Actor James Franco: 'McDonald's was there for me when no one else was'

Business Insider ^ | 05/07/2015 | Ashley Lutz

[Labyrinthos]

My nickname back then was “magic buns” — not because of my great a$$ — but because of my ability to grab six buns in each hand and spread them out on the toaster in less than to seconds.

It was the little things that made a difference with the quality of the product: The two pickles were supposed to be laid side by side, not stacked on the patty. No more and no less than 26 to 31 onion pieces (or something like that) which we had to be able to eyeball accurately 95% of the time. The cheese had to be centered on the patty. And most importantly, the servers had to make sure that when they served the food, the McDonald’s arches on the packaging was always facing the customer.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Some of the people I worked with way back then chose McDonald’s University over a traditional college

My former stepfather was the Dean of Hamburger University back in the late 70s/early 80s.

[Labyrinthos]

People laugh when I say this, but it was also known as McDonald’s Boot Camp. The program was rigorous and demanding.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

Apparently between movies Elisha Cook lived in a cabin up in the Sierra Nevada, fly fishing. When they wanted him, they'd send someone up to find him, he'd come down to do the movie, then head back for the mountains.

[cport]

I hear you, its a little thing called “pride in your work”, something that is sorely lacking in many of today’s youth. My father taught me any job you do, do well and the value of an honest day’s work in any job. The owner of the McDs told us something at a meeting that has always stuck with me any time I have worked in the food industry-Don’t serve what you wouldn’t eat yourself.

They called me “flipper”, and not because I could do back flips ;) I could flip those 10:1 patties super fast, two at a time, with no breaks in the meat. We used to have competitions and the manager would time it and reward us with $5; smart guy, his crew had an arsenal of super fast grill people and he always looked good at lunch rush. I would win that $5 often, money for smokes!

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

The thing I learned from him (and my mom, who worked in the corporate Meetings and Conventions department) was that McDonalds was a real estate business with a finely-tuned system for producing revenue from that real estate. Also, that the youngest child determines where the family will eat (hence Ronald), and that knowing there’s a clean bathroom will attract customers over restaurants where that’s an unknown.

[T-Bone Texan]

Wait wait wait:

I thought we were discussing Elisha Cuthbert.

Because I used to be madly in love with her, before I found out Derek Jeter gave her herpes.

[Labyrinthos]

Here’s a link to a 2011 article on the family who owned the franchise where I worked back in the 1970s. 35 years later, they are still at it. I’m sure the owners do not remember me, but I will never forget them for all the positive things that I learned during my two years at McDonalds:

http://www.connecticutmag.com/Connecticut-Magazine/January-2011/Where-the-Arches-are-Made-of-Gold/

[Finny]

If so ... he must have done a lot of flying because he was sure in a LOT of things! A bunch of Bogie classics, Shane, Rosemary's Baby (!!!), an original Star Trek episode, Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, Peter Gunn, Magnum P.I., I Spy, literally dozens and dozens of TV series over the decades, not even counting the TV movies and motion pictures he was in ... had to have been one of the hardest working most in-demand actors in the business. Just the names alone of the movies, TV series, and major motion pictures he was in is well over 200, and that's not counting multiple time he appeared on TV shows like Rawhide, Batman, Wagon Train, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. ...

In my book, that makes him one of the most successful Hollywood actors ever!

[gattaca]

Cool!

[max americana]

I strongly suggest watching the entire series of THE UNIT. He was the commander of the black ops team and i worked on that set briefly. Actually interned LOL.

[HartleyMBaldwin]

This thread brings back memories of my first paycheck job, at McDonald’s #330, 1971-1973, when the fries were still made in the store, from raw potatoes. Learning to keep 4 dozen on the grill (turn-lay-pull, do they still do that?) and going out to drink beer after closing in the summer.

Although at that time and place, anyone who ate a burger from the waste was fired on the spot, as was anyone who ate a fry or anything at all up front.

[Drew68]

but his acting career went nowhere. A shame

Take a look at his IMDb.com profile. Robert Patrick may not be hugely famous but you can bet he's not waiting tables on the side to make ends meet either. He's been gainfully employed his entire career. He has a net worth of $6 million.

People think successful = famous. This isn't true in Hollywood. If you can support yourself solely by acting, you are by definition a successful actor. Robert Patrick is doing just fine with a career plenty of people in show business envy.

[Labyrinthos]

When I worked for at in 1976-1977, the fries were cooked in oil. But yes, no eating from “waste” (which was a burger that sat for more than seven minutes IIRC)and no eating at all where visible to customers.

The menu was very simple back then: Hamburger, Cheeseburger, Quarter-Pounder, Quarter-Pounder w/ Cheese, Big Mac, Fish Fillet, Small Fries, Big Fries, Cherry Pie, Apple Pie, soft drinks, shakes, and possible an ice cream dessert. I don't recall double burgers or anything with bacon (except for breakfast) or tomatoes. Breakfast was Egg McMuffin and Pancakes, with a sausage patty or Canadian Bacon.

[Labyrinthos]

Ah yes, drinking beer after closing — when the drinking age was “16.”

In an earlier post, I noted that the franchise owners owned something like 40 stores in CT, NY,and NJ. They set up a franchsie softball league with four divisions. (I was hired as a "ringer" during my junior of high school to play right field.) IIRC, we played on Tuesday evenings because that was the slowest day of the week. At the end of the season, the division winners played for the franchise championship, and the then the franchise champion played the corporate executive team in Bridgeport CT, followed by a huge beer bash. The McDonald's franchise where I worked stressed competition to build teamwork, and the softball league was an extension of that philosophy.

[HartleyMBaldwin]

Well, the fries were cooked in oil, of course, but we took raw potatoes, peeled them in a spinning drum, then sliced them and washed the cut raw fries 3 times before cooking. This was a two-stage process, first blanching at 280 for several minutes, then resting the fries for an hour or so before the final cooking at 325. No timers, you just had to keep track of what was going on. On a good Saturday, you’d go through 9 or 10 100-lb sacks of spuds, along with helping on the grill as needed. It’d kill me now.

The Quarter Pounder was introduced at our store around the end of 1972, but I never saw a breakfast anything while I worked there. We did have double hamburgers and double cheeseburgers, even after the QP.

I hardly ever eat at McDonald’s any more. The food is crap now.

[dennisw]

You are right. He gets steady work
How much do you think he gets for appearing in each episode like these???

Untitled X-Files Revival (TV Series) (announced)
John Doggett
- Episode #1.6 (2016) ... John Doggett
- Episode #1.5 (2016) ... John Doggett
- Episode #1.4 (2016) ... John Doggett
- Episode #1.3 (2016) ... John Doggett
- Episode #1.2 (2016) ... John Doggett
Show all 6 episodes
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001598/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

[Drew68]

How much do you think he gets for appearing in each episode like these???

I don't know but that's the first thing I noticed when I went to his page. His stock is about to go way up. That show is going to be huge.