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Scene Map 42
# PG SLUGLINE
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Scene Map
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# PG SLUGLINE
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INT. ED’S DRIVE-IN - KITCHEN - DAY The kitchen of a drive-in restaurant outside St. Louis. It’s 1954. Traveling salesman RAY KROC (52) stands before a sample MIXING MACHINE, making his pitch to the OWNER. RAY KROC
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EXT. ED’S DRIVE-IN - PARKING LOT - SHORT TIME LATER Kroc lugs the heavy Mulitmixer back to his car. He lifts it into the trunk, wincing from his bad back. INT. KROC’S CAR - MOMENTS LATER Kroc sits in his car checking his APPOINTMENT BOOK. His next
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INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT ANGLE ON the pants drying on the shower’s curtain rod. RAY KROC (O.S.) It’s going great. CUT TO: the NEXT ROOM. Kroc sitting on the bed, on the phone.
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INT. JOE’S DRIVE-IN - KITCHEN - NEXT DAY The kitchen of another drive-in, Kroc pitching to the OWNER. The scene is virtually identical to the previous day’s. RAY KROC Increase supply, demand will
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EXT. MERRIMAN’S DRIVE-IN - SHORT TIME LATER-- Kroc pours a few nickels into the pay phone, dials a number off his wrist. YOUNG EMPLOYEE (O.S.) Hello?
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EXT. MERRIMAN’S DRIVE-IN - MOMENTS LATER Kroc stands over a U.S. ROAD MAP on the hood of his car. He unfolds it, opening the map westward. (Note: This part of the map is not well-worn like the Midwest; it’s virgin territory for Kroc.)
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EXT. MCDONALD’S - SHORT TIME LATER Kroc at the front of the line. He checks his watch. 1:23. CASHIER (O.S.) Welcome to McDonald’s, may I take your order?
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INT. KITCHEN - SHORT TIME LATER A bustling kitchen, organized as a series of stations. 14. MAC MCDONALD (O.S.) Speed...
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INT. STEAKHOUSE - EVENING Kroc sits across from the brothers in a corner booth, rib eye steaks in front of all three. 18. MAC MCDONALD
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EXT. TENNIS COURT - DAY (FLASHBACK) A TENNIS COURT, somewhere in San Bernardino. Mac watches as Dick carefully draws a KITCHEN OUTLINE on it with a stick. MAC MCDONALD (V.O.) We bring in a bunch of employees,
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INT. MCDONALD’S - DAY (FLASHBACK) Dick at the service window, looking at a YOUNG KID. His nose barely clears the counter. DICK MCDONALD (V.O.) I tell him we’re closed.
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INT. MCDONALD’S - BACK OFFICE - SHORT TIME LATER Kroc and the brothers stand before a U.S. MAP. DICK MCDONALD Five. ANGLE ON map. Five PUSH PINS are stuck in it, clustered
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Kroc’s eye goes to something else on the wall... a BLUEPRINT. The building has towering arches on each side. RAY KROC What’s that? DICK MCDONALD
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EXT. KROC’S HOUSE (DES PLAINES, IL) - DAY A modest home in the Chicago suburbs. Kroc pulls up in his car. 31. INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
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EXT. MOVIE THEATER - SHORT TIME LATER Kroc steps to the ticket window. RAY KROC One ticket, please. The marquees reads MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION.
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INT. BACK OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER Kroc stands before the brothers. RAY KROC That drive back home on 66, I passed through a lot of towns. A
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INT. BACK OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER The brothers, alone in the office. DICK MCDONALD (tempted, torn) I don’t know...
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EXT. MIDWAY SAVINGS & LOAN - MOMENTS LATER Kroc exits the bank in defeat. INT. ILLINOIS FIRST FEDERAL - LATER Kroc sits across from another LOAN OFFICER, watching as he looks over the prospectus.
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EXT. CONSTRUCTION SITE - ANOTHER DAY ANGLE ON a sign: COMING SOON - MCDONALD’S FAMOUS HAMBURGERS! A hard-hatted Kroc stands in a dirt lot, watching SURVEYORS outline a building foundation. He heads over to one of the surveyors, pointing to some detail--
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INT. MCDONALD’S (DES PLAINES) - DAY (MONTHS LATER) The brand-new Des Plaines McDonald’s, up and running. TRACKING SHOT, high-energy, as Kroc moves through the KITCHEN barking out orders to his charges. It’s a bit militaristic in vibe, echoing Dick’s Hitler reference:
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EXT. MCDONALD’S (SCHAUMBURG) - DAY Kroc pulls into the parking lot of Jack Horford’s brand-new Schaumburg McDonald’s. There’s a line out front, not spectacular but solid. He parks, heads toward the restaurant. He slows, noticing
