McDonald's opened its first restaurant in 1940, founded by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald.
The brothers opened the restaurant in San Bernardino, California, on May 15, 1940. It began as a barbecue drive-in rather than the limited-menu hamburger operation later associated with the McDonald's brand. Its early identity reflected Southern California's car-oriented dining culture, with customers served at their vehicles.
In 1948, the brothers reorganized the business around a faster self-service model and a much smaller menu. That change laid the foundation for McDonald's recognizable branding and operating system. The restaurant later became closely associated with the Golden Arches and the Speedee Service System, but those developments came after the original opening.
A common mix-up is confusing the 1940 opening with Ray Kroc's first McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, which opened in 1955. Kroc expanded the business; he did not found the original San Bernardino restaurant.