The film was adapted from a real story.
It tells the story of McDonald's "founder" Ray Kroc's creation of the McDonald's Empire.
Ray, as a 50-year-old milkshake salesman , met a McDonald's brother who was running a hamburger shop, which made him see unlimited business opportunities.
So he decided to cooperate with the McDonald's brothers to carry forward the chain store model of the McDonald¡¯s.
After a few days, the McDonald's enterprise founded by Ray seems to be booming,
but in fact, due to the strict terms of the contract at the time, the profits belonged to the franchisees and the McDonald's brothers.
Ray himself has been unable to pay the debts .
At this time, the second person of the McDonald¡¯s Empire, Henry, appeared.
Mr. Kroc?
Can I help you?
No, but perhaps I can help you. Harry, nice to meet you.
What the hell do you want?
I caught a bit of your conversation back there, sounds like you're having financial wrong.
Why don't you mind your own business?
I'm a great admirer of your establishment.
Thank you.
Mr. Kroc, if you're not making money hand over fist, something is terribly wrong.
Ray took Henry to his the office. And the staff handed over the book
So to summarize...You have a little revenue stream.No cash reserves.
a slow approval process ,Tell me about the land.
Franchisee finds a piece of land,throws up a building and off he goes.
So the operator selects the site.
Yeah.
He picks the property?You provide the training, the system,and the operational methods?
Is there a problem?
Yeah A big one.
You're in the real estate business! What you ought to be doing is buying land
then turning around and leasing said plots to franchisees
It should be permitted to lease from you and you alone.This will provide you a steady, up-front revenue stream and greater capital for expansion.
If I were to do this, for this two brothers, I think they would be...
Yes. So, what do you think, Ray?
Finally Ray agreed with Henry¡¯s proposal and established the Fidelity real estate company
The McDonald brothers accidentally learned about it on the newspaper and called for ask.
Hi, Dick, how are you doing?
Well, if you really want to 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 thing I created to help provide leasing services, you know, lend support to our new franchisees.
You know full well you can't do something like that without clearing it.
why would I need to do that?
Because as your deal plainly 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. It¡¯s outside your purview.
Anything relating to McDonald's is within our purview.
Let me explain something to you, Dick.
You have full right over the inside of the restaurants.But outside? Below? Above? not your authority.
your authority stops at the door and at the floor.
Ray established the McDonald's empire and wrote a letter to the two brothers to acquire for the ownership of McDonald's brand.
But the letterhead of the envolope was printed with the name McDonald's.
I'm looking at a letterhead with the name McDonald's on it.
This is not your company, Ray! Do you understand that!
Dick, don't get upset.
We came up with the speedy system, not you Ray! You are a leech!
You know what I came up with? A concept. I came up with the concept of winning.
While you two boys were content to sit back, I'm going to take the future. I wanna win.
There's no place in business for people like you.Business is war.
If my competitor were drowning, I'd walk over and put a hose right in his mouth. Can you do that?
We want you out of this company, Ray!We will sue you, whatever it takes!
You'd probably win. But you can't afford to sue me. Dick, I'm the president and CEO of a major corporation with land holdings in 17 states. You're fucking local.
The brothers are always satisfied with the existing state, but Ray is full of ambition.
There are more and more disputes between the two sides.
So, in the 1961, Ray decided to buy out McDonald's completely.
The brothers asked for $2.7 million dollars,but Ray thought that's outrageous.
So the two sides decided to sit at the negotiating table, trying to solve the problem through legal channels.
Our client agrees with your conditions of sale, but Your one percent cut of future corporate earnings will have to be carried out on a handshake basis.
unfortunately, The financing is contingent on leaving that out of the contract,
Look, you'll get your full royalties. Ok?
You've got my word on that. Dick. Let's make a deal.
Alright.
Alright gentlemen, if you would turn to page four of your contract.
Ray eventually bought McDonald's from the McDonald's brothers for $2.7 million dollars.
But what he has promised for the copyright fee was not given at last.
The last scene, Ray encountered Dick in the bathroom.
I just have to ask you one thing.Something I've never understood.
Alright.
hat day we met, we gave you the tour.
Uh-huh.
We showed you everything.The whole system, all our secrets.So why didn't you just...
Steal it?
Steal my ideas, run off, start your business.
Using all those ideas of yours? I would fail.
How do you know?
Am I the only one who got the kitchen tour?
Nope.
How many of them succeed? Of course not. Because they all lack 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 can be anything you want it to be.
It's limitless, it's wide open. It sounds... It sounds like America.
You know what? It was love at first sight. I knew right then and there, I had to have it.
Bye,Dick.