrow...
we go to supper at the club?
Really?
Really.
Well look what the cat dragged in.
Hey everybody.
Hi there. Hey.
- How are ya?
- Good evening stranger.
This is on the left side of the 14th fairway.
- And I use a 3 wood.
- Hmm.
- Hit it clean.
- I hear Acapulco is divine.
Where do you like Ethel?
Um... Spain.
Spain?
Wonderful. How was it?
- Oh no, I mean I'm thinkin' about it.
- Oh you haven't been.
Well we're dreaming up a trip.
Right?
- Great.
- Yeah.
- How's your game Ray?
- Lately?
Non-existent.
- I know, been holdin' myself.
- No kidding.
Ha ha, yeah.
I did hit a hole in one of a sort recently though.
I came across a really, really
interesting business opportunity.
Really interesting.
You boys are gonna want a piece of this.
- Here we go again.
- What is it this time Ray?
Restaurant.
- New kind of restaurant.
- New how?
Restaurant filled with milkshakes and fold-a-nooks?
Fold-a-nook...
I'm just jokin' with ya Ray.
Hold on Jack.
You should hear him out.
This one's different.
Well... do tell us more.
I will.
This is a thing of beauty.
Fully automated kitchen, the likes
of which I've never seen...
It's revolutionary.
It's called the speedy system.
The thing I like about this is it's franchiseable.
The first one's already up and running.
Come over and take a look.
It might make you boys a few dollars.
You don't have to worry about a thing...
we're in charge of everything...
and all these franchises look exactly the same.
I'd have never thought it would work,
...(inaudible)...
Easy as pie. You just pay the
franchise fee, we take care of everything else.
Close enough!
Pick it up troop.
Alright, let's do this.
Got her? Ok.
Gonna be real happy here.
- Congratulations.
- Right.
3 new franchises in the last month.
Well that's great.
What?
I don't know...
What?
Don't you think maybe given our experience
that this is all happening a little too quickly?
If they all pop up at once,
how's he gonna maintain standards?
Son of a bitch.
Give it a whack, Jack.
Hey!
- What's goin' on here?
- Look at this.
What is this? Huh?
- What is that?
- It appears to be a hamburger.
Not a McDonald's burger it's not.
Look at all that ketchup.
And you got 3 pickles on
there instead of 2...
and look at that... lettuce.
- Really Jack, lettuce...
- Can we talk about this another time?
Look at this paddy itself.
It is tragically over-cooked.
- Tragically.
- I don't know Ray, it looks good to me.
What the hell do you know about quality?
- I was by your restaurant today too.
- Yeah? What about it?
- Yah got corn on the cob, yah got fried chicken...
- People love fried chicken!
Do they? Well let them go
somewhere where they serve fried chicken.
And your kitchen is filthy.
What the hell's the matter with you guys?
- I don't know about you Ray, but I'm retired.
- You said this was a good place for us to park our money.
It's an investment.
If I'd have wanted a job I would have
applied for a cook position.
You couldn't get a job as a cook
in one of my restaurants.
Hey!
What's his problem?
He's a pain in the ass is what he is.
Right back at ya Ray!
Ethel?
In here.
- Hi!
- Ray...
Hurry and get changed.
Dinner's called for 7:00.
Yeah, we're not goin' to the club tonight.
Wait, you cancelled our dinner?
I... cancelled our membership.
What?
With all them ??? people.
They're not really our kind.
What are you talking about?
I've lost interest in hobnobbing
with the idle rich.
The idle rich.
You know, their golf, and their Rob Roy's.
They're so complacent and content.
Ray... please tell me you're joking.
These are our friends.
No, I know, I know.
You know what? You and I?
We can make a lot of new friends.
It's alright. Make new friends.
Friends that are more suitable for us.
You know?
Don't ya think?
You know what? Gimme one second?
Garage is driving me crazy.
Can I just go sweep it out
and clean it up and then...
put a nice dress, I'll take
ya out for something to eat.
Just take a gander at this
handsome, gold inlay.
You telling me such spectacular
craftsmanship isn't worth $8.95?
But I'm not interested.
Not interested in the bible, sure to be
the pride of your family's home library?
As you no doubt know June,
envy is one of the 7 deadly sins.
And that is just what your friends are going to be guilty of
when they see this leather-bound beauty on your bookshelf.
Sir, this is a private place of business.
I'm afraid I'm gonna have
to ask ya to leave.
Thank you for your time.
Prince Castle sales...
Oh, hold on.
Ray, it's Mac.
Do you wanna take this?
Uh, yeah.
Tell him I'll call him back.
Hey, hey. Wait a minute.
- What's your name?
- Leonard. Leonard Rosenblat.
Rosenblat?
Really?
What's a Jew doin' sellin' Catholic bibles?
Makin' a living.
I believe in you.
Got that pickle in?
These are ready to spin, smooth.
No salt for 30 seconds.
Okay... Lookin' good fellas!
Lookin' good. Big smiles.
Ya got time to lean ya got time to clean.
It's normally 10 and under, but
for you I'll make an exception.
Hah hah. Love it!
Nice.
My new franchisees are great.
He's in the back workin' in the kitchen...
and she's out front handing
suckers out to the little kids.
Husband and wife, side by side.
Like a real team.
This is really something to see.
It's wonderful.
Don't you think Ethel?
- I suppose it is, yeah.
- Yeah.
Like teammates.
I made supper plans for us Friday.
Guess you didn't rejoin Rolling Green.
Well, no, no.
Some place far better.
B-5
So salty.
He loves salt.
So what do you, Art?
Had a little plumbing business going for
a while after getting out of the service.
Now I sell vacuum cleaners and
give piano lessons on the side.
Wow, busy guy.
Good for you.
Vacuums, plumbing, piano less...
You're a Jack Of All Trades.
Yeah, whatever puts food on the table, right?
You must be so proud.
How'd ya like to do more than
put a little food on the table?
She's excited.
What'd you have in mind?
Burger up.
I'm gonna give ya 3 words...
I want ya to take those 3 words home with ya tonight.
McDonald's... is... family.
Isn't that great?
You know what I see when I see that?
Family.
We're one big family.
Aren't we?
We have mouthes to feed.
That's a family.
I'm looking for a few good men...
and women. Who aren't
afraid of hard work.
Aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves.
I'm looking for scrappers, hustlers,
guys that are willing to roll up their sleeves.
They're livin' on drive,
they got a little fire in their belly.
I stand right here before you today,
I'm gonna offer you something as precious as gold.
And you know what that is?
Anybody?
Anybody?
Opportunity.
It's opportunity.
Opportunity.
Opportunity to advance, to move forward,
to move up, to advance...
To succeed.
To win. To step up.
The sky's the limit.
The sky is the limit.
Grab the brass ring.
To give yourself a shot at the American dream.
Put your arms around the American dream.
Opportunity.
Cause I'll tell ya somethin...
At McDonald's? It's like this
great nation of ours...
Some of that elbow grease.
I guarantee ya,
if you got the guts...
the gumption, the desire...
I guarantee ya you can succeed.
There's gold to be had. At the end of...
those Golden Arches...
Golden Arches.
Golden Arches.
Now who's with me?
Who wants to jump on that ladder to success?
Be part of the McDonald's "mishpokhe".
Now who's with me?
Come on, lemme see some hands.
There ya go.
Who else?
McDonald's.
It's good, Art.
Good job.
Thank you sir.
The nerve of this guy.
What?
Guess what he's calling his display in store?
McDonald's #1.
What are we then?
Could his head get any bigger?
Ladies and gentlemen we are about to begin
our initial decent into Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Mr. Kroc! Welcome to Minneapolis.
Wonderful to see ya!
Gimme an "M"!
Gimme a "C"!
- Ray, how is it?
- You can't even top that in Chicago.
Well, we don't mess around up here.
Boy, my compliments to the chef,
that's wonderful.
I can do ya one better.
- How about the owner?
- Sure, why in the hell not.
Rollie... Rolly.
- Jimmy, great to see ya.
- Rollie, how are ya?
Ah, wonderful.
- Rollie Smith, Ray Kroc.
- A real pleasure.
Oh boy, I tell ya,
you got a hell of a restaurant here.
Well comin' from you that's quite a compliment.
My reputation proceeds me.
- I'm a great admirer.
- Well uh... sit down.
- Well I don't wanna interrupt.
- Have a seat.
Well maybe just a minute.
- This is Fred Turner, my associate.
- Welcome.
Steaks cooked okay?
Excellent, perfect.
Well our intention is to expand
pretty far beyond the Midwest...
We're not gonna settle here.
We're not gonna...
We're gonna expand far beyond the Midwest...
Well you've clearly got a warm
and loving home here in Minneapolis.
Yeah, so it seems.
Yeah, this town just can't
get enough of McDonald's.
- There ya go sir.
- Another Canadian Club for my friend.
- Yes sir, comin' right up.
- Thank you.
In fact, I'd say there's sufficient
enthusiam to support another.
Second location.
You know come to think of it, I know
the perfect person to own and operate it.
Ya don't say.
Somebody who knows what it
takes to build a great restaurant.
Someone with more than 20 years
in the food service industry.
Who?
- Me.
- You?
Oh!
That's a shock.
I've got the know how, I've got the backers,
and I've got the perfect location.
Are you familiar with Hennipen Avenue?
It's one of the busiest commerical
arteries in the whole Twin Cities.
There's a prime site that's recently become
available, a full acre on the corner of Hennipen and...
- Mr. Kroc.
- Yeah.
Would ya like to meet her?
Yeah... sure.
So Ray, how long are you here
with us for in the Twin Cities?
- Huh?
- How long are you in town?
Not sure yet.
- If you gentlemen can steal a second I would love to...
- Sure.
personally give you a tour
of this site on Hennepin that...
that Rollie is talking about.
He knows how to pick 'em.
I mean this place...
There's enough room for the restaurant...
the parking, possibly a playground
for the little ones.
Ray Kroc, meet Joan Smith...
my wife.
Pleasure to meet you.
Pleasure to meet you.
Well join us.
Have a drink with us.
I'd love that.
- How are you guys?
- Good.
This is Fred Turner, he's a...
We did Madison, Milwaukee, Kinosha...
Grand Rapids, uh...
we've got the 3 in Chicago area.
Oh, Jim's here in Minneapolis.
St. Paul.
And uh, got one in Dayton, Ohio.
That's right.
You must be positively dizzy Mr. Kroc.
Please, call me Ray.
Ray.
That's some growth.
Yeah.
- We're doin' good, right Fred?
- Yes sir.
Yeah we're doin' good.
When did you start it?
Uh, hmm? Sorry?
What year did you start McDonald's?
The year?
I started it in 1954.
Remarkable.
Yup.
Well, I should get back.
Back?
Yeah, to my piano.
Oh, of course.
What's your favorite song?
All-time favorite.
Pennies From Heaven.
Pennies From Heaven.
- Great gal.
- Yup.
I sold pianos for a while.
Every time it rains...
it rains... pennies from heaven.
Don't you know each cloud contains...
pennies from heaven.
You'll find your fortune fallin'...
all over town.
Sounds pretty good.
Be sure that your umbrella,
is upside down.
Trade them for a package of...
sunshine and flowers.
If you want the things you love...
you must have showers.
So when you hear it thunder...
don't run under a tree.
