What phrase named the McDonald's operating system introduced by Richard and Maurice McDonald in 1948?

The operating system introduced by Richard and Maurice McDonald in 1948 was called the Speedee Service System.

The brothers developed the system after closing their original barbecue restaurant in San Bernardino, California, and redesigning it around a limited menu and rapid production. Customers ordered at a counter, while workers prepared food using standardized steps similar to an assembly line.

This system helped establish features now associated with modern fast food: fewer menu items, consistent portions, disposable packaging, and quick service. The restaurant's early branding used the Speedee character and a “15-minute service” promise to communicate those advantages.

Ray Kroc later expanded the McDonald's franchise system, but the basic operating ideas came from the McDonald brothers. The Speedee Service System is therefore an important branding and business-history term, while the Golden Arches belong to the company's later visual identity. The two names are related to McDonald's history but describe different parts of it.