What name did McDonald’s give its original 1948 speed-focused service system?

McDonald’s called its original 1948 speed-focused service system the “Speedee Service System.”

Richard and Maurice McDonald reorganized their San Bernardino restaurant around a limited menu, assembly-line preparation, and faster customer service. This operating model helped establish the pattern later associated with modern fast-food restaurants. The system’s name also supported the early Speedee mascot and branding.

The Speedee Service System is not the same thing as the later McDonald’s corporate identity. It described how the restaurant prepared and served food, while the Golden Arches and later advertising campaigns communicated the brand visually. Its 1948 introduction is a key milestone in McDonald’s history.