There will be pennies from
heaven for you and me.
- Ray?
- Down here.
Uh, I think I've got some people for you.
I met this young couple...
very committed.
They're from Glenview.
High school sweethearts.
Married for 5 years.
- And they're looking for a business they can operate together.
- Uh huh, uh huh.
- And they seem very excited.
- Yeah, forget that. Everything's changed.
Ya want a drink?
No, changed how?
Forget the Chicago suburbs, think bigger.
- Bigger...
- I'm not chasing them anymore.
They're chasing me now.
The trip.
How was it?
Triumphant.
They were rolling out the red carpet.
And kissing this ring.
They're begging me for McDonald's now.
Here, have a drink.
- That's nice.
- Yeah, sure is.
I'm sure.
Well, then, all hail...
Pope Raymond I.
Damn right.
Goddamn right.
- Ray?
- Yeah.
We have a small problem.
Wait a minute...
How can we be almost out of capital?
Well, your revenue, the
monthly cut of the store's...
1.4% of debt.
- 1.4?
- Yeah.
1.9 minus Dick and Mac's half percent.
Mr. McDonald, Ray Kroc's on the line.
Good to see you.
- Hi Ray.
- I wanna renegotiate.
Renegotiate what?
My deal.
My lousy deal.
1.4 doesn't cover my monthly nut
let alone drive expansion.
- Ray, those are the terms.
- It's not good enough.
- It's almost triple our cut.
- Well, you should be getting more too then.
Shouldn't ya.
We're not greedy men.
Greed has nothing to do with it.
If I had more money to work with
I could be growing this thing at twice the pace.
- We have no beef with the current rate of expansion.
- I have nothing.
Not one location in Pennsylvania.
Nothing in New York.
- All in good time.
- Nothing in Texas.
I have no doubt it'll come.
Ya know, I'm out here breaking
my neck for you guys...
And you're doing a bang up job.
Well then I should be doing a hell of
a lot better than just breaking even.
- I don't know what to say.
- Say you'll renegotiate.
- I can't.
- Can't or won't?
Upping your cut, it would be unfair
to the franchisees.
The franchisees are doing just fine,
I'm the one that's drowning here.
You freely and willingly agreed
to the terms of your deal, Ray.
Nobody put a gun to your head.
- 4%
- No.
- 3 1/2%
- Ray...
- What?
- No.
Goddamn it!
Dick...
Is he a pain in the rear?
Yes.
Does he have a few screws loose,
you bet...
but that doesn't mean he's
gonna do us any harm.
- How long are you gonna keep this up Mac?
- Keep up what?
The whole, Everything Is Fine act.
There's a wolf in the hen house.
We let him in.
I never should have listened.
We have a contract for just
this sort of thing, Dick.
Should have trusted my gut.
So it's my fault, huh?
Just like the movie theater.
Well I'm sorry.
I wanted you to have your dream.
$94.00
It's unbelievable what these suckers cost to run.
You know my Pop used
to own an ice cream parlor?
He went belly up from
the refridgeration costs.
Really?
A man called today.
Illinois First Federal.
Did he say what he wanted?
Why don't you tell me.
What did he want?
Ray...
What?
Did you mortgage our home?
We could lose everything.
I specifically said the office
is the best place to reach me.
I tried you there Mr. Kroc,
numerous times.
You have no right to call me at my home.
- That's a blatant invasion of my privacy.
- With all due respect sir, when you're...
3 months behind on your payments you don't
get to pick and choose where we contact you.
- Ray.
- Surprise inspection.
What are you doing here?
I just came up to see how thing's are goin'.
$12,400.00
That's a pretty good haul for month #1.
Could be bigger.
- I hate to mix business with pleasure...
- I don't.
but, my expenses.
What about 'em?
Well they're a bit higher than I anticipated.
One thing in particular...
the walk-in. That bill
is a real whopper.
I don't know, it's a problem,
all that ice cream...
I don't wanna over step my bounds here,
but I may have found a solution.
Well Joan did, actually.
Ya don't say.
What if I told you there was a way,
all of your owner operators could save...
literally hundreds of dollars
a year in electrical costs...
and reduce the time that it
takes to make a milkshake, by half.
I'll bite.
It's a powdered milkshake.
Costs a fraction of ice cream and
there's no refridgeration necessary.
It contains powdered milk.
Thickening agents and emulsifiers
simulate the texture of ice cream.
- Tastes just like the real thing.
- It's easy as pie to make.
You put a packet into a
glass of water and stir it.
I know it may be a tad blasphemous
what with your dairy background and all.
Personally, I think it's
a marvelous idea.
Chocolate or vanilla?
Vanilla.
Good things come to those who wait.
What do you think?
I think I'm drinking a
delicious vanilla milkshake.
May I?
I can't resist.
So what do you say?
- We try it out at our place and if it goes well...
- We roll it out nationally.
I could, yeah.
Let me think about it.
You're the boss.
McDonald's.
Just found a way to save you,
me and all our owner operators...
- literally hundreds of dollars a year in electrical costs.
- And what would that be?
Two words: powerded milkshake.
I'm tellin' you I came across a remarkable
called instamix.
Like I say, it's a powdered milkshake,
it's a fraction of the cost of ice cream
and requires no refridgeration.
- Ray...
- I tell ya I tried it myself,
it tastes just like the real thing.
It's delicious!
Comes in chocolate, comes in vanilla...
me, I'm a vanilla man.
Ray we have no interest in a milkshake
that contains NO MILK.
Why don't we add sawdust to
the hamburgers while we're at it...
frozen french fries.
- You don't want to save a bundle.
- Not like that.
We're talking about the same great taste...
same great taste, while
boosting the bottom line.
It's called a milkshake Ray.
Real milk.
Now and forever!
I understa...
I'm just asking you to extend my line.
Until you build more equity in your
home or pay down the loan...
there's nothing I can do.
- My business is booming.
- Unfortunately that's immaterial.
Well, I've got 13 locations in 9 states...
It's a home equity loan.
Then give me a business loan.
- These 13 locations, do you own 'em?
- Me personally?
It's your business, correct?
You own it.
I'm the head of franchising.
I'm the one behind this growth.
That's all well and good
but you need assets.
Have you been to a McDonald's?
Because we've got 3 right here in the Chicagoland
area and you should come by and take a look.
I would love to give you a tour to give
you a better sense of what I'm talking about.
Mr. Kroc...
May I help you?
No, but... perhaps I can help you.
Harry Sonneborn, nice to meet you.
No, thanks.
We're very happy with our current supplier.
I'm not here to sell you ice cream.
What the hell do ya want?
I caught a bit of your conversation back there,
sounds like you're having financial troubles.
Why don't you mind your own business?
I'm a great admirer of your establishment.
- Thank you.
- I eat lunch at your Waukegan location at least twice a week.
Always a fantastic crowd.
Your point being...
Mr. Kroc, if you're not making money hand over fist,
something's terribly wrong.
June, grab the ledger would ya?
Come on in the office Harry.
So, to summerize,
you have a miniscule revenue stream...
no cash reserves...
amd an albatross of a contract...
that requires you to go through
a slow approval process to...
enact changes, if they're approved at all.
Which, they never are.
Am I missing anything?
That about sums it up.
Tell me about the land.
The... land.
The land, the buildings, how
that whole aspect of it works.
Oh, pretty simple really...
franchisee finds a piece of land he likes...
gets a lease, usually 20 years...
and takes our construction loan...
throws up a building
and off he goes.
So the operator selects the site?
- Yeah.
- He picks the property.
Right.
You provide the training, the system,
the operational know how...
and he is responsible for the rest.
- Is there a problem?
- A big one.
You don't seem to realize
what business you're in.
You're not in the burger business,
you're in the real estate business.
You don't build an empire off a 1.4% cut
of a $0.15 hamburger.
You build it by owning the land...
upon which that burger is cooked.
What you ought to be doing...
is buying up plots of land...
then turning around and leasing
said plots to franchisees.
Who as a condition of their deal...
should be permitted to lease from you,
and you alone.
This will provide you with two things.
1. A steady up front revenue stream...
money flows in before the
first stake is in the ground.
2. Greater capital for expansion.
Which in turn fuels further land aquisition...
which in turn fuels further expansion...
and so on, and so on.
Land.
That's where the money is.
And more than that, control.
Control over the franchisee.
Fail to uphold quality standards,
you cancel their lease.
Control over Dick and Mac.
End result, you'll have the banks and the
franchisees in the palm of your hand.
If I were to do this, the brothers,
they uh...
- effectively would be...
- Yes.
So...
What do you say Ray?
We'll need backing. I've arranged meetings
with investors and financial institutions.
The center of town which is the
only oversaturated aspect...
Has anyone here ever eaten at McDonald's?
This population growth is
going to enable us to expand...
The figures are exaggerated but they're
fully supported by the numericals.
In fact, we erred on the side of caution with these.
He's being conservative.
Mine, based on gut, and my gut
tells me those numbers are low.
McDonald's, growing quick as a hick.
I'm Harry Sonneborn, this is Ray Kroc.
Hurry over to McDonald's.
Now serving family communities from coast to coast.
You're probably only minutes away
from America's favorite restaurant.
McDonald's fast service is the
perfect answer for parties,
birthday lunches, and family
meals any time.
With no fuss or dishes to do.
It's America's greatest food value.
No wonder you see so many
of your neighbors there.
If you want home quality cooking
without the home work, try McDonald's.
Look for the Golden Arches at McDonald's.
The closest thing to home.
Have you heard of the Franchise Realty Corporation?
What is it?
I have no clue. Apparently
Ray Kroc is president and C.E.O.
- Hiya Dick, how ya doin'?
- Well if you really wanna know, I'm a tad miffed.
Why, what seems to be the problem?
- Franchise Realty Corporation.
- What about it?
For starters, would you mind
telling me what it is?
Oh nothing really.
Just a little something I created
to provide leasing services...
you know, lend support to
our new franchisees.
You know full well you can't do something
like that without first clearing it.
Now, why would I need to do that?
Because as your deal states, any and
all changes must be agreed to in writing.
- Except it's not a change.
- Excuse me?
It's not a change.
It's a company.
It's its own separate company,
which puts it outside your purview.
Anything relating to McDonald's
is within our purview.
Let me explain something to you Dick...
You boys have full say over what
goes on inside the restaurants.
But outside, above, below...
your authority stops at the door.
And at the floor.
Alright?
What is he saying?
He's buying the land.
Our land?
Get one of the map.
Make sure to get this and we
wanna get all the pins in there.
You sure you see this?
Alright.
How about one at the desk?
Make sure you get that in focus.
K, smile.
Good, good, good, good.
Delivery!
Where do ya want these?
Ray...
I've thought it over.
Approved.
Really?
- Thank you.
- No, thank you.
It's a wizz bang idea and
you're the one who thought of it.
Well we're deeply honored to
serve as your test market.
The hell with that.
I'm gonna roll this out nationally.
You seen the latest copy of RBM?
Hot off the press.
Ray, good for you.
It's about 10 miles south of downtown...
They're building a brand new sports stadium there.
Yeah, I read about it.
We're getting a profesional baseball and
football team, they'll both be playing there.
I think I know where you're headed with this.
A 40,000 seat stadium just a stone's
throw away? Imagine the foot traffic.
