The Founder Page #3

As he’s about to take a bite, out the corner of his eye he

notices in a nearby car... a GORGEOUS BLONDE.

KROC’S POV:
The blonde, biting into a hamburger. As she

chews, a look of ecstasy comes over her face. She closes her

eyes, her head tipping back a bit, borderline orgasmic.

ON KROC-- staring at the blonde.

MOTHER (O.S.)

May we?

Kroc is shaken out of his reverie by a FAMILY OF FOUR looking

to sit on the bench. He slides over, making room.

MOTHER (CONT’D)

Thank you.

Kroc’s attention shifts from the blonde to the family. He

discretely watches as the mother passes out burgers to her

two young kids. The kids bite into them, “mmm”-ing audibly.

ON KROC-- observing this family of four, wholesome as can be,

devouring their delicious McDonald’s hamburgers.

Kroc looks at the burger in his own hand, takes a bite. As he

chews, his eyes roll back in his head.

MAN (O.S.)

How is everything?

Kroc looks up, sees a MAN standing before him. His necktie

and demeanor suggest manager.

RAY KROC:

This is the best burger I ever had.

13.

MAN:

We aim to please.

The man smiles, extends a friendly hand.

MAN (CONT’D)

Mac McDonald.

RAY KROC:

Ray Kroc.

They shake. Kroc pulls a BUSINESS CARD from a pocket, hands

it to him. McDonald looks at it, unsure what to make of it:

RAY KROC - PRINCE CASTLE SALES CORP. - 2310 WACKER DRIVE,

CHICAGO, ILL.

RAY KROC (CONT’D)

The Multimixer fella.

MAC MCDONALD:

(it clicks in--)

You spoke to my brother.

Mac looks again at the card, noting the Chicago address.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

What brings you way out here?

RAY KROC:

Oh, I was just in Los Angeles.

Meetings. Business. Figured as long

as I was in the neighborhood, I’d

swing by, say hello.

MAC MCDONALD:

Well, I’m glad you did. Welcome!

Kroc’s eyes drift to the busy, humming restaurant.

RAY KROC:

Quite an operation you got here.

MAC MCDONALD:

Care for a little tour?

There’s nothing Kroc would like more.

INT. KITCHEN - SHORT TIME LATER

A bustling kitchen, organized as a series of stations.

14.

MAC MCDONALD (O.S.)

Speed...

ON MAC-- leading Kroc through the kitchen.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

That’s the name of the game.

They come to a massive GRILL manned by THREE COOKS.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

First stop for every McDonald’s

hamburger is the grill, manned by

three cooks whose sole job is to

grill those all-beef beauties to

perfection.

Kroc watches the mouth-watering beef sizzling on the grill.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

Meanwhile...

He leads Kroc to an adjacent station, where two DRESSERS

stand before a rotating Lazy Susan with 24 BUN TOPS on it.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

As the patty cooks, our “dressers”

get the bun ready.

DRESSER #1 puts pickle slices and onion on each bun-

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

Every McDonald’s hamburger gets two

pickles, a pinch of onion...

--while DRESSER #2 applies a squirt of ketchup and mustard

with a pair of trigger-operated CONDIMENT GUNS.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

...and a precise shot of ketchup

and mustard.

RAY KROC:

(re:
condiment guns)

Where’d you get those things?

MAC MCDONALD:

We made ‘em.

RAY KROC:

Made them?

MAC MCDONALD:

Custom built. Whole kitchen is.

15.

ON KROC-- utterly amazed.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

(resuming tour)

Next it’s off to the finishing

station...

ANGLE ON the Lazy Susan, carrying 24 fully dressed bun tops,

traveling along a belt toward a FINISHING STATION.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

Where it all comes together.

A pair of FINISHERS put cooked patties onto the fully dressed

bun tops, then put on bun bottoms and neatly wrap it up.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

Voilá!

The finished product is fed into an angled metal sleeve that

slides them to the front counter, where cashiers can grab and

bag them with ease.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

A fresh and delicious hamburger,

grill to counter in 30 seconds.

ON KROC-- dumbfounded by what he’s seen. He looks at Mac.

RAY KROC:

How?

MAC MCDONALD:

Did I come up with all of this?

(sly smile)

I didn’t.

Kroc is confused.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

We did.

Kroc follows Mac’s eyes to a MAN coming toward them.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

Dick McDonald. My brother.

Kroc grabs Dick’s hand, enthusiastically shakes.

RAY KROC:

I just have to say, what you’ve

done here is nothing short of-

16.

DICK MCDONALD:

(to Mac, ignoring Ray)

The fries.

MAC MCDONALD:

What about ‘em?

Dick leads Mac toward the FRENCH FRY STATION. Kroc follows

along. Dick plucks a fry off the drying rack, hands it to

Mac, who pops it in his mouth.

MAC MCDONALD (CONT’D)

Perfect.

DICK MCDONALD:

They’re five percent too crisp.

Dick takes a fry, tastes it. Frowns.

DICK MCDONALD (CONT’D)

I think we should drop to two

minutes, 50 seconds.

MAC MCDONALD:

That’s what you had it at before.

DICK MCDONALD:

400, not 375. Higher temp, shorter

cook.

Mac takes another taste.

MAC MCDONALD:

I really think they’re spot-on.

RAY KROC:

(to Dick)

If it makes any difference, they’re

the best fries I’ve ever tasted.

Crispy golden brown on the outside,

fluffy on the inside. Not too oily,

perfectly salty and crunchy.

Dick looks at Ray, taking note of him for the first time.

DICK MCDONALD:

Who are you?

MAC MCDONALD:

This is that Multimixer fella you

spoke to.

RAY KROC:

Ray Kroc, Prince Castle Sales.

17.

Kroc hands Dick his card. Dick gives it a cursory glance.

DICK MCDONALD:

How soon you figure we can expect

‘em?

RAY KROC:

I’m sending them Blue Label Air.

You should have it early next week.

DICK MCDONALD:

Good.

With this, Dick abruptly walks off. Ray gives chase.

RAY KROC:

Wait!

He catches up, grabs Dick’s arm.

RAY KROC (CONT’D)

Let me take you out to dinner.

DICK MCDONALD:

(jokey)

You’re really not my type.

RAY KROC:

You and your brother.

Mac, a few feet away, comes over, curious.

MAC MCDONALD:

What for?

RAY KROC:

I’m gonna shoot straight with you

fellas. This restaurant is the most

remarkable thing I’ve seen in all

my years in the food-service

industry. And believe you me, I’ve

seen it all. I want to know

everything about it. Where it came

from, how you thought of it.

(BEAT)

Please. Tell me your story.

INT. STEAKHOUSE - EVENING

Kroc sits across from the brothers in a corner booth, rib eye

steaks in front of all three.

18.

MAC MCDONALD:

There wasn’t a job in all of

Manchester. All of New Hampshire.

So we packed our bags and headed

west. To Hollywood. I wanted to be

in the movie business. And Dick,

well, he wanted to be...

DICK MCDONALD:

Employed.

MAC MCDONALD:

We landed jobs driving trucks for

Columbia Pictures. After a few

years, we had enough saved up to

buy our own little piece of show

business. A little movie theater

out in Glendora. Which would’ve

been swell, except for the small

matter of timing. It was September

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