What was the name of McDonald's 1948 operating system that emphasized fast, standardized counter service?

The Speedee Service System was McDonald's 1948 operating system for fast, standardized counter service.

Richard and Maurice McDonald developed the system after closing their original drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. They simplified the menu, removed carhop service, arranged the kitchen like an assembly line, and focused on a small selection of items prepared efficiently.

Hamburgers, fries, and beverages became the core of the redesigned operation. Standardization allowed the brothers to serve customers quickly while maintaining consistent portions and procedures. The system became an important foundation for the later McDonald's franchise model.

The term is sometimes mistaken for the name of the company's first mascot, Speedee. The two are related: Speedee represented the brand's promise of speed, while the Speedee Service System described the restaurant's operating method. Ray Kroc later expanded McDonald's nationally, but the system itself originated with the McDonald brothers before his involvement.