Hungry families looking for a
bite to eat after the game.
Or before? Whenever.
Exactly.
Yeah.
You think big, don't ya Joan?
Is there any other way to?
Well, you'd be surprised.
A lot of people are afraid of taking a chance,
to you know, reach for greatness.
That's so sad.
I agree.
Ambition.
That's the stuff in life.
What was that saying?
- Fortune favors the bold.
- Absolutely.
Just look at you.
You calling me bold, Joan?
You don't build a restaurant empire
acting like a timid little mouse.
That's a fast growing area.
And cheaper. You're talking
a good 15% less per acre.
- I still think Houston's a better location.
- Ray?
- Yeah.
- Dick's on line 1.
Well.
- Hiya Dick.
- I just received a very disconcerting call.
Oh?
From Buddy Jepson, our
operator in Sacramento.
I'm very aware of who Buddy Jepson is.
He told me he received a shipment this morning.
Oh, it arrived.
You are way out of line, Ray.
Hey I didn't expect that to get
there until Friday at the earliest.
Would you mind telling me what you are doing
shipping 4 cases of Instamix to one of our operators?
Look, if you don't wanna
make a profit, that's fine.
But don't stop the rest of us.
Us?
Us, as in everyone but you.
Who did you send them to?
Everyone but you.
You have no right. You are to
stop this instant, is that clear?
- Nah.
- What the hell does that mean, nah?
You will abide by the terms of your deal.
I am through taking marching orders from you...
you and your endless parade of NO's.
Constantly cowering in the face of progress.
If phony powdered milkshakes
is your idea of progress...
you have a profound misunderstand
of what McDonald's is about.
I have a far greater understanding
of McDonald's than you two yokles.
What?
You will do as we say.
Nope.
You have a contract!
You know, contracts are like hearts...
they're made to be broken.
Could you please pass the salt?
Thank you.
I want a divorce.
When trying to quietly settle a divorce...
the first thing to ask is,
what will she want?
And, is her request reasonable and equitable?
In terms of marital property there's the house,
and car, savings and checking accounts...
- Insurance...
- Just give it to her.
House, car, insurance.
What about the business?
Nope.
Ray, ya have to understand...
- that she's the...
- K.
Lemme explain somethin' to ya.
It's never gonna happen.
I'd sooner die than give her
one single share in McDonald's.
It's not so simple. The brothers are your business
partners. You signed this contract.
Make it go away.
And I don't care what it takes.
It's gonna cost ya.
'New Flavor, Strawberry'
'Maybe you'll like this one, best, Ray'
I'm looking at a letterhead with
the name McDonald's on it.
You care to explain?
It was confusing. People didn't even
know it had anything to do with McDonald's.
What's confusing is you calling yourself
'The McDonald's Corporation'.
People will think it's the whole company,
not just the real estate arm...
which we strongly suspect is what you hope!
You put Dick's arches on your letterhead?
This is not your company, Ray.
- Do you understand that!?!?
- Mac, don't get upset.
We came up with the speedy system, not you.
Us.
What have you ever come up with?
Can you name one thing?
You can't, and you never have,
and you never will...
because you are a leech, Ray.
You are a professional leech.
You know what I came up with, Mac?
You know what I came up with, Mac
A concept.
I came with the concept of winning.
Lemme talk to him.
While you two boys were content to sit
back and become a couple of also-rans...
I wanna take the future.
I wanna win.
And you don't get there by being
some "aw shucks" guy sap.
There's no place in business for people like that.
Business is war.
It's dog eat dog,
rat eat rat.
If my competitor were drowning,
I'd walk over and put a hose right in his mouth.
Can you say the same?
I can't.
Nor would I want to.
Hence, your single location.
- We want you out of this company, Ray.
- Mac, how do you propose we do that?
We will sue you,
whatever it takes.
And you'd probably win.
But you can't afford to sue me.
I'd bury you in court costs alone.
Mac, I'm the president and C.E.O. of a
major corporation with land holdings in 17 states...
You run a burger stand in the desert.
I'm national.
You're fucking local.
Mac!
Are you following your eating plan?
Yes.
And you're checking your glucose levels...
and you're taking your medication
on a consistant basis...
Yes.
- Regular walks, 20 minutes a day?
- I'm on my feet all day.
Any stress?
Okay.
You need to watch that.
That's a big contributing factor.
So as I said, your kidney
function is currently at 50%.
Now 18 months ago it was 65%.
Any lower and you're at serious
risk for kidney failure.
Okay, I'll check on you later.
- Thanks.
- Thank you.
William who rode with Revere...
- How many letters?
- 5, 4th letter 'E'.
Dawes.
Come in!
How ya feelin'?
Geez, sounded like somethin' spilled
I followed it right to the phone.
I hear about the, accident.
I'll set it right here.
Dick.
There's a card in there.
Go ahead.
That's okay.
No, here. Just...
You're gonna be happy.
What's this?
What's it look like?
A blank check.
Then that's uh...
that's probably what it is.
What are you buying?
Okay.
You get better...
You get up on your feet in no time,
and we'll talk. Alright?
Dick.
We will never beat him.
We will never be rid of him.
Dick McDonald's on the line.
Hello Dick.
2.7 million.
That's a million for each of us after taxes.
And, 1% of the company's
profits in perpetuity.
That's outrageous.
That's borderline extortion.
That's a bunch of bullshit.
BULLSHIT!
- I know it seems like a lot of money now.
- Yeah, it seems like a lot of money any time.
And they want one other thing.
What?
- San Bernardino.
- Nah ah.
No way.
To give to their long-time
employees as a gift.
I need the profits from San Bernardino
in order to pay off the purchase loan.
I've spoken about it at length with their
lawyers it's unfortunately, non-negotiable.
Our client agrees fully with your conditions
of sale, with one exception...
Your 1% cut of future corporate earnings
will have to be carried out on a handshake basis.
It's my investor group.
The financing is contigent on...
leaving that out of the contract...
and unfortunately this deal just doesn't happen, it doesn't
get financed unless you leave it out of the contract.
because unfortunately that's
a deal breaker for them.
Look fellas...
you'll get your full royalties, alright?
You got my word on that.
Dick, Mac...
Let's make a deal.
Alright.
Alright gentlemen, turn to page 4 of your contract and
that's the first set of signatures we need to go over.
I just have to ask you one thing.
Somethin' I've never understood.
Alright.
That day we met,
when we gave you the tour...
Uh huh. What about it?
We showed you everything.
The whole system, all of our secrets.
We were an open book.
- So why didn't you just...
- Steal it?
Just, grab your ideas and run off,
start my own business...
using all those ideas of yours.
- It would have failed.
- How do you know?
Am I the only one who got the kitchen tour?
You must have invited lots
of people back there, huh?
And?
How many of them succeeded?
Lots of people started restaurants.
As big as McDonald's?
Of course not.
No one ever has and no one ever will
because they all lacked that one thing...
that makes McDonald's special.
Which is?
Even you don't know what it is.
Enlighten me.
It's not just the system, Dick.
It's the name.
That glorious name, McDonald's.
It could be, anything you want it to be...
it's limitless, it's wide open...
it sounds, uh...
it sounds like...
it sounds like America.
That's compared to Kroc. What a crock.
What a load of crock.
Would you eat at a place named Kroc's?
Kroc's has that blunt, Slavic sound.
Kroc's.
But McDonald's, oh boy.
That's a beauty.
Yeah...
A guy named McDonald?
He's never gonna get pushed around in life.
That's clearly not the case.
So, you don't have a check for
1.35 million dollars in your pocket?
Bye Dick.
So if you can't beat 'em, buy 'em.
I remember the first time I saw that name
stretched across your stand out there.
It was love at first sight.
I knew right then and there...
I had to have it.
And now I do.
You don't, have it.
You sure about that?
Bye Dick.
As per the terms of your agreement, while you
are entitled to maintain ownership of this location...
you no longer have the right to call it, McDonald's,
McDonald, or any other such variations...
so as to confuse or infringe
upon the McDonald's trademark...
which is now the exclusive intellectual
property of Mr. Raymond A. Kroc.
Thank you gentlemen.
It'll be alright.
Now, I know what you're thinkin'.
How the hell does a 52 year old,
over-the-hill milkshake machine salesman...
build a fastfood empire with 16,000 restaurants,
in 50 states, in 5 foreign countries...
wtih an annual revenue of in the
neighborhood of $700,000,000.00...
One word...
PERSISTENCE.
Nothing in this world can take
the place of good old persistence.
Talent won't. Nothing's more common
than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius won't.
Unrecognized genius is practically a clich.
Education won't.
Why the world is full of educated fools.
Persistence and determination
alone are all powerful.
Mr. Kroc., Bill Davison.
I'd like to do a profile of you
pegged to your 100th location.
Sure, call my office.
Sure thing.
Alright.
It's these core principles...
that enabled me to rise to the top of a heap...
at a point in life when most men
would be thinking about retirement.
Why, we appear to have that in common,
governer Reagan.
Why, you were what, 55
when you started in politics?
That's why you make me
look like a spring chicken.
Laugh, laugh, laugh.
Why, look at us.
A couple of Illinois boys.
Made good.
Only in America.
Only in America.
Only in America!
Now where was...
Now where was I?
Ah yes.
The beginning.
The year was 1954.
The place...
Des Plaines, Illinois.
The car's out front now.
Be right down.
That's where it all started.
Right there on Lee Street.
McDonald's #1.
It was a typical, English American word...
it flowed, McDonald's.
I liked the sound of it.
It sounded wholesome...
and it sounded geniune.
Ya know?
Uh... I don't like these uh...
gimmick type names, you know?
Uh... burger this and burger that
and all that kind of stuff.
McDonald's has got a nice sounding name.
What the heck do I need a 5-spindle for...
when I barely sell enough milkshakes to
justify my single-spindle. Right?
Wrong.
Are you familiar with the notion of the
chicken or the egg Mr. Griffith, I mentioned...
that there'd be costs.
Well, I think it applies here.
Do you not need the multimixer because, well heck,
you're not selling enough milkshakes.
Or are you not selling enough milkshakes
because you don't have a multimixer?
I firmly believe it's the latter.
Because your customer comes in here and he
knows if he orders a shake from your establishment...
that well, he's in for a terrific wait.
He's done it before and he thinks to himself, well
by golly, I'm not gonna make that mistake again.
But if ya had the Prince Castle,
5-spindle, multimixer...
with patented direct-drive electric motor
we'd greatly increase your ability to produce...
delicious, frosty milkshakes, FAST.
Mark my words.
Dollars to donuts, you'll be sellin' more
of those sons of bitches...
then you can shake a stick at.
You increase the supply,
and the demand will follow...
Increase supply, demand follows.
Chicken, egg. Do you follow my logic?
I know you do because you're a
bright, forward thinking guy who...
knows a good idea when he hears one.
So...
What do you say?
Nah.
But thanks anyways.
Order's up.
Hey, Miss?
How much longer?
- It shouldn't be a few more minutes.
- You said that 20 minutes ago.
I'm so sorry.
We're really busy today.
Ya see it's only sense.
The reason your budget will decrease...
supply, demand will follow.
Chicken and the egg...
Ya follow my logic?
Of course you do. You're a
bright, foward-thinking guy...
who knows a good idea when he hears one.
