In McDonald's history, which two brothers founded the first McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino, California, in 1940?

Richard and Maurice McDonald founded the first McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino, California, in 1940.

The brothers opened a drive-in restaurant called McDonald's Bar-B-Q in 1940. It initially served a broad menu, but they later simplified the operation around a small number of fast-selling items, especially hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes. This change helped create the production-line approach that became central to the McDonald's brand.

In 1948, the brothers temporarily closed the restaurant while reorganizing it around the Speedee Service System. The redesigned operation emphasized speed, consistency, and self-service rather than carhops. Those ideas shaped the company's later visual identity and advertising.

Ray Kroc did not found the original restaurant. He became the major force behind its expansion after becoming the brothers' milkshake-mixer distributor and later obtaining franchise rights. The McDonald brothers therefore created the original concept, while Kroc built the large-scale franchise business associated with the modern brand.