What was the name of McDonald’s speed-focused service system introduced by the McDonald brothers in 1948?

McDonald’s introduced the Speedee Service System in 1948 to make hamburger preparation faster and more consistent.

Richard and Maurice McDonald redesigned their San Bernardino, California, restaurant around a limited menu, self-service, assembly-line preparation, and disposable packaging. The system reduced waiting times and lowered labor costs.

The name came from Speedee, a chef-hatted character used in the restaurant’s early branding. It is often confused with later McDonald’s branding, especially Ronald McDonald and the Golden Arches, but Speedee belonged to the company’s earliest postwar identity.

The brothers’ operating model became an important influence on the modern fast-food industry. Ray Kroc later expanded McDonald’s nationally while retaining the emphasis on standardized preparation and service.