Who founded McDonald's with his brother Maurice before Ray Kroc expanded the franchise?

Richard McDonald founded McDonald's with his brother Maurice before Ray Kroc expanded the franchise.

The brothers opened their first McDonald's restaurant in San Bernardino, California, in 1940. After operating a drive-in, they redesigned the business around a smaller menu and faster preparation, creating the Speedee Service System in 1948.

Their operating model became the foundation for the restaurant chain. Ray Kroc later became the company's franchise agent and helped expand the system across the United States. Kroc is therefore central to McDonald's growth, but he was not one of the two original brothers who established the restaurant business.

Richard and Maurice also shaped the early brand identity through Speedee, the restaurant's streamlined service concept, and the architectural arches later associated with McDonald's. Their partnership is why the company's early history is often discussed as both a family business story and a franchise-development story.