In the wealthy African nation of Zamunda, crown prince Akeem Joffer grows weary of his pampered lifestyle on his 21st birthday and wishes to do more for himself. When his parents, King Jaffe and Queen Aoleon, present him with an arranged bride-to-be, Akeem takes action. Beginning their search for Akeem's bride, they end up being invited by some locals to a rally raising money for the neighborhood. During the rally, Akeem encounters Lisa McDowell, who possesses all the qualities he is looking for in a woman. So, upon his insistence, he and Semmi get entry-level jobs working at the local fast-food restaurant called McDowell's, a McDonald's knockoff owned by widower Cleo McDowell, Lisa's father.