McDonald's introduced the Speedee Service System in 1948.
The system was created when Richard and Maurice McDonald redesigned their San Bernardino, California, restaurant around speed, consistency, and a limited menu. They closed the restaurant temporarily, removed many labor-intensive items, and reopened with a streamlined operation centered on hamburgers, fries, and beverages.
Speedee, a cartoon chef, served as the system's early mascot and visual identifier. The name emphasized fast service, while the operating model helped establish ideas that later became central to McDonald's branding: predictable food, quick ordering, and a restaurant format that could be reproduced in many locations.
The Speedee character eventually gave way to Ronald McDonald and the Golden Arches as the company's most visible brand elements. The 1948 change is therefore an important link between McDonald's operating history and its later identity.