What was the original name of McDonald’s restaurant system when it began in 1948?

The McDonald brothers called their streamlined restaurant method the Speedee Service System in 1948.

Richard and Maurice McDonald reorganized their San Bernardino restaurant around a limited menu, assembly-line preparation, and rapid customer service. The system replaced the slower carhop model that was common at many American drive-in restaurants. Its name highlighted speed as the central customer promise.

Speedee was also represented by a chef mascot, whose image appeared in early McDonald’s branding. The mascot was separate from the later Golden Arches and from Ronald McDonald. Together, the name and character communicated that the restaurant’s key innovation was efficient service rather than a large menu.

The McDonald brothers’ system became the foundation Ray Kroc later franchised and expanded. The name is therefore an important part of McDonald’s branding history, but it should not be confused with the restaurant’s corporate name. “Speedee Service System” described the operating concept, while McDonald’s became the dominant public-facing brand.