Which two brothers founded the McDonald's restaurant business in California?

Richard and Maurice McDonald founded the McDonald's restaurant business in California.

The brothers, commonly known as Dick and Mac, opened their first restaurant in San Bernardino in 1940. Their early operation was a drive-in barbecue business, but they later studied the preparation process and simplified the menu. This redesign produced a highly standardized counter-service model.

In 1948, the brothers introduced the Speedee Service System. It emphasized limited choices, assembly-line preparation, low prices, and quick service. Those ideas became central to McDonald's branding because customers could expect the same recognizable experience at different locations.

Ray Kroc did not found the original restaurant. He became the company's franchise agent in 1954 and opened a McDonald's restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1955. Kroc later expanded the chain nationally and purchased the brothers' interest, which is why he is often associated with the company's growth rather than its original founding.