My First Million This guy made millions by inventing the McFlurry & the $1 Menu
567 snips
Sep 10, 2025 Diving into fast-food innovation, the discussion highlights the mastermind behind the McFlurry and stuffed crust pizza. Unique food inventions, like mess-free syrup, showcase how creativity drives success. The conversation also reveals that launching a business can be done with minimal funds. Insights into unconventional marketing strategies and investing in AI-driven companies add depth, as hosts analyze stock picks and emerging trends. Tips on charisma and persuasion round out this entertaining exploration of culinary and entrepreneurial flair.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
The Food Scientist Who Reinvented Fast Food
- Tom Ryan built multiple iconic fast-food products across brands by applying food science and consumer psychology.
- He experimented physically to solve cooking problems and created marketable “wow” products like stuffed-crust pizza.
Make Extreme Products, Not Neutral Ones
- Ryan used consumer clustering to create extreme variants like Meat Lovers and Cheese Lovers pizzas.
- Serving distinct, exaggerated options outruns trying to please everyone with a bland middle product.
How The McGriddle Was Engineered
- At McDonald's Tom Ryan invented the McGriddle to fit a full sweet breakfast handheld into McDonald's system.
- He solved messy-syrup and cooking physics problems to make it portable and repeatable at scale.
