The 2016 film The Founder, starring Michael Keaton as Ray Kroc, tells the story of McDonald's rise from a single California burger stand to a global empire. While the movie explores themes of ambition, persistence, and business strategy, one of its most compelling moments for those in the foodservice industry is the now-famous tennis court scene. This scene captures a pivotal shift in how foodservice spaces are designed—a shift that continues to influence the industry today.
A Tennis Court Becomes a Blueprint
In the film, brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald explain how they reinvented their kitchen to maximize efficiency, speed, and consistency. Using a chalk-drawn layout on a tennis court, they physically act out every station’s role—where the fryers should be, how employees move between prep stations, and even where ketchup dispensers should be placed. Over and over, they revise, erase, and redraw until they create what would become the blueprint for the modern quick-service kitchen: the Speedee Service System.
This level of meticulous planning was groundbreaking at the time. As Richard McDonald puts it, "We wanted something that was not just fast, but a symphony of efficiency." That symphony ultimately changed the way restaurants and foodservice spaces are designed, setting a precedent for workflow optimization that extends far beyond quick-service restaurants.
A Lesson in Foodservice Design
The McDonald brothers' approach highlights several core principles that remain at the heart of effective foodservice design today:
Efficiency Through Layout
The tennis court exercise was an early example of what we now call workflow optimization. Every step of the process was scrutinized to eliminate wasted motion—what Lean Manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies later formalized as reducing “muda” (waste). Today, designers use similar techniques, from digital modeling to virtual reality walkthroughs, to refine layouts before construction even begins.
Form Follows Function
The McDonald brothers prioritized speed and consistency, designing a kitchen where employees could perform tasks with minimal movement. This “form follows function” approach remains a guiding principle in foodservice design, influencing everything from ergonomic prep stations to front-of-house flow in high-volume dining environments.
Customer-Centric Approach
The McDonald brothers didn’t just optimize their kitchen for speed; they did so because they understood their customers. They knew people wanted quick, reliable service without the wait. This focus on customer experience continues to shape foodservice spaces, from ghost kitchens designed for delivery efficiency to self-serve micro-markets that minimize friction for the consumer.
The Lasting Impact
What the McDonald brothers sketched out on that tennis court was more than just an efficient kitchen—it was the foundation of an industry standard. Their principles continue to influence everything from fast-casual chains to campus dining halls, where layout and workflow can make or break operational success.
As design/build professionals, we’re constantly looking for ways to improve the functionality of foodservice spaces. Whether it's leveraging cutting-edge technology like virtual reality walkthroughs or simply questioning the efficiency of a prep station, the lessons from The Founder remind us that great design starts long before the first piece of equipment is installed.
At elite|studio e, we take a similar approach — mapping out every detail, refining workflows, and ensuring that every step of a project contributes to the ultimate goal: a seamless, high-performance foodservice environment. Because whether you’re designing a global fast-food empire or a state-of-the-art university dining facility, success starts with the blueprint.