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INT. KROC’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT Ethel is getting dressed, putting on jewelry and makeup. Ray enters, home from work. ETHEL KROC Hurry up and get changed. Dinner’s
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INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS The salesman heading down the hall toward the elevator. RAY KROC (O.S.) Wait! The salesman slows, turns. Standing there is Kroc, looking
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INT. KROC’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - THAT NIGHT Kroc is getting undressed for bed, buzzing. RAY KROC You’ve never seen a pair of dynamos like these two.
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INT. EASTERN AIRLINES - DAY A flight in mid-air. Kroc, in a window seat, gazes out at the flat, snow-dusted expanse below. Next to him is Fred Turner, head buried in a McDonald’s operations manual. FLIGHT ATTENDANT (O.S.)
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INT. AIRPLANE - DAY (THE FLIGHT HOME) Kroc gazes out the window in a state of dreamy reverie. It’s not hard to tell what (or who) he’s thinking about. INT. KROC’S HOUSE - DAY Kroc enters the house. Ethel is in a living-room chair
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EXT. MCDONALD’S (SAN BERNARDINO) - SHORT TIME LATER Dick is accepting a large shipment of cups and plastic ware. He signs, hands the clipboard back to the DELIVERY MAN. EMPLOYEE (O.S.) Mr. McDonald?
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INT. KROC’S OFFICE - DAY Kroc sits at his desk. Next to a bottle of Canadian Club is a pile of BILLS AND INVOICES. He picks one up. It’s from ILLINOIS FIRST FEDERAL, stamped PAST DUE. He picks up another one. From CHICAGO GAS & ELECTRIC. He stares at the amount
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INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT Kroc is sitting on the bed looking at the Inst-A-Mix ad in “Restaurant Business Monthly”. On the nightstand is a pint of Four Roses bourbon, empty. He dials the phone. 81.
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INT. KROC’S OFFICE - DAY Kroc stares at the ever-growing mountain of bills on his desk. His gaze drifts to a letter from ILLINOIS FIRST FEDERAL marked FINAL NOTICE. INT. ILLINOIS FIRST FEDERAL - DAY
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EXT. ILLINOIS FIRST FEDERAL - MOMENTS LATER Kroc exits the bank in defeat. He slumps off toward his car. BUSINESSMAN Mr. Kroc. Kroc turns, sees the man approaching. Kroc looks him over.
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EXT. MCDONALD’S (SAN BERNARDINO) - MORNING The restaurant, not yet open for the day. A MAILMAN goes over to Dick with a stack of mail. Dick opens a LETTER, troubled by what he sees. INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
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INT. KROC’S OFFICE - ANOTHER DAY Kroc is leaning against his desk, arms folded confidently, a big grin on his face. It’s a slightly weird sight until we hear the click of a camera and realize it’s a PHOTO SHOOT. PHOTOGRAPHER
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INT. KROC’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT Ethel is asleep in bed, alone. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS Kroc is on the phone, speaking quietly. RAY KROC
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INT. KROC’S OFFICE - DAY Kroc, Harry Sonneborn and Fred Turner stand huddled over a map of Texas. HARRY SONNEBORN (re: some city on map)
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INT. KROC’S HOUSE - DINING ROOM - NIGHT Kroc and Ethel eat dinner together in edgy silence. All we hear is the sound of knife scraping plate as meat is cut. 98. ETHEL KROC
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INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY Mac lies in a hospital bed looking pale and weak. Dick stands by as DR. REEVES talks to Mac. DR. REEVES You’ve been following your eating
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INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY Mac and Dick both gazing off gloomily. After a long stretch of silence-- MAC MCDONALD We’ll never beat him.
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INT. MEN’S ROOM - MOMENTS LATER Kroc is at the urinal in the law office’s men’s room. He flushes, heads to the sink to wash his hands. The rest room door opens. In walks Dick. He freezes at the sight of Kroc. Kroc smiles amiably at him in the mirror.
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EXT. MCDONALD’S (SAN BERNARDINO) - DAY ANGLE ON the McDonald’s sign in front of the restaurant. PAN DOWN TO... Dick and Mac with Kroc’s lawyers, listening like they’re being read their Miranda rights. 109.
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EXT. BEVERLY HILLS MANSION - DAY A lavish, gated MANSION. A BLACK LIMOUSINE pulls into the driveway. INT. MANSION - MASTER BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS A tuxedo-clad Ray Kroc stands before a mirror, stack of index
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INT. LIMOUSINE - MOMENTS LATER Kroc and Joan Smith (now JOAN KROC) ride in the back of a stretch limo. She’s in a powder-blue gown, draped in diamonds and pearls. LIMO DRIVER