So...
What do you say?
There ya go.
- What is...
- Enjoy.
I ordered the barbecue beef.
I got a lot of good leads.
Real, real strong leads.
Yup.
What?
Nothing.
- That's wonderful.
- Wow.
I mean it's just tremendous interest.
Well I'm sure there is.
You sound like you don't believe me.
- Of course I do. Why wouldn't...
- Alright...
Well I got a lot of paperwork
to do here so, uh...
I'll, I'll call you from the road tomorrow.
- Okay.
- Alright. Alright.
Persistence. Nothing in the world
can take the place of persistence.
Talent won't.
Nothing is more common than
unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius won't.
Unrewarded genius is
practically a clich.
Education won't.
The world is full of educated fools.
Persistence and determination
alone are all powerful.
Show that you don't have to
be defeated by anything.
That you can have peace of mind,
improved health...
and a never-ceasing flow of energy.
If you attempt each and every
day to achieve these things...
the results will make themselves
obvious to you.
While it may sound like a magical notion...
it is in you to create
your own future.
The greatest discovery
of my generation is...
that human beings can alter their
lives by altering their attitude of mind.
War (?) and Ralph Waldo Emerson
declared...
"A man is what he thinks
about all day long."
Prince Castle sales,
how can I help you?
- Hi June.
- Ray, how's it goin' down there?
Good. Swell.
A lot of interest.
Hold on, let me
fetch your messages.
Let's see...
Jean (?) Rafferty from United Aluminum
needs to reschedule Friday.
Ed Nance calling about the refund.
Sloan and Sons called again.
We're 60 days past due.
A lady from the March of Dimes.
Oh!...
We got an order...
6 mixers.
- 6?
- Mmm hmm.
Some drive-in out in California.
Same place, one place?
No that's impossible.
I got the slip right here.
No, you I'm sure misunderstood.
You know what, gimme the number.
- You got a pen?
- Okay.
Alright.
Hello, McDonald's.
Hello, good afternoon.
May I please speak with your owner.
Which one?
I'm sorry?
Dick or Mac?
Uh... whichever one
is available I guess.
Hold on!
- This is Dick.
- Hello Dick, this is Ray Krok...
from Prince Castle sales.
The reason I'm calling is...
- someone placed an order...
- Yes, yes. That was me.
How soon can you get 'em out here?
Well that's actually why I'm
phoning now Dick actually...
I think there might have been some
kind of miscommunication...
Freezer!
Top shelf, left side.
Sorry.
No problem!
Uh... my secretary's under the
impression that you wanted 6.
Yah, uh... you know what?
I think that was a mistake.
Well that's what I figured.
I mean what kind of drive-in could
make 30 milkshakes at a time.
Better make it 8.
What's that Al?
There's a brand new box in the...
Now isn't the best time.
Yeah, I'm sorry.
I understand.
Ah, I'm still a little bit...
You know where to send 'em, right?
San Bernardino, California...
- corner of 14th and 8th.
- Hold on a minute. Alright.
To anyone in particular?
Just the store is fine.
McDonalds.
- Okay? Thanks so much.
- Yeah, uh...
- Don't worry, it moves fast.
- Really?
You guys have a great day.
Hi, welcome to McDonald's,
may I take your order?
Yeah, gimme a hamburger and
french fries and a Coca-Cola.
That'd be $0.35 cents please.
Alright.
$0.15 cents is your change.
Here you are.
What is this?
Your food.
No, no, no...
I just ordered.
And now it's here.
Are ya sure?
Great.
Where are the uh... ya know,
silverware and plates and everything.
You just eat it straight outta the wrapper,
and then you throw it all out.
Alright.
Really?
Okay.
Where do I eat it?
In your car... ?
At the park?
- Yeah.
- Home...
- Wherever you'd like!
- Okay, okay... thanks.
May we join you?
Huh? Yeah.
Sure.
Thank you!
Ah, just throw it right there,
I'll take care of it.
How is everything?
This might be the best
hamburger I've ever had in my life.
Well, we aim to please.
Uh... Mac McDonald.
Oh!
Well, look at this.
Ray Kroc.
The multimixer fella.
- You spoke with my brother Dick.
- I did, yeah.
What are you doin' way out here?
I'm in Los Angeles,
business meeting...
I thought, I'm in the neighborhood,
I should just swing by and say hello.
Well, I'm sure glad you did.
This whole thing?
This is some operation.
Care for a little tour?
- Of the... ?
- Yeah.
Yeah, I would.
Well, finish up, I'll
come back for ya.
Alrighty! Thanks.
Speed. That's the
name of the game.
The first stop for every
McDonald's hamburger is the grill...
manned by 2 cooks whose soul job it is
to grill those all beef beauties to perfection.
Meanwhile, as the patty cooks...
our dressers get the buns ready.
Watch out!
- Burger crossing!
- Burgers crossing. Burgers crossing.
Every McDonald's burger...
has 2 pickles...
a pinch of onions and a precise
shot of ketchup and mustard.
- Now where'd ya get those?
- We made 'em.
- Made them?!
- Yeah, custom built. Whole kitchen is.
- Next!
- That is...
The finishing station where
we put the whole thing together.
And...
Viol!
A fresh delicious burger from
grill to counter in 30 seconds.
How the heck did you come up with this?
Oh I didn't. We did.
Dick McDonald, my brother.
Hi, boy I gotta tell ya...
This is the most...
well it's nice to meet you.
The fries...
What about 'em?
They're 5% too crisp.
No, they're perfect.
I think we should drop to
2 minutes, 50 seconds.
Wasn't that what we were at before?
400, not 375
Higher temp, shorter cook.
I think they're spot on.
Fellas excuse me, may I?
None of my beeswax, but
I'm with the big fella here...
I love 'em. Golden brown on the
outside, fluffy white inside...
- and they're not too oily, salty, crunchy, whatever...
- Who are you?
Oh this is Ray Kroc,
the multi-mixer fella you spoke to.
So when do you figure
we can expect 'em?
- Eh... sent them blue label air so...
- Good, good...
- Need 'em for backup.
- Hey, wait, wait...
Wait, wait... wait a minute.
I'm gonna take you out to dinner.
You're really not my type.
- You and your brother.
- What for?
This is the most remarkable food restaurant I've
ever seen in all my years in this industry...
and I've seen it all.
I wanna hear your story.
Well... we were young and hungry...
and there wasn't a job to be
had in all of New Hampshire so...
we decided to pack our bags and head West.
To Hollywood.
I wanted to be in the movie business and
well... Dick? He wanted to be employed.
So we landed a job at Columbia
Pictures driving trucks.
Then after a few years we had enough saved to buy
our own little piece of show business...
a beautiful little movie theater in
Glendora, which would have been swell...
except for the timing.
- It was September of '29.
- Oh...
One minute we're screening the Gold Diggers of Broadway,
the next it's brother can you spare a dime.
- I couldn't.
- Nobody in town was making any money...
except for one fella, Wiley Reed,
had a hotdog and rootbeer stand.
Hey, people still gotta eat, right?
So we decided to open up our own
little stand, Hotdogs and Orange Juice...
in Arcadia, and it went okay.
I mean, we weren't
going gang-busters.
There just weren't enough
people in Arcadia.
Meanwhile, one town over is
San Bernardino...
and we wanna relocate but we've
got no money for a new stand...
and that's when my brother here,
comes up with one of his brilliant ideas...
- Tell him Dick.
- Well...
He says,
"Why don't we move the stand we've got."
- Put it on a truck.
- Genius, right?
Only there's one little problem.
On the road between the
two towns, there's an overpass...
and the building won't clear it.
Now I figure, that's it,
we're done for...
but then Dick says,
"Why don't we saw the building in half?"
Saw it in half.
Come on.
So we've moved the restaurant,
we're setting up shop...
but now we wanna do a few
a few tweaks because now it's 1940...
and drive-in's are all the rage, I mean
they are the hottest thing going...
and I say,
"Dick, we gotta get in on this"...
- and Dick says,
- "Okay"...
and 2 months later we open for business,
McDonald's Famous Barbecue.
24 item menu, uniformed waitresses
bring your food right to the car...
and it goes gang-busters.
We're going great guns!
But then... sales start to level off.
- The drive-in model as we've learned has
a few built in problems.
Tell me about it.
For starters, there's the customer issue.
Drive-in's tend to attract, shall we say,
a less than desirable clientele.
- Teenagers.
- Hot-rodders and hooligans and...
juvenile deliquents in blue jeans.
And then there's the service.
It takes forever and a day for your food to arrive,
and when it finally does...
- It's usually wrong.
- Yeah.
The car hops are too busy dodging gropes to remember
that you wanted strawberry phospate, not cherry.
- Well that's if they remember it at all.
- And then...
there's the expenses. The huge payroll
due to the large staff required...
- dishes constantly getting broken or stolen.
- Tremendous overhead.
So one day Dick has a realization. He sees
that the bulk of our sales are in only 3 items.
- Hamburgers, french fries, soft-drinks.
- 87%.
So we say to ourselves let's focus on what
sells and that's exactly what we do...
Brisket gone, tamales gone,
but we don't stop there.
We look at everything.
- What else don't we need?
- Turns out quite a lot.
- Car hops.
- Walk up to a window, get your food yourself.
- Dishes.
- All paper packaging, disposable.
Cigarette machines, jukeboxes,
drive out the riff raff.
- Creating a family friendly environment here.
- But that's not enough.
Alright.
See, our whole lives we've piggy-backed
off of other people's ideas...
We wanted something that wasn't
just different. It had to be better.
It needed to be ours.
And that's what brings us
to the biggest cut of all.
Which was?
- The wait.
- Orders ready in 30 seconds, not 30 minutes.
Mecca.
- We look at each other one night...
- You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?
We're gonna have to tear down,
rebuild, reconfi... rethink the whole dang thing.
We're talking about shutting
down a thriving business for months.
People are gonna think we're crazy.
We were, crazy.
And you are gonna love how we did it.
Dick, you gotta tell him.
- Tennis court.
- Okay, he brings me out to this tennis court...
and he's drawn this line the
exact dimenions of our kitchen...
Sink on the right, extruder on the left.
Bagging and hood.
Okay. Garnish... this is uh...
- burger finish.
- Got it.
and then this is burger slide.
We could just move those.
- Okay.
- Multimixer, soft drinks...
We bring out our whole staff and
we have 'em go through the motions...
making pretend burgers and fries.
Alright, Steve, ya gotta
anticipate that...
Ya gotta keep the tray level!
Dick is running around with a stick
marking where all the equipment should be.
Tuck in. Tony are you going to skip the
pickles when we're really doing it?
They do it over and over, hashing it out,
choreographing it like some crazy burger ballet.
What's going on over there?
Yes.
No!
NO!
Everybody stop!
Garnish #1.
Garnish #2.
You've got pickles, you've got onions.
It's a goddamn hamburger.
- Come on, clear out.
- Let's clear off.
It's time for the pink chalk.
and then rootbeer, orange.
See all this open space here now?
We've rearrange the fry situation so now...
it's stage left, the fryer is stage right.
Again...
That's great.
Come on guys.
- We're pretty tied up here with the Lazy Susan.
- Yeah, watch it. This is the timing if the Lazy Susan...
