What short name did McDonald’s use for its streamlined 1948 service method?

McDonald’s called its streamlined 1948 service method the Speedee Service System.

Richard and Maurice McDonald developed the system when they reorganized their San Bernardino restaurant around speed, consistency, and a much smaller menu. Customers ordered at a counter, and food was prepared through specialized work steps rather than the broader carhop service common at the time.

The system became an important foundation of modern fast food. It treated the kitchen more like an assembly line, assigning repeated tasks to improve efficiency and make the customer experience predictable.

The name is related to Speedee, the company’s early mascot and symbol. It is not the same as McDonald’s later drive-through branding, nor does it refer only to cooking speed. The term described the broader operating system that made rapid standardized service possible.