Continuity mistake: When Ray Kroc first orders a meal from McDonald's he is at the order window on the left. As soon as he walks away from the window he is at the right window.
Factual error: As Ray is driving around the country selling his machines, we see town mileage signs that are green with white lettering. In the early 50s they were white with black lettering.
Factual error: In 1954, when Ray follows the map to San Bernardino, he passes by Lake Havasu, noted as a large city. It wasn't even incorporated until the '60s.
Factual error: When Ray is looking at the map of Arizona to travel to Phoenix to see the restaurant with the "golden arches", it shows Sun City. Sun City wasn't created as a community until the early 60's.
Continuity mistake: While Ray Kroc is talking with Mac McDonald outside the first McDonald's the sun changes between shots.
Continuity mistake: When Ray comes home and tells his wife about the business he wants to make, she is holding a cup. When the angle changes her hand is lowered.
Factual error: In a scene in Illinois, when the camera is panning on churches and civic buildings, a 50-star U.S. flag is shown flying above one building. The U.S. flag had 48 stars at the time.
Factual error: The map shown towards the beginning of the movie (1957) shows the city of Santa Clarita, which didn't exist until 1987.
Continuity mistake: Early in the film, Ray Kroc uses a payphone to call his secretary. In the close-up, he's holding the receiver with his right hand. In the wide shot, he's holding it with his left.
Continuity mistake: When Ray Kroc talks to Dick McDonald over the phone for the first time, he's holding the receiver over his right ear. When Dick tells him the McDonald's address, Ray is holding the receiver over his left ear.
Continuity mistake: When Ray Kroc and Mac McDonald first meet, Mac is holding a broom in his left hand. He then puts down the broom and points to the sign to that bears his name. In the next shot, he's holding the broom again.
Continuity mistake: As Ray Kroc is sitting down on a bench at the first McDonald's he visits, there's a shot of him placing the cup down on the bench, then the shot changes to a wide shot but the cup is gone.
Factual error: Numerous outdoor scenes in San Bernardino taking place during the 1950's depict a railroad crossing with automatic crossing gates, which were patented in 1966.
Factual error: The scene where Ray Kroc is looking at a map to drive out to San Bernardino, CA to visit the McDonald brothers shows the city of Santa Clarita, CA. There was no such city in the 1950's, as Santa Clarita was not founded until 1987. It also shows Moreno Valley as a major city next to Riverside. Moreno Valley did not exist as a city until 1984. Also, Irvine is shown as a major city, and it existed only as a ranch at the time of Kroc's trip to San Bernardino.
Factual error: While Ray is driving southbound to Phoenix, the highway is marked "U.S. route 17." The actual US 17 is a north-south highway running from Virginia to Florida. There is an interstate 17 which runs to Phoenix, but it did not exist at the time either.
Continuity mistake: After Ray signs his contract with the brothers, the position of the pen changes between shots.
Factual error: While Ray Kroc is sitting outside McDonald's to eat his meal, a family sits down next to him to eat their meal. The woman's drink has a plastic straw, which did not exist until the 60s. (00:12:51)
Continuity mistake: Ray Croc's multi mixers are already in McDonald's when he takes the tour. About 2 minutes later Dick McDonald asks "When can we expect them?"
Answer: They only received the $2.7 million buyout. Ray Kroc never gave them any of the 1% annual royalties he promised them in their handshake agreement.
Phaneron ★