Those are finished burgers!
You can't... hold it!
I still think there's a 3rd version.
- Well, what do you want to move?
- I want to move everything.
To stage left please.
Got it all drawn?
This is better.
Is that alright?
This so.
- I guess... let's assume our battle stations.
- Okay, okay.
Finally...
after about 6 hours of this...
we get it just right. It's a symphony
of efficiency, not a wasted motion.
Good form Jasper!
Feel good about those pickles.
Ketchup!
Use your Lazy Susan.
Put your back into it Seth!
And pickles and pickle and...
mustard!
We take the layout to a builder,
custom build the kitchen to our exact specs.
Ta dah! The speedy system is born.
The world's first ever system to deliver
food fast. It is totally revolutionary...
- and a complete disaster.
- Why?
Opening day, cars pull up onto the lot and they start
honking immediately because no car-hop comes up.
You place your order.
We try to explain to them the walk
up window and they are uh...
bewildered? No, furious.
"What do you mean I gotta get out of my car?"
Most of 'em just cuss us
out and drive off...
and the few that stay are mad as heck because they are
eating off paper and they've gotta discard their own trash.
Why?
You're doing great, you're doing great.
Yeah, we won't be coming out to
the car but you can just come on up.
Welcome to McDonald's.
We may have underestimated the learning curve.
So by 5 o'clock, Dick is calculating how
much it's gonna cost to go back to drive-in...
but I am not ready to throw in the towel.
So I go back to our old Hollywood days, I
think to myself, we gotta go big with this.
We gotta put on a show.
So I say, "Dick, I wanna throw
a grand re-opening...
a gala premeire that would put
Louis B. Mayer to shame.
So we rent a bunch of spotlights...
the ones we used to haul
around in the Columbia days...
we get sparklers, a juggler for the kiddies,
it is an event...
people show up in droves,
and then...
The flies.
They must have been
drawn by all the lights.
Millions of 'em.
It was like a scene out of Exodus.
The pharaoh would have
released the Israelites...
Total disaster.
Now it is 'towel' time.
The next day Dick and I meet up to
discuss going back to the old format.
And as we're talking there's
a knock at the service window...
I tell him we're closed.
- We're closed.
- but he's looked so cute.
Hang on, hang on...
- What would you like son?
- Can I buy a bag of burgers from you?
And I feel bad so I fire up the
grill and I make him a batch...
There you are.
And as he's walking away from the
service window, a car pulls up.
And then another.
Dick...
And then another.
Hello, welcome to McDonald's.
Hello there.
Pretty soon there's a line around the block.
- The word has spread.
- And it's off to the races.
And we are an overnight sensation,
30 years in the making.
So that's our story.
Franchise.
- Beg pardon?
- Franchise.
Franchise the damn thing.
It's too damn good for just one location.
There should be McDonald's everywhere.
Coast to coast, sea to shining sea.
- Mr. Kroc...
- Hey, I got a confession I wanna make to you boys...
I'm not out here in California for any kind
of business meetings. I came out here for you.
A few days ago I got into St. Louis, Missouri and I
was doing some business and I broke out my map.
And I followed my finger on
one single highway, West.
- Route 66. And somethin' told me...
- Mr. Kroc...
Somethin' told me to get into my car and drive
that highway and you know where it led me?
Right here.
Right smack dab here.
Right to this unbelievable establishment...
and when I saw these lines to your home
operation and I tasted your product...
I knew what needed to happen.
Franchising. Franchise, franchise, franchise.
Franchise.
We already tried.
5. Three in Southern California,
one in Sacramento and one in Phoenix...
And that's all there will ever be.
Why?
Two words:
Quality Control.
It's almost impossible to enforce standards from afar.
Places were a mess. Filthy
kitchens, inconsistent menus...
Sacramento was selling burritos.
To watch your precious creation
be mismanaged like that...
- Your name.
- Put Mac in the hospital.
- Well, you put somebody in charge of supervising.
- We did.
So then, what happened?
He obviously didn't do a great job.
So you hire somebody else, get somebody better.
Our energies are better spent making
this place the best it can possibly be.
It's better to have one great restaurant
than 50 mediocre ones.
- Yeah, yeah. I still think you hire the right guy...
- Ray, we're not interested.
Look, I think you boys are missing
something here that is...
I tell ya, ya gotta...
somethin' here...
Wuh... what is that?
- A concept.
- Huh.
What are those?
Oh, it's a way to make the place
stand out when you're driving by.
The golden arches, I call 'em.
The golden arches...
- Who thought of that?
- Oh that's some pure Dick magic right there.
Did ya ever build one like that?
Just one...
Phoenix.
Ethel?
In here.
Oh boy. I saw a restaurant.
I've never seen a restaurant like this in my life.
They got this fully automated... system.
- It's called the speedy system.
- Mmm hmm.
Which is a good name for
it because man it is speedy.
I tell ya, it's like something sprung
from the mind of Henry Ford or something.
- It's revolutionary?
- It's revolutionary.
That's exactly what it is,
it's revolutionary.
- And you wanna invest in it?
- I don't know.
I don't know. I'm not sure yet.
I just know I want to be a part of it.
- Boy.
- So here we go.
What do you mean by that?
Wax cups, folding nooks, multimixers.
A new idea to chase.
Those things put a roof over our heads.
At least over mine.
What do you mean over yours?
Over our heads...
It's a good roof Ray.
It's a good house.
It's a good life if you
weren't too busy to live it.
We could go to the club more than twice a year.
Christ, just take a walk around the block together.
Isn't time to enjoy a little
and stop chasing your tail?
When's enough gonna be enough for you?
Honestly?
Probably never.
Why should I settle
when other men won't?
I don't know Ray.
Maybe if I had a wife that had an
ounce a vision.
Showed me an ounce of support.
Sorry, wrong word.
I've done nothing but support you.
Oh look, I'm sorry...
- Ups, downs, dwindling savings, your schemes...
- You're right.
Are ya familiar with the concept
of the chicken and the egg Mr. Johnson...
because I think that's applicable here.
Hey Dick...
What is it with this guy?
- Do it for your country.
- What?
If you boys don't want to
franchise for yourselves, that's fine...
Do it for your country.
Do it for America.
Ya know what, I drove through a lot of towns.
A lot of small towns.
And they all had two things in common...
They had a courthouse and they had a church.
On top of the church, got a cross...
and on top of the courthouse they have a flag.
Flags, crosses, crosses flags.
Driving around I just cannot stop thinking
about this tremendous restaurant.
Now at the risk of sounding blasphemous...
forgive me.
Those arches have a lot in common
with those buildings.
A building with a cross on top, what is that?
It's a gathering place...
where decent wholesome people come together
and they share values protected by that American flag.
It could be said that that beautiful
building flanked by those arches...
signifies more or less the same thing.
It doesn't just say,
"Delicious hamburgers inside"...
They signify family. It signifies community.
It's a place where Americans come together to break bread.
I am telling you...
McDonald's can be...
the new American church.
Feeding bodies and feeding souls
and it ain't just open on Sundays, boys.
It's open 7 days a week.
Crosses...
Flags...
Arches.
Give us a minute Ray.
Sure.
I don't know.
This is your dream.
It's bigger than your dream.
Arches. Your arches...
coast to coast.
I can't put you through that again.
I know how bad you want this...
- and you should have it.
- Your diabetes...
- Last time...
- We'll do things differently.
We'll learn from our mistakes.
- How so?
- Keep a tighter leash on everything.
Complete oversight.
Every change goes through us.
Who says he's gonna listen?
We'll make him listen.
Draw up a contract.
Clear as day. Black and white.
Fine.
Fine.
Fine.
Fine.
Fine.
Let's get to work boys.
What's the first step?
Just leave that to me.
We are a dynamic fast-growing company and
we're poised to make major in-roads nationally...
So in addition to giving us a real strong
foothold right here in the Midwest...
to display it's location with service as a
kind of a lure for other franchises if you will.
What are those?
- What are...
- Those.
Lemme see... oh those, yeah...
That's just my little way of separating
us from the rest of the pack.
Yah like 'em?
I call 'em The Golden Arches.
You look familiar.
Have we met before?
I don't think so... no.
I think I'd remember that.
Peruse the inside of your...
if you don't mind.
Take a look... yeah,
read that.
The fold-a-nook.
It's like a Murphy bed for your kitchen.
Huh?
Take look at the blueprints,
here we are.
We had those done locally.
Yeah, I never forget a face.
Unique, original, totally innovative...
There's nothing like this. Nothing.
In the entire food service sector.
Nice brochure,
professionally done.
Have we met?
The paper cup guy.
Yeah.
That was a long time ago.
That was a long time ago...
What do you think?
I don't know.
There's...
Look...
I'm gonna level with ya, uh...
I need this one.
Do ya think...
Is there anything you can do to help me out?
I'll tell ya what.
Lemme refer ya to one of my colleagues.
Somebody who may be better
suited to meet your needs.
Thank you.
Ray Kroc...
Address?
143, Juniper Road.
Arlington Heights, Illinois.
Home telephone number?
Ah... use my office telephone number.
That's the place to reach me.
Alright.
Of course we'll need an appraisal on your
home before we can issue funds.
Be right.
Just be right one time.
One time.
- June, did you schedule the stake out with the engineer?
- All set.
What about the fire department?
Did you get the approval for the driveway design?
Left a message with them yesterday.
- Excavation permits?
- I'm meeting with them today.
All right.
Hey, what's going on with
San Bernardino by the way?
I just spoke to Dick,
he said they're working on it.
They're working on it...
That's what he said.
Ray Kroc on the line.
- Hi Ray.
- Boy, you boys are killin' me.
What's the old up?
I break ground in 2 weeks.
These things take time and
you're proposing substantial alterations.
I'm adding a basement and a furnace,
that's all.
We need our architect to thoroughly review it
and make sure everything is safe and up to code.
Fine, has he seen it yet?
Has he taken a look at it?
I'm not sure to be honest.
I've got bulldozers rolling up
on the 23rd.
I'm not the one who scheduled that.
Ray, I need you to take a breath.
Take a breath...
Do you realize what it's going to cost me if I have to push?
Hopefully it won't come to that.
Every restaurant in the Midwest has a basement
and a furnance.
This is standard stuff.
I understand, but it's our
name on that building.
God forbid the floor caves in and people get hurt,
or worse, because of some design flaw we missed.
Let's just slow down a minute
and make sure it's done right.
So much for the speedy system, huh?
- Did he just hang up on you?
- Yes.
Unless we got violently disconnected.
Okay...
He'll be fine.
Where's the front of the uh... show me.
Alright.
Just make sure the windows are big enough so that the
customer can look in to the restaurant, all the way to the kitchen.
Doesn't look right.
Let's see this...
- Ray?
- What?
We got a letter from San Bernardino.
Read it to me.
Dear Ray, thank you for your letter sharing your
idea to strike a deal with Coca-Cola...
to sponsor menu boards at
the new Des Plaines location.
An intriguing notion indeed.
As you rightly point out...
such an arrangement would provide a steady source
of revenue to the store at no additional labor cost.
- However...
- However?
However what?
However this goes beyond our core beliefs.
McDonald's was founded with the idea...
- of families and not strict commerce.
- Son of a bitch.
- They dunno what they're talkin' about.
