When people hear the name McDonald’s, they often associate it with Ray Kroc, the businessman who helped turn the company into a global restaurant chain. However, the origins of McDonald’s go back to two brothers, Richard “Dick” McDonald and Maurice “Mac” McDonald, who opened their first McDonald’s restaurant in San Bernardino, California, in 1940. The brothers developed a highly efficient way of preparing and serving food that later became the foundation of the modern McDonald’s system.
Ray Kroc entered the story more than a decade later. After visiting the brothers’ restaurant in 1954, he became their franchise agent and opened his first McDonald’s restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1955. The two stories are therefore closely connected: the McDonald brothers created the original restaurant concept and operating system, while Kroc played a major role in expanding the business through franchising.
The McDonald Brothers Before McDonald’s
Richard and Maurice McDonald moved from New England to California looking for new opportunities. Before becoming restaurant entrepreneurs, they tried their hand at the movie business but eventually found success in the restaurant industry.
They first operated a drive-in restaurant, where customers were served by carhops. Although the drive-in model was popular at the time, the brothers began looking for ways to make their operation faster and more efficient.
Their experiments eventually led to a major change in how they approached fast food.
The Birth of McDonald’s in 1940
On May 15, 1940, Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their first McDonald’s restaurant in San Bernardino, California. It originally operated as a typical drive-in restaurant with a relatively large menu and carhop service.
The restaurant initially offered barbecue and other foods. But the brothers soon recognized that hamburgers could become the central product of their business.
That realization would lead to one of the most important changes in fast-food history.
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The 1948 Revolution: The Speedee Service System
In 1948, the brothers temporarily closed the restaurant for alterations and redesigned the entire operation.
Instead of offering a large menu and relying on carhops, they introduced a streamlined self-service system. The menu was reduced to a small number of items, including hamburgers, cheeseburgers, drinks, milkshakes and other simple foods. The hamburger became the key product and was sold for just 15 cents.
The brothers called their operating approach the Speedee Service System.
The important idea was consistency and speed. Each employee had a specific task, allowing the restaurant to prepare food quickly while maintaining a standardized process.
This system became a significant part of the foundation on which the later McDonald’s franchise model was built.
Why the McDonald Brothers’ Idea Was Important
The brothers were not simply selling hamburgers. They were developing a repeatable restaurant system.
Their limited menu allowed workers to specialize in individual tasks. Food could be prepared more quickly, customers could be served efficiently, and the restaurant could handle a much larger volume of orders.
The model also created an opportunity for expansion. According to McDonald’s corporate history, the brothers began franchising their concept and sold 14 franchises, of which 10 became operating restaurants, excluding their original San Bernardino location.
Enter Ray Kroc
The next major chapter began in 1954.
At the time, Ray Kroc was selling Multimixer milkshake machines. He received an unusually large order from the McDonald brothers’ restaurant in San Bernardino and decided to visit the business personally.
Kroc was impressed by how efficiently the restaurant served a large number of customers using a limited menu.
He learned that the brothers were looking for someone who could help expand their franchise operation nationally. Kroc saw an opportunity and became their franchise agent.
Ray Kroc Opens His First McDonald’s
In April 1955, Kroc opened a McDonald’s restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. It was the first McDonald’s restaurant opened by Kroc and the first McDonald’s location east of the Mississippi River.
The restaurant was built around the McDonald brothers’ operating principles but became part of Kroc’s larger expansion strategy.
Kroc focused heavily on creating a consistent system that could be replicated across multiple locations.
The Des Plaines restaurant recorded $366.12 in sales on its first day, according to McDonald’s corporate history.
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The Difference Between the McDonald Brothers and Ray Kroc
Understanding the history of McDonald’s requires separating the roles of the brothers and Kroc.
| McDonald Brothers | Ray Kroc |
|---|---|
| Opened the first McDonald’s restaurant in 1940 | Opened his first McDonald’s in 1955 |
| Developed the Speedee Service System | Expanded the franchise system |
| Created the streamlined limited-menu model | Built a larger national business around the model |
| Operated the original San Bernardino restaurant | Developed McDonald’s into a major corporation |
| Began franchising the concept | Accelerated nationwide expansion |
This distinction is important because McDonald’s did not originate solely with Ray Kroc. The original restaurant and operating concept were created by Richard and Maurice McDonald, while Kroc became a central figure in the company’s subsequent expansion.
The 1961 Deal With the McDonald Brothers
The relationship eventually changed from a franchise arrangement to a corporate acquisition.
In 1961, McDonald’s acquired the rights to the McDonald brothers’ company for $2.7 million, according to McDonald’s corporate history.
This marked a major transition. Kroc was then able to pursue his vision for the brand without the brothers operating the business as its primary owners.
How McDonald’s Became a Global Brand
Kroc’s ambition extended far beyond building restaurants across the United States. McDonald’s corporate history says he envisioned 1,000 restaurants in the United States.
International expansion began in 1967, when McDonald’s opened restaurants in Canada and Puerto Rico. The company subsequently expanded into many other countries.
The company’s growth was supported by franchising, standardized restaurant operations and a focus on consistent food and service.
The Golden Arches and Restaurant Identity
The restaurant’s visual identity also evolved during this period.
The McDonald brothers worked with architect Stanley Meston on a distinctive red-and-white restaurant design. The building featured prominent arches, which eventually became the famous Golden Arches associated with McDonald’s.
The design helped turn the restaurant itself into a recognizable part of the brand.
Famous Foods That Came Later
The original McDonald’s menu was much smaller than today’s menu.
Over the following decades, several iconic products were introduced. According to McDonald’s historical timeline:
- Filet-O-Fish joined the national menu in 1965.
- Big Mac was added in 1968.
- Quarter Pounder arrived in 1973.
- Egg McMuffin was added in 1975.
- Chicken McNuggets were introduced nationwide in 1983.
These products helped broaden McDonald’s menu beyond the simple hamburger-and-fries model created by the brothers.
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How Is McDonald’s Doing Today?
McDonald’s has grown enormously since its San Bernardino beginnings. The company’s current corporate information describes McDonald’s as one of the world’s largest restaurant companies, with more than 38,000 restaurants worldwide.
The business continues to operate through a large franchise network and has expanded beyond traditional counter service through digital ordering, delivery, kiosks and other technologies.
The original idea of standardized preparation and consistent service remains an important part of the company’s operating model.
Key Highlights
- Richard and Maurice McDonald opened the first McDonald’s restaurant in San Bernardino in 1940.
- The brothers introduced the Speedee Service System in 1948.
- Their limited-menu model focused heavily on fast and standardized hamburger service.
- Ray Kroc visited the brothers in 1954 while working as a Multimixer salesman.
- Kroc opened his first McDonald’s in Des Plaines, Illinois, in 1955.
- McDonald’s acquired the rights to the brothers’ company in 1961.
- International expansion began in 1967 with Canada and Puerto Rico.
- Products such as the Big Mac, Quarter Pounder, Egg McMuffin and Chicken McNuggets were introduced later.
Conclusion
The answer to “Who founded McDonald’s?” depends on which part of the company’s history is being discussed.
Richard and Maurice McDonald founded the original McDonald’s restaurant and developed the Speedee Service System that created the foundation of the business. Ray Kroc later became the franchise agent, opened the first McDonald’s restaurant