The Founder

A struggling salesman seizes the opportunity to franchise a revolutionary burger stand, transforming himself into a ruthless tycoon and forever changing the face of fast food.

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Overview

Poster
Unique Selling Point

Discover the untold story of Ray Kroc, a charismatic and determined salesman who revolutionized the fast-food industry, in this captivating script that explores the highs and lows of ambition, persistence, and the American Dream. Witness the transformation of a small drive-in restaurant into a global powerhouse, as Kroc navigates the challenges of business negotiations, financial struggles, and personal relationships. With its unique blend of humor, nostalgia, and keen observations, this script offers a fresh take on the familiar theme of corporate power struggles, showcasing the complexities of entrepreneurship, the emotional impact of success, and the human side of a cultural icon. Through its innovative storytelling techniques, distinctive characters, and engaging dialogue, this script is sure to captivate its target audience, offering a compelling and unforgettable journey into the heart of the McDonald's empire.

AI Verdict & Suggestions

This rating is from a single AI engine based on structure, character, tone, and emotional engagement.

Hover over verdict cards for Executive Summaries

Gemini
 Consider
Story Facts

Genres: Drama, Biography, Comedy, Historical, Romance

Setting: 1950s-1960s, Various locations in the United States, including California, Illinois, and Minnesota

Themes: Pursuit of the American Dream, Persistence and Determination, Entrepreneurship and Business, Family and Relationships

Conflict & Stakes: Ray Kroc's desire to expand the McDonald's franchise versus the McDonald brothers' reluctance to do so, with the future of the fast-food industry at stake.

Mood: Dramatic and thought-provoking

Standout Features:

  • Unique Hook: The untold story of the creation of a beloved American brand and the complex relationships between its founders.
  • Plot Twist: Ray Kroc's decision to renegotiate the deal with the McDonald brothers and the resulting conflict.
  • Distinctive Setting: The 1950s-1960s American fast-food industry and the rise of the McDonald's franchise.

Comparable Scripts: The Social Network, Steve Jobs, The Pursuit of Happyness, Fight Club, There Will Be Blood, Citizen Kane, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Aviator, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Godfather

Script Level Analysis

Writer Exec

This section delivers a top-level assessment of the screenplay’s strengths and weaknesses — covering overall quality (P/C/R/HR), character development, emotional impact, thematic depth, narrative inconsistencies, and the story’s core philosophical conflict. It helps identify what’s resonating, what needs refinement, and how the script aligns with professional standards.

Screenplay Insights

Breaks down your script along various categories.

Overall Score: 8.25
Story Critique
Big-picture feedback on the story’s clarity, stakes, cohesion, and engagement.
Characters

Explores the depth, clarity, and arc of the main and supporting characters.

Emotional Analysis

Breaks down the emotional journey of the audience across the script.

Goals and Philosophical Conflict
Evaluates character motivations, obstacles, and sources of tension throughout the plot.
Themes
Analysis of the themes of the screenplay and how well they’re expressed.
Logic & Inconsistencies
Highlights any contradictions, plot holes, or logic gaps that may confuse viewers.

Scene Analysis

All of your scenes analyzed individually and compared, so you can zero in on what to improve.

Scene-Level Percentile Chart
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Other Analyses

Writer Exec

This section looks at the extra spark — your story’s voice, style, world, and the moments that really stick. These insights might not change the bones of the script, but they can make it more original, more immersive, and way more memorable. It’s where things get fun, weird, and wonderfully you.

Unique Voice
Assesses the distinctiveness and personality of the writer's voice.
Writer's Craft
Analyzes the writing to help the writer be aware of their skill and improve.
Memorable Lines
Spotlights standout dialogue lines with emotional or thematic power.
Tropes
Highlights common or genre-specific tropes found in the script.
World Building
Evaluates the depth, consistency, and immersion of the story's world.
Correlations
Identifies patterns in scene scores.
Loglines
Presents logline variations based on theme, genre, and hook.