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McDonald Brothers Built A Fast Self-Service Model
- The McDonald brothers converted their drive-in into a self-service restaurant in 1948, cutting menu items and firing carhops to speed service and lower costs.
- Their streamlined assembly-line kitchen and tiny menu boosted sales from ~$200,000 to over $300,000 while cutting costs by a third.
Insta Burger Originated From A Kitchen Tour And A Machine
- Keith Kramer and Matthew Burns visited McDonald's in 1952, saw its assembly-line kitchen, and combined it with George Reed's Insta Burger broiler to plan a fast franchise called Insta Burger.
- Reed's broiler cooked burgers in about a minute, promising consistent speed and ease of operation for franchisees.
Early Burger King Expansion Failed From Bad Finances
- Dave Edgerton rebranded Insta Burger as Insta Burger King, opened multiple Miami locations quickly, and recruited partner Jim McLemore despite poor bookkeeping.
- All four early locations lost money, revealing execution and financial-control failures.