What was the original name of the restaurant opened by Richard and Maurice McDonald in 1940?

The original restaurant opened by Richard and Maurice McDonald in 1940 was called McDonald's Bar-B-Q.

The brothers opened the restaurant in San Bernardino, California, as a barbecue drive-in. Its original menu and service style differed substantially from the streamlined hamburger operation that later made the name famous.

In 1948, the McDonald brothers reorganized the business around a smaller menu and faster preparation system. Hamburgers, fries, and milkshakes became central, and the Speedee Service System helped establish the model later expanded by Ray Kroc.

The original name is often overlooked because the later brand became associated almost exclusively with hamburgers and the Golden Arches. “McDonald's Bar-B-Q” describes the 1940 beginning, while the modern fast-food identity emerged after the 1948 relaunch.