McDonald’s may not own the farms that supply it, but neither do the automakers own the top-tier suppliers that provide a big proportion of drivetrain, electrical, and other parts. McDonald’s has strict quality standards with their suppliers, just as the automakers enforce strict quality with their suppliers, and the biggest suppliers do with THEIR suppliers for casting, machining, etc. when it doesn’t make sense to do certain jobs in house. And if you you think McDonald’s doesn’t spend a lot in developing a new recipe (which involves test groups, training, chemical analysis for fat and other content, training, distribution, etc.), you’re naive. As much as an automaker spends developing an engine? Probably not, and certainly not as much lead time, but an apt analogy nonetheless, I think.
I think the McDonald’s analogy is spot on, personally.