What restaurant system did McDonald’s introduce in 1948 to emphasize fast, standardized service?

McDonald’s introduced the Speedee Service System in 1948 to emphasize fast, standardized service.

Richard and Maurice McDonald redesigned their San Bernardino, California, restaurant around a limited menu, assembly-line preparation, self-service, and disposable packaging. The system reduced waiting times and made each order more consistent.

The name came from Speedee, an early McDonald’s mascot shown as a chef. Speedee was not the later hamburger-stealing McDonaldland character, the Hamburglar. The restaurant’s operating model became an important foundation for the modern fast-food industry.

Ray Kroc later expanded the McDonald’s brand through franchising, but the brothers’ 1948 service system predated his involvement. The system’s emphasis on repeatable procedures helped McDonald’s present the same recognizable experience in many locations.