Ray Kroc

Customers packed the entryway, waiting for a stool to open up.

Most people saw a crowd, but Ray saw something else.

All those impatient customers could be happy customers walking out the door with their drinks.

So he pitched the idea to the food service manager, a guy named McNamara.

Takeout, sell the drinks in paper cups with lids.

People can leave.

And Mac's response was immediate.

You're crazy.

I get the same 15 cents for a malted, whether it's drunk at the counter or not.

Why should I pay a cent and a half for your cup and earn less?

And Kroc tried to explain that his math was wrong because volume would go up.

You'd be selling to people who didn't take up a stool.

And Mac rolled his eyes.

You want me to waste my clerk's time putting covers on drinks and stuffing them in bags?

You're dreaming.

This was Danny the Dreamer at it again.

But Kroc came back with a slightly different approach.

And this is quite genius.

He didn't argue.

He just said, I'll give you two or 300 cups with covers for free.