What service system did McDonald's introduce in 1948 to emphasize fast, standardized food preparation?

McDonald's introduced the Speedee Service System in 1948 to emphasize fast, standardized food preparation.

Richard and Maurice McDonald developed the system when they redesigned their San Bernardino restaurant. They reduced the menu, removed carhop service, used an assembly-line approach, and focused on hamburgers, fries, and beverages. Customers ordered at a counter and received food quickly.

The system helped separate McDonald's from traditional drive-ins, where menus were larger and service depended on carhops. Standardized portions, equipment, and procedures made it easier to reproduce the same restaurant model in other locations.

The name is often confused with Speedee, the early chef mascot used in McDonald's branding. Speedee represented the restaurant's quick-service promise, while the Speedee Service System described the operating method itself. Ray Kroc later expanded the business using the principles established by the brothers.