- And so on and so on...
There ya go gentlemen.
Back to work.
Lemme explain.
Be real small, right across the bottom.
Very discreet.
We're just not comfortable with the notion
of turning our menu into an advertisement.
See, it's not an ad,
it's sponsorship.
It's distasteful.
It's free money!
There are plenty of things we could do to
make a quick buck. That doesn't mean we should.
- Loads of restaurants do this.
- Well we don't.
Why not?
Because I have no interest in indulging
in that sort of crass commercialism.
It's not McDonald's.
I didn't realize I was parterning
with a beatnik.
I'll have you know I'm a card
carrying Republican!
Yeah, well you coulda fooled me.
He hung up again.
Well he's just a little excitable,
that's all.
A hothead like that,
you don't know what he's capable of.
It's all bluster Dick.
His bark is worse than his bite.
- That's what Neville Chamberlain said.
- He'll relax...
Give him some time.
What are doin', come on!
There's time to lean, there's time to clean.
Let's go.
Put that hat on straight.
400 degrees, right?
That a boy, way to work.
Nice.
Hey, there's one pickle on there.
2 pickles on all the buns.
2 pickles on all of 'em.
Don't... don't.
Look watch.
Flip 'em like that. Really turn 'em over and
then press 'em one time.
And that one's too pink.
There, all right?
Wait... and you...
get these...
Pretty damn good.
- What's your name?
- Fred Turner sir.
Nice work.
Fred Turner.
Fred Turner.
I'm sorry.
I know I've been neglecting you.
What do you say tomorrow...
we go to supper at the club?
Really?
Really.
Well look what the cat dragged in.
Hey everybody.
Hi there. Hey.
- How are ya?
- Good evening stranger.
This is on the left side of the 14th fairway.
- And I use a 3 wood.
- Hmm.
- Hit it clean.
- I hear Acapulco is divine.
Where do you like Ethel?
Um... Spain.
Spain?
Wonderful. How was it?
- Oh no, I mean I'm thinkin' about it.
- Oh you haven't been.
Well we're dreaming up a trip.
Right?
- Great.
- Yeah.
- How's your game Ray?
- Lately?
Non-existent.
- I know, been holdin' myself.
- No kidding.
Ha ha, yeah.
I did hit a hole in one of a sort recently though.
I came across a really, really
interesting business opportunity.
Really interesting.
You boys are gonna want a piece of this.
- Here we go again.
- What is it this time Ray?
Restaurant.
- New kind of restaurant.
- New how?
Restaurant filled with milkshakes and fold-a-nooks?
Fold-a-nook...
I'm just jokin' with ya Ray.
Hold on Jack.
You should hear him out.
This one's different.
Well... do tell us more.
I will.
This is a thing of beauty.
Fully automated kitchen, the likes
of which I've never seen...
It's revolutionary.
It's called the speedy system.
The thing I like about this is it's franchiseable.
The first one's already up and running.
Come over and take a look.
It might make you boys a few dollars.
You don't have to worry about a thing...
we're in charge of everything...
and all these franchises look exactly the same.
I'd have never thought it would work,
...(inaudible)...
Easy as pie. You just pay the
franchise fee, we take care of everything else.
Close enough!
Pick it up troop.
Alright, let's do this.
Got her? Ok.
Gonna be real happy here.
- Congratulations.
- Right.
3 new franchises in the last month.
Well that's great.
What?
I don't know...
What?
Don't you think maybe given our experience
that this is all happening a little too quickly?
If they all pop up at once,
how's he gonna maintain standards?
Son of a bitch.
Give it a whack, Jack.
Hey!
- What's goin' on here?
- Look at this.
What is this? Huh?
- What is that?
- It appears to be a hamburger.
Not a McDonald's burger it's not.
Look at all that ketchup.
And you got 3 pickles on
there instead of 2...
and look at that... lettuce.
- Really Jack, lettuce...
- Can we talk about this another time?
Look at this paddy itself.
It is tragically over-cooked.
- Tragically.
- I don't know Ray, it looks good to me.
What the hell do you know about quality?
- I was by your restaurant today too.
- Yeah? What about it?
- Yah got corn on the cob, yah got fried chicken...
- People love fried chicken!
Do they? Well let them go
somewhere where they serve fried chicken.
And your kitchen is filthy.
What the hell's the matter with you guys?
- I don't know about you Ray, but I'm retired.
- You said this was a good place for us to park our money.
It's an investment.
If I'd have wanted a job I would have
applied for a cook position.
You couldn't get a job as a cook
in one of my restaurants.
Hey!
What's his problem?
He's a pain in the ass is what he is.
Right back at ya Ray!
Ethel?
In here.
- Hi!
- Ray...
Hurry and get changed.
Dinner's called for 7:00.
Yeah, we're not goin' to the club tonight.
Wait, you cancelled our dinner?
I... cancelled our membership.
What?
With all them ??? people.
They're not really our kind.
What are you talking about?
I've lost interest in hobnobbing
with the idle rich.
The idle rich.
You know, their golf, and their Rob Roy's.
They're so complacent and content.
Ray... please tell me you're joking.
These are our friends.
No, I know, I know.
You know what? You and I?
We can make a lot of new friends.
It's alright. Make new friends.
Friends that are more suitable for us.
You know?
Don't ya think?
You know what? Gimme one second?
Garage is driving me crazy.
Can I just go sweep it out
and clean it up and then...
put a nice dress, I'll take
ya out for something to eat.
Just take a gander at this
handsome, gold inlay.
You telling me such spectacular
craftsmanship isn't worth $8.95?
But I'm not interested.
Not interested in the bible, sure to be
the pride of your family's home library?
As you no doubt know June,
envy is one of the 7 deadly sins.
And that is just what your friends are going to be guilty of
when they see this leather-bound beauty on your bookshelf.
Sir, this is a private place of business.
I'm afraid I'm gonna have
to ask ya to leave.
Thank you for your time.
Prince Castle sales...
Oh, hold on.
Ray, it's Mac.
Do you wanna take this?
Uh, yeah.
Tell him I'll call him back.
Hey, hey. Wait a minute.
- What's your name?
- Leonard. Leonard Rosenblat.
Rosenblat?
Really?
What's a Jew doin' sellin' Catholic bibles?
Makin' a living.
I believe in you.
Got that pickle in?
These are ready to spin, smooth.
No salt for 30 seconds.
Okay... Lookin' good fellas!
Lookin' good. Big smiles.
Ya got time to lean ya got time to clean.
It's normally 10 and under, but
for you I'll make an exception.
Hah hah. Love it!
Nice.
My new franchisees are great.
He's in the back workin' in the kitchen...
and she's out front handing
suckers out to the little kids.
Husband and wife, side by side.
Like a real team.
This is really something to see.
It's wonderful.
Don't you think Ethel?
- I suppose it is, yeah.
- Yeah.
Like teammates.
I made supper plans for us Friday.
Guess you didn't rejoin Rolling Green.
Well, no, no.
Some place far better.
B-5
So salty.
He loves salt.
So what do you, Art?
Had a little plumbing business going for
a while after getting out of the service.
Now I sell vacuum cleaners and
give piano lessons on the side.
Wow, busy guy.
Good for you.
Vacuums, plumbing, piano less...
You're a Jack Of All Trades.
Yeah, whatever puts food on the table, right?
You must be so proud.
How'd ya like to do more than
put a little food on the table?
She's excited.
What'd you have in mind?
Burger up.
I'm gonna give ya 3 words...
I want ya to take those 3 words home with ya tonight.
McDonald's... is... family.
Isn't that great?
You know what I see when I see that?
Family.
We're one big family.
Aren't we?
We have mouthes to feed.
That's a family.
I'm looking for a few good men...
and women. Who aren't
afraid of hard work.
Aren't afraid to roll up their sleeves.
I'm looking for scrappers, hustlers,
guys that are willing to roll up their sleeves.
They're livin' on drive,
they got a little fire in their belly.
I stand right here before you today,
I'm gonna offer you something as precious as gold.
And you know what that is?
Anybody?
Anybody?
Opportunity.
It's opportunity.
Opportunity.
Opportunity to advance, to move forward,
to move up, to advance...
To succeed.
To win. To step up.
The sky's the limit.
The sky is the limit.
Grab the brass ring.
To give yourself a shot at the American dream.
Put your arms around the American dream.
Opportunity.
Cause I'll tell ya somethin...
At McDonald's? It's like this
great nation of ours...
Some of that elbow grease.
I guarantee ya,
if you got the guts...
the gumption, the desire...
I guarantee ya you can succeed.
There's gold to be had. At the end of...
those Golden Arches...
Golden Arches.
Golden Arches.
Now who's with me?
Who wants to jump on that ladder to success?
Be part of the McDonald's "mishpokhe".
Now who's with me?
Come on, lemme see some hands.
There ya go.
Who else?
McDonald's.
It's good, Art.
Good job.
Thank you sir.
The nerve of this guy.
What?
Guess what he's calling his display in store?
McDonald's #1.
What are we then?
Could his head get any bigger?
Ladies and gentlemen we are about to begin
our initial decent into Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Mr. Kroc! Welcome to Minneapolis.
Wonderful to see ya!
Gimme an "M"!
Gimme a "C"!
- Ray, how is it?
- You can't even top that in Chicago.
Well, we don't mess around up here.
Boy, my compliments to the chef,
that's wonderful.
I can do ya one better.
- How about the owner?
- Sure, why in the hell not.
Rollie... Rolly.
- Jimmy, great to see ya.
- Rollie, how are ya?
Ah, wonderful.
- Rollie Smith, Ray Kroc.
- A real pleasure.
Oh boy, I tell ya,
you got a hell of a restaurant here.
Well comin' from you that's quite a compliment.
My reputation proceeds me.
- I'm a great admirer.
- Well uh... sit down.
- Well I don't wanna interrupt.
- Have a seat.
Well maybe just a minute.
- This is Fred Turner, my associate.
- Welcome.
Steaks cooked okay?
Excellent, perfect.
Well our intention is to expand
pretty far beyond the Midwest...
We're not gonna settle here.
We're not gonna...
We're gonna expand far beyond the Midwest...
Well you've clearly got a warm
and loving home here in Minneapolis.
Yeah, so it seems.
Yeah, this town just can't
get enough of McDonald's.
- There ya go sir.
- Another Canadian Club for my friend.
- Yes sir, comin' right up.
- Thank you.
In fact, I'd say there's sufficient
enthusiam to support another.
Second location.
You know come to think of it, I know
the perfect person to own and operate it.
Ya don't say.
Somebody who knows what it
takes to build a great restaurant.
Someone with more than 20 years
in the food service industry.
Who?
- Me.
- You?
Oh!
That's a shock.
I've got the know how, I've got the backers,
and I've got the perfect location.
Are you familiar with Hennipen Avenue?
It's one of the busiest commerical
arteries in the whole Twin Cities.
There's a prime site that's recently become
available, a full acre on the corner of Hennipen and...
- Mr. Kroc.
- Yeah.
Would ya like to meet her?
Yeah... sure.
So Ray, how long are you here
with us for in the Twin Cities?
- Huh?
- How long are you in town?
Not sure yet.
- If you gentlemen can steal a second I would love to...
- Sure.
personally give you a tour
of this site on Hennepin that...
that Rollie is talking about.
