How a Milkshake Salesman Took McDonald's From the Brothers Who Invented It

In 1948, two brothers in San Bernardino shut down a successful drive-in and rebuilt it around a 15-cent hamburger. Six years later, a 52-year-old milkshake-machine salesman showed up wondering why one little stand needed eight of his mixers. This is the whole story of McDonald's: the Speedee Service System, the Golden Arches, Ray Kroc, the real-estate idea that made it all work, the Big Mac, the Happy Meal, Moscow in 1990, the hot coffee case, McLibel, Super Size Me, and why McDonald's today is in many ways a landlord that sells burgers.