At a busy intersection in Downey, California, there's a monument to the founding of our fast food nation. This is the oldest McDonald's in the world now, and you've never been here, right? No, I've never been here.
This is my first time. Wow. Jason McDonald French is the grandson of Dick McDonald, who along with his brother Mac started selling burgers, fries, and shakes in San Bernardino, California in 1948. The Downey location was the third one they built. And the oldest still standing.
So what was it like growing up with this particular family history? As children, we weren't allowed to talk about it. Our parents didn't want us going around saying that we were the grandson of Richard McDonald.
It's always kind of been that family secret that no one talked about. We never really advertised it. That could be because the McDonald's empire we know today, with nearly 37,000 stores in more than 100 countries, exists largely because of this man. whose last name is not McDonald.
Did your grandfather ever mention Ray Kroc to you? Not really. Ray Kroc was kind of a touchy subject. Now, he worked with Ray for years, and they had a great relationship up until the end.
The story of the McDonald brothers and Ray Kroc is told in the new film The Founder. Michael Keaton plays Kroc. This is some operation.
Care for a little tour? The milkshake mixer salesman who takes the McDonald Brothers concept and franchises it across the country. We all kind of think we know McDonald's.
What did you learn that surprised you? There was so much I've learned. First of all, I didn't know that there were McDonald's Brothers.
And the more I learned about the story, it simply was just real interesting. In 1948, the McDonald Brothers debuted a new kitchen assembly line they called the Speedy Service System. Speedy was the restaurant's mascot.
Long before there was a Ronald McDonald, Speed! That's the name of the game! their system was revolutionary. A fresh, delicious burger from grill to counter in 30 seconds.
I didn't really understand completely how the McDonald brothers had created fast food as we know it today. It wasn't just a gimmick, this was world changing. Have you been to a McDonald's? Because we've got three right here in the Chicago land area.
John Lee Hancock is the film's director. People were so used to getting food in their cars and the thought of them having to get out of their car, go up to the window, order, and then not get utensils or silverware or plates or anything like that. People at first didn't know what to do with this information. In 1954, Ray Kroc delivered several milkshake mixers to the McDonald brothers.
What are those? Oh. It's a way to make the place stand out when you're driving by. The golden arches, I call them. Kroc was in awe of what they had created.
Burger crossing! And convinced them to let him spread their golden arches from coast to coast. Franchise the damn thing, Mr. Kroc. Franchise. Franchise.
Franchise. Kroc opened his first franchise McDonald's in Des Plaines, Illinois in 1955, and eventually started the McDonald's Corporation. In terms of his work ethic, And his drive and his vision, that part of Ray Kroc I really admire.
Now, you know, at the point where old Ray goes south in the movie, not so much. Four percent. No.
Three and a half percent. Ray. What? No!
Damn it. As an actor, that's a great thing to play and investigate. But as a human being, not real attractive.
I am through taking marching orders from you. You will do as we say. Nope.
Kroc feuded with the McDonald Brothers for control. You have a contract! Contracts are like hearts.
They're made to be broken. And in one of the shrewdest deals of all time, Ray Kroc bought the business, and the rights to their name, out from under the McDonald Brothers in 1961 for $2.7 million. Today, the company is worth more than $100 billion, and Ray Kroc is considered its founder. The title of the movie, you're being a little cheeky.
It's intentionally misleading, I would say. Yeah, what's your definition of a founder? Is it someone who has the idea or someone who expands the idea?
Do you think by calling himself the founder, he was perpetuating a falsehood, or is that how he saw himself? I think he probably would argue the latter, but I think it probably was the former. The way I look at it is, you know, yeah, he was just kind of, if nobody ever talked about the McDonald's brothers, that would have been fine with him.
So people of a certain age come by here and this is nostalgic for them. Absolutely. I imagine this means a whole lot more to you.
Sure. Something that my grandfather over tireless years came up with. French takes pride in what his grandfather created, but there's something the family rarely talked about. Look, fellas, you'll get your full royalties, all right? The handshake deal in which Ray Kroc promised the McDonald brothers a half percent royalty on all future McDonald's proceeds.
Let's make a deal. The family says he never paid them a cent. All right. Knowing now that that would be worth about $100 million a year.
I think it's worth, yeah, $100 million a year. Pretty crazy. Is there bitterness about that in your family? No. No.
My grandfather was never bitter over it. Why would we be bitter over something that my grandfather wasn't bitter over? Well, there's 100 million reasons you could be. Yes. Yes.
Yes. For Jason McDonald French, seeing his family's story told on the big screen is its own form of payback. We were overjoyed with the fact that the story is being told the right way and that it's being historically accurate. They did create fast food. They started that from the beginning, and I don't think they get enough credit for what they actually created.