He knows how to pick 'em.
I mean this place...
There's enough room for the restaurant...
the parking, possibly a playground
for the little ones.
Ray Kroc, meet Joan Smith...
my wife.
Pleasure to meet you.
Pleasure to meet you.
Well join us.
Have a drink with us.
I'd love that.
- How are you guys?
- Good.
This is Fred Turner, he's a...
We did Madison, Milwaukee, Kinosha...
Grand Rapids, uh...
we've got the 3 in Chicago area.
Oh, Jim's here in Minneapolis.
St. Paul.
And uh, got one in Dayton, Ohio.
That's right.
You must be positively dizzy Mr. Kroc.
Please, call me Ray.
Ray.
That's some growth.
Yeah.
- We're doin' good, right Fred?
- Yes sir.
Yeah we're doin' good.
When did you start it?
Uh, hmm? Sorry?
What year did you start McDonald's?
The year?
I started it in 1954.
Remarkable.
Yup.
Well, I should get back.
Back?
Yeah, to my piano.
Oh, of course.
What's your favorite song?
All-time favorite.
Pennies From Heaven.
Pennies From Heaven.
- Great gal.
- Yup.
I sold pianos for a while.
Every time it rains...
it rains... pennies from heaven.
Don't you know each cloud contains...
pennies from heaven.
You'll find your fortune fallin'...
all over town.
Sounds pretty good.
Be sure that your umbrella,
is upside down.
Trade them for a package of...
sunshine and flowers.
If you want the things you love...
you must have showers.
So when you hear it thunder...
don't run under a tree.
There will be pennies from
heaven for you and me.
- Ray?
- Down here.
Uh, I think I've got some people for you.
I met this young couple...
very committed.
They're from Glenview.
High school sweethearts.
Married for 5 years.
- And they're looking for a business they can operate together.
- Uh huh, uh huh.
- And they seem very excited.
- Yeah, forget that. Everything's changed.
Ya want a drink?
No, changed how?
Forget the Chicago suburbs, think bigger.
- Bigger...
- I'm not chasing them anymore.
They're chasing me now.
The trip.
How was it?
Triumphant.
They were rolling out the red carpet.
And kissing this ring.
They're begging me for McDonald's now.
Here, have a drink.
- That's nice.
- Yeah, sure is.
I'm sure.
Well, then, all hail...
Pope Raymond I.
Damn right.
Goddamn right.
- Ray?
- Yeah.
We have a small problem.
Wait a minute...
How can we be almost out of capital?
Well, your revenue, the
monthly cut of the store's...
1.4% of debt.
- 1.4?
- Yeah.
1.9 minus Dick and Mac's half percent.
Mr. McDonald, Ray Kroc's on the line.
Good to see you.
- Hi Ray.
- I wanna renegotiate.
Renegotiate what?
My deal.
My lousy deal.
1.4 doesn't cover my monthly nut
let alone drive expansion.
- Ray, those are the terms.
- It's not good enough.
- It's almost triple our cut.
- Well, you should be getting more too then.
Shouldn't ya.
We're not greedy men.
Greed has nothing to do with it.
If I had more money to work with
I could be growing this thing at twice the pace.
- We have no beef with the current rate of expansion.
- I have nothing.
Not one location in Pennsylvania.
Nothing in New York.
- All in good time.
- Nothing in Texas.
I have no doubt it'll come.
Ya know, I'm out here breaking
my neck for you guys...
And you're doing a bang up job.
Well then I should be doing a hell of
a lot better than just breaking even.
- I don't know what to say.
- Say you'll renegotiate.
- I can't.
- Can't or won't?
Upping your cut, it would be unfair
to the franchisees.
The franchisees are doing just fine,
I'm the one that's drowning here.
You freely and willingly agreed
to the terms of your deal, Ray.
Nobody put a gun to your head.
- 4%
- No.
- 3 1/2%
- Ray...
- What?
- No.
Goddamn it!
Dick...
Is he a pain in the rear?
Yes.
Does he have a few screws loose,
you bet...
but that doesn't mean he's
gonna do us any harm.
- How long are you gonna keep this up Mac?
- Keep up what?
The whole, Everything Is Fine act.
There's a wolf in the hen house.
We let him in.
I never should have listened.
We have a contract for just
this sort of thing, Dick.
Should have trusted my gut.
So it's my fault, huh?
Just like the movie theater.
Well I'm sorry.
I wanted you to have your dream.
$94.00
It's unbelievable what these suckers cost to run.
You know my Pop used
to own an ice cream parlor?
He went belly up from
the refridgeration costs.
Really?
A man called today.
Illinois First Federal.
Did he say what he wanted?
Why don't you tell me.
What did he want?
Ray...
What?
Did you mortgage our home?
We could lose everything.
I specifically said the office
is the best place to reach me.
I tried you there Mr. Kroc,
numerous times.
You have no right to call me at my home.
- That's a blatant invasion of my privacy.
- With all due respect sir, when you're...
3 months behind on your payments you don't
get to pick and choose where we contact you.
- Ray.
- Surprise inspection.
What are you doing here?
I just came up to see how thing's are goin'.
$12,400.00
That's a pretty good haul for month #1.
Could be bigger.
- I hate to mix business with pleasure...
- I don't.
but, my expenses.
What about 'em?
Well they're a bit higher than I anticipated.
One thing in particular...
the walk-in. That bill
is a real whopper.
I don't know, it's a problem,
all that ice cream...
I don't wanna over step my bounds here,
but I may have found a solution.
Well Joan did, actually.
Ya don't say.
What if I told you there was a way,
all of your owner operators could save...
literally hundreds of dollars
a year in electrical costs...
and reduce the time that it
takes to make a milkshake, by half.
I'll bite.
It's a powdered milkshake.
Costs a fraction of ice cream and
there's no refridgeration necessary.
It contains powdered milk.
Thickening agents and emulsifiers
simulate the texture of ice cream.
- Tastes just like the real thing.
- It's easy as pie to make.
You put a packet into a
glass of water and stir it.
I know it may be a tad blasphemous
what with your dairy background and all.
Personally, I think it's
a marvelous idea.
Chocolate or vanilla?
Vanilla.
Good things come to those who wait.
What do you think?
I think I'm drinking a
delicious vanilla milkshake.
May I?
I can't resist.
So what do you say?
- We try it out at our place and if it goes well...
- We roll it out nationally.
I could, yeah.
Let me think about it.
You're the boss.
McDonald's.
Just found a way to save you,
me and all our owner operators...
- literally hundreds of dollars a year in electrical costs.
- And what would that be?
Two words: powerded milkshake.
I'm tellin' you I came across a remarkable
called instamix.
Like I say, it's a powdered milkshake,
it's a fraction of the cost of ice cream
and requires no refridgeration.
- Ray...
- I tell ya I tried it myself,
it tastes just like the real thing.
It's delicious!
Comes in chocolate, comes in vanilla...
me, I'm a vanilla man.
Ray we have no interest in a milkshake
that contains NO MILK.
Why don't we add sawdust to
the hamburgers while we're at it...
frozen french fries.
- You don't want to save a bundle.
- Not like that.
We're talking about the same great taste...
same great taste, while
boosting the bottom line.
It's called a milkshake Ray.
Real milk.
Now and forever!
I understa...
I'm just asking you to extend my line.
Until you build more equity in your
home or pay down the loan...
there's nothing I can do.
- My business is booming.
- Unfortunately that's immaterial.
Well, I've got 13 locations in 9 states...
It's a home equity loan.
Then give me a business loan.
- These 13 locations, do you own 'em?
- Me personally?
It's your business, correct?
You own it.
I'm the head of franchising.
I'm the one behind this growth.
That's all well and good
but you need assets.
Have you been to a McDonald's?
Because we've got 3 right here in the Chicagoland
area and you should come by and take a look.
I would love to give you a tour to give
you a better sense of what I'm talking about.
Mr. Kroc...
May I help you?
No, but... perhaps I can help you.
Harry Sonneborn, nice to meet you.
No, thanks.
We're very happy with our current supplier.
I'm not here to sell you ice cream.
What the hell do ya want?
I caught a bit of your conversation back there,
sounds like you're having financial troubles.
Why don't you mind your own business?
I'm a great admirer of your establishment.
- Thank you.
- I eat lunch at your Waukegan location at least twice a week.
Always a fantastic crowd.
Your point being...
Mr. Kroc, if you're not making money hand over fist,
something's terribly wrong.
June, grab the ledger would ya?
Come on in the office Harry.
So, to summerize,
you have a miniscule revenue stream...
no cash reserves...
amd an albatross of a contract...
that requires you to go through
a slow approval process to...
enact changes, if they're approved at all.
Which, they never are.
Am I missing anything?
That about sums it up.
Tell me about the land.
The... land.
The land, the buildings, how
that whole aspect of it works.
Oh, pretty simple really...
franchisee finds a piece of land he likes...
gets a lease, usually 20 years...
and takes our construction loan...
throws up a building
and off he goes.
So the operator selects the site?
- Yeah.
- He picks the property.
Right.
You provide the training, the system,
the operational know how...
and he is responsible for the rest.
- Is there a problem?
- A big one.
You don't seem to realize
what business you're in.
You're not in the burger business,
you're in the real estate business.
You don't build an empire off a 1.4% cut
of a $0.15 hamburger.
You build it by owning the land...
upon which that burger is cooked.
What you ought to be doing...
is buying up plots of land...
then turning around and leasing
said plots to franchisees.
Who as a condition of their deal...
should be permitted to lease from you,
and you alone.
This will provide you with two things.
1. A steady up front revenue stream...
money flows in before the
first stake is in the ground.
2. Greater capital for expansion.
Which in turn fuels further land aquisition...
which in turn fuels further expansion...
and so on, and so on.
Land.
That's where the money is.
And more than that, control.
Control over the franchisee.
Fail to uphold quality standards,
you cancel their lease.
Control over Dick and Mac.
End result, you'll have the banks and the
franchisees in the palm of your hand.
If I were to do this, the brothers,
they uh...
- effectively would be...
- Yes.
So...
What do you say Ray?
We'll need backing. I've arranged meetings
with investors and financial institutions.
The center of town which is the
only oversaturated aspect...
Has anyone here ever eaten at McDonald's?
This population growth is
going to enable us to expand...
The figures are exaggerated but they're
fully supported by the numericals.
In fact, we erred on the side of caution with these.
He's being conservative.
Mine, based on gut, and my gut
tells me those numbers are low.
McDonald's, growing quick as a hick.
I'm Harry Sonneborn, this is Ray Kroc.
Hurry over to McDonald's.
Now serving family communities from coast to coast.
You're probably only minutes away
from America's favorite restaurant.
McDonald's fast service is the
perfect answer for parties,
birthday lunches, and family
meals any time.
With no fuss or dishes to do.
It's America's greatest food value.
No wonder you see so many
of your neighbors there.
If you want home quality cooking
without the home work, try McDonald's.
Look for the Golden Arches at McDonald's.
The closest thing to home.
Have you heard of the Franchise Realty Corporation?
What is it?
I have no clue. Apparently
Ray Kroc is president and C.E.O.
- Hiya Dick, how ya doin'?
- Well if you really wanna know, I'm a tad miffed.
Why, what seems to be the problem?
