Which fast-food chain was founded by the McDonald brothers in 1940?

McDonald’s was founded by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald in 1940.

The brothers opened their first McDonald’s restaurant on May 15, 1940, in San Bernardino, California. It began as a drive-in barbecue stand, but the brothers soon realized hamburgers generated most of their profits. They later redesigned the operation around speed, low prices and a much smaller menu.

In 1948, they introduced the Speedee Service System, replacing carhops and tableware with counter service, paper packaging and standardized preparation. That operating model became a major foundation of modern fast food. The restaurant’s early branding also featured Speedee, a chef character, before the Golden Arches became more prominent.

Ray Kroc did not found the original business, although he was crucial to its national expansion. He became a franchise agent in 1955 and bought the McDonald brothers’ interests in 1961. The resulting corporation grew into the global chain most people recognize today, which is why Kroc is sometimes mistakenly called the founder.