In 1948, what potato item was on McDonald's nine-item simplified menu?

In 1948, potato chips were one of the nine items on McDonald’s simplified menu.

The menu was part of the McDonald brothers’ Speedee Service System, introduced after they closed their original drive-in temporarily and redesigned the business around speed, lower prices, and high volume. They eliminated carhops, plates, and silverware, replacing them with counter service and disposable packaging.

The nine-item list included hamburgers, cheeseburgers, potato chips, pie, milk, coffee, and three soft-drink flavors served in one 12-ounce size. French fries were not yet the signature side associated with McDonald’s today, which is why they are a common mix-up in this question.

The streamlined operation helped McDonald’s prepare food more consistently and quickly. The brothers’ restaurant model later influenced Ray Kroc and the large-scale franchise system that transformed McDonald’s into a national chain.