- Franchise Realty Corporation.
- What about it?
For starters, would you mind
telling me what it is?
Oh nothing really.
Just a little something I created
to provide leasing services...
you know, lend support to
our new franchisees.
You know full well you can't do something
like that without first clearing it.
Now, why would I need to do that?
Because as your deal states, any and
all changes must be agreed to in writing.
- Except it's not a change.
- Excuse me?
It's not a change.
It's a company.
It's its own separate company,
which puts it outside your purview.
Anything relating to McDonald's
is within our purview.
Let me explain something to you Dick...
You boys have full say over what
goes on inside the restaurants.
But outside, above, below...
your authority stops at the door.
And at the floor.
Alright?
What is he saying?
He's buying the land.
Our land?
Get one of the map.
Make sure to get this and we
wanna get all the pins in there.
You sure you see this?
Alright.
How about one at the desk?
Make sure you get that in focus.
K, smile.
Good, good, good, good.
Delivery!
Where do ya want these?
Ray...
I've thought it over.
Approved.
Really?
- Thank you.
- No, thank you.
It's a wizz bang idea and
you're the one who thought of it.
Well we're deeply honored to
serve as your test market.
The hell with that.
I'm gonna roll this out nationally.
You seen the latest copy of RBM?
Hot off the press.
Ray, good for you.
It's about 10 miles south of downtown...
They're building a brand new sports stadium there.
Yeah, I read about it.
We're getting a profesional baseball and
football team, they'll both be playing there.
I think I know where you're headed with this.
A 40,000 seat stadium just a stone's
throw away? Imagine the foot traffic.
Hungry families looking for a
bite to eat after the game.
Or before? Whenever.
Exactly.
Yeah.
You think big, don't ya Joan?
Is there any other way to?
Well, you'd be surprised.
A lot of people are afraid of taking a chance,
to you know, reach for greatness.
That's so sad.
I agree.
Ambition.
That's the stuff in life.
What was that saying?
- Fortune favors the bold.
- Absolutely.
Just look at you.
You calling me bold, Joan?
You don't build a restaurant empire
acting like a timid little mouse.
That's a fast growing area.
And cheaper. You're talking
a good 15% less per acre.
- I still think Houston's a better location.
- Ray?
- Yeah.
- Dick's on line 1.
Well.
- Hiya Dick.
- I just received a very disconcerting call.
Oh?
From Buddy Jepson, our
operator in Sacramento.
I'm very aware of who Buddy Jepson is.
He told me he received a shipment this morning.
Oh, it arrived.
You are way out of line, Ray.
Hey I didn't expect that to get
there until Friday at the earliest.
Would you mind telling me what you are doing
shipping 4 cases of Instamix to one of our operators?
Look, if you don't wanna
make a profit, that's fine.
But don't stop the rest of us.
Us?
Us, as in everyone but you.
Who did you send them to?
Everyone but you.
You have no right. You are to
stop this instant, is that clear?
- Nah.
- What the hell does that mean, nah?
You will abide by the terms of your deal.
I am through taking marching orders from you...
you and your endless parade of NO's.
Constantly cowering in the face of progress.
If phony powdered milkshakes
is your idea of progress...
you have a profound misunderstand
of what McDonald's is about.
I have a far greater understanding
of McDonald's than you two yokles.
What?
You will do as we say.
Nope.
You have a contract!
You know, contracts are like hearts...
they're made to be broken.
Could you please pass the salt?
Thank you.
I want a divorce.
When trying to quietly settle a divorce...
the first thing to ask is,
what will she want?
And, is her request reasonable and equitable?
In terms of marital property there's the house,
and car, savings and checking accounts...
- Insurance...
- Just give it to her.
House, car, insurance.
What about the business?
Nope.
Ray, ya have to understand...
- that she's the...
- K.
Lemme explain somethin' to ya.
It's never gonna happen.
I'd sooner die than give her
one single share in McDonald's.
It's not so simple. The brothers are your business
partners. You signed this contract.
Make it go away.
And I don't care what it takes.
It's gonna cost ya.
'New Flavor, Strawberry'
'Maybe you'll like this one, best, Ray'
I'm looking at a letterhead with
the name McDonald's on it.
You care to explain?
It was confusing. People didn't even
know it had anything to do with McDonald's.
What's confusing is you calling yourself
'The McDonald's Corporation'.
People will think it's the whole company,
not just the real estate arm...
which we strongly suspect is what you hope!
You put Dick's arches on your letterhead?
This is not your company, Ray.
- Do you understand that!?!?
- Mac, don't get upset.
We came up with the speedy system, not you.
Us.
What have you ever come up with?
Can you name one thing?
You can't, and you never have,
and you never will...
because you are a leech, Ray.
You are a professional leech.
You know what I came up with, Mac?
You know what I came up with, Mac
A concept.
I came with the concept of winning.
Lemme talk to him.
While you two boys were content to sit
back and become a couple of also-rans...
I wanna take the future.
I wanna win.
And you don't get there by being
some "aw shucks" guy sap.
There's no place in business for people like that.
Business is war.
It's dog eat dog,
rat eat rat.
If my competitor were drowning,
I'd walk over and put a hose right in his mouth.
Can you say the same?
I can't.
Nor would I want to.
Hence, your single location.
- We want you out of this company, Ray.
- Mac, how do you propose we do that?
We will sue you,
whatever it takes.
And you'd probably win.
But you can't afford to sue me.
I'd bury you in court costs alone.
Mac, I'm the president and C.E.O. of a
major corporation with land holdings in 17 states...
You run a burger stand in the desert.
I'm national.
You're fucking local.
Mac!
Are you following your eating plan?
Yes.
And you're checking your glucose levels...
and you're taking your medication
on a consistant basis...
Yes.
- Regular walks, 20 minutes a day?
- I'm on my feet all day.
Any stress?
Okay.
You need to watch that.
That's a big contributing factor.
So as I said, your kidney
function is currently at 50%.
Now 18 months ago it was 65%.
Any lower and you're at serious
risk for kidney failure.
Okay, I'll check on you later.
- Thanks.
- Thank you.
William who rode with Revere...
- How many letters?
- 5, 4th letter 'E'.
Dawes.
Come in!
How ya feelin'?
Geez, sounded like somethin' spilled
I followed it right to the phone.
I hear about the, accident.
I'll set it right here.
Dick.
There's a card in there.
Go ahead.
That's okay.
No, here. Just...
You're gonna be happy.
What's this?
What's it look like?
A blank check.
Then that's uh...
that's probably what it is.
What are you buying?
Okay.
You get better...
You get up on your feet in no time,
and we'll talk. Alright?
Dick.
We will never beat him.
We will never be rid of him.
Dick McDonald's on the line.
Hello Dick.
2.7 million.
That's a million for each of us after taxes.
And, 1% of the company's
profits in perpetuity.
That's outrageous.
That's borderline extortion.
That's a bunch of bullshit.
BULLSHIT!
- I know it seems like a lot of money now.
- Yeah, it seems like a lot of money any time.
And they want one other thing.
What?
- San Bernardino.
- Nah ah.
No way.
To give to their long-time
employees as a gift.
I need the profits from San Bernardino
in order to pay off the purchase loan.
I've spoken about it at length with their
lawyers it's unfortunately, non-negotiable.
Our client agrees fully with your conditions
of sale, with one exception...
Your 1% cut of future corporate earnings
will have to be carried out on a handshake basis.
It's my investor group.
The financing is contigent on...
leaving that out of the contract...
and unfortunately this deal just doesn't happen, it doesn't
get financed unless you leave it out of the contract.
because unfortunately that's
a deal breaker for them.
Look fellas...
you'll get your full royalties, alright?
You got my word on that.
Dick, Mac...
Let's make a deal.
Alright.
Alright gentlemen, turn to page 4 of your contract and
that's the first set of signatures we need to go over.
I just have to ask you one thing.
Somethin' I've never understood.
Alright.
That day we met,
when we gave you the tour...
Uh huh. What about it?
We showed you everything.
The whole system, all of our secrets.
We were an open book.
- So why didn't you just...
- Steal it?
Just, grab your ideas and run off,
start my own business...
using all those ideas of yours.
- It would have failed.
- How do you know?
Am I the only one who got the kitchen tour?
You must have invited lots
of people back there, huh?
And?
How many of them succeeded?
Lots of people started restaurants.
As big as McDonald's?
Of course not.
No one ever has and no one ever will
because they all lacked that one thing...
that makes McDonald's special.
Which is?
Even you don't know what it is.
Enlighten me.
It's not just the system, Dick.
It's the name.
That glorious name, McDonald's.
It could be, anything you want it to be...
it's limitless, it's wide open...
it sounds, uh...
it sounds like...
it sounds like America.
That's compared to Kroc. What a crock.
What a load of crock.
Would you eat at a place named Kroc's?
Kroc's has that blunt, Slavic sound.
Kroc's.
But McDonald's, oh boy.
That's a beauty.
Yeah...
A guy named McDonald?
He's never gonna get pushed around in life.
That's clearly not the case.
So, you don't have a check for
1.35 million dollars in your pocket?
Bye Dick.
So if you can't beat 'em, buy 'em.
I remember the first time I saw that name
stretched across your stand out there.
It was love at first sight.
I knew right then and there...
I had to have it.
And now I do.
You don't, have it.
You sure about that?
Bye Dick.
As per the terms of your agreement, while you
are entitled to maintain ownership of this location...
you no longer have the right to call it, McDonald's,
McDonald, or any other such variations...
so as to confuse or infringe
upon the McDonald's trademark...
which is now the exclusive intellectual
property of Mr. Raymond A. Kroc.
Thank you gentlemen.
It'll be alright.
Now, I know what you're thinkin'.
How the hell does a 52 year old,
over-the-hill milkshake machine salesman...
build a fastfood empire with 16,000 restaurants,
in 50 states, in 5 foreign countries...
wtih an annual revenue of in the
neighborhood of $700,000,000.00...
One word...
PERSISTENCE.
Nothing in this world can take
the place of good old persistence.
Talent won't. Nothing's more common
than unsuccessful men with talent.
Genius won't.
Unrecognized genius is practically a clich.
Education won't.
Why the world is full of educated fools.
Persistence and determination
alone are all powerful.
Mr. Kroc., Bill Davison.
I'd like to do a profile of you
pegged to your 100th location.
Sure, call my office.
Sure thing.
Alright.
It's these core principles...
that enabled me to rise to the top of a heap...
at a point in life when most men
would be thinking about retirement.
Why, we appear to have that in common,
governer Reagan.
Why, you were what, 55
when you started in politics?
That's why you make me
look like a spring chicken.
Laugh, laugh, laugh.
Why, look at us.
A couple of Illinois boys.
Made good.
Only in America.
Only in America.
Only in America!
Now where was...
Now where was I?
Ah yes.
The beginning.
The year was 1954.
The place...
Des Plaines, Illinois.
The car's out front now.
Be right down.
That's where it all started.
Right there on Lee Street.
McDonald's #1.
It was a typical, English American word...
it flowed, McDonald's.
I liked the sound of it.
It sounded wholesome...
and it sounded geniune.
Ya know?
Uh... I don't like these uh...
gimmick type names, you know?
Uh... burger this and burger that
and all that kind of stuff.
McDonald's has got a nice sounding name.