A group of food fans have threatened to boycott McDonald's, after stumbling across the 'true story' of the chain's beginnings.
For those in need of a reminder, the global fast food corporation was founded in 1940 in San Bernardino, California by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald. At this time, however, the restaurant was a hamburger stand with a small collection of loyal customers.
Clocking into the brothers' success, McDonald's soon caught the attention of businessman Ray Kroc, and by 1961, the company had been both purchased and franchised, with several other restaurants being set up across America.
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Such is the story told in the 2016 biographical drama The Founder, in which Oscar-winning star Michael Keaton played Kroc, and Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch play the McDonald's brothers.
What many fans of the multi award-winning film seemingly didn't realise, though, was that Kroc had actually ousted the brothers from their own company using a variation of negotiations, contract loopholes, and sheer ruthlessness.
The flick also touches on the extra-marital affairs had by Kroc during his life, as alludes to the franchise boss as having been a cruel character.
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Before we get into the new criticism of the businessman and the chain's controversial success as a whole, it's probably important to note that, like any movie, the film admits to dramatising certain aspects of the story of McDonald's' takeover.
After all, under Kroc, what was once a hamburger stand became the largest, most successful fast food chain in the world.
Discussion on the movie recently moved onto Reddit, where a number of film buffs admitted they were unaware that the McDonald's brothers had been left without a single royalty following Kroc's takeover.
"Just finished 'The Founder' and i can say i officially hate Ray Kroc," one foodie hit out. "[He] is a jerk who is wayyy too full of himself.
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"He finds a successful brotherly owned biz and decides he's going to take advantage of the two brothers when its the brothers dream to own a fast food drive in.
"He basically promises he'll make McDonalds worldwide and says he'll make them famous and help there drive in grow all over the world.
"Then he starts making changes that go against his contract and when the McDonalds brothers argue against him, he denies stopping the change, and almost kills Mac McDonald from stress and almost gives him Kidney failure.
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"He begins calling himself the McDonalds Corp. And at this point he has taken over the whole company without giving the brothers any royalties, and then the movie ends and it says the McDonalds brother never got any royalties."
Another agreed with their take on the film, adding: "After watching this movie I simultaneously wanted to eat McDonald's and also never have McDonald's ever again."
A third added: "Exactly how I felt."
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"Certainly sad how when Ray Kroc got the funding to expand the more ruthless he became and basically stole from the two brothers calling Mcdonalds his own and lied about paying them loyalties," a fourth wrote.
Another penned a lengthy message of the blockbuster, writing: "The way the movie is made, and with the ending, it’s as if it was made with one single goal: to make you hate McDonald’s.
"It was a well made movie, but…MAN no movie has ever made me feel as frustrated as this. I feel so sad for the McDonald’s brothers now.
"Ray found a loophole to get out of the contract and steal the company, and then couldn’t even name their own restaurant McDonald’s anymore cause it would be stealing their own company name.
"But they don’t own it anymore so it would technically be stealing the name. COMPLETELY crushed their dream."
It's also worth noting that during an interview with the New York Times in 1998, Richard McDonald was asked if he has any regrets regarding Kroc's takeover, to which he claimed he had none.
''I would have wound up in some skyscraper somewhere with about four ulcers and eight tax attorneys trying to figure out how to pay all my income tax,'' he answered.
A spokesperson for the brothers also previously told press: "We mutually agreed that Dick and Mac were the pioneers of McDonald's and helped to found the fast-food industry.
"Mr. Kroc was the entrepreneur who founded what today is known as McDonald's Corporation.''
And it's not exactly like bosses at the fast food chain are attempting to cover up their controversial history, with the restaurant's official website having a special section dedicated to the brothers.
"Dick and Mac McDonald moved to California to seek opportunities they felt unavailable in New England," the site describes.
"Failing in the movie business, they subsequently proved successful in operating drive-in restaurants. In 1948 they took a risk by streamlining their operations and introducing their Speedee Service System featuring 15 cent hamburgers.
"The restaurant’s success led the brothers to begin franchising their concept—nine becoming operating restaurants.
"At the San Bernardino location, Dick and Mac McDonald perfected their Speedee Service System featuring a limited menu including fifteen cent hamburgers, shakes and fries.
"The brothers sold 14 franchises of which 10 became operating restaurants not including their original location in San Bernardino."
Topics: McDonalds, Food and Drink, TV And Film
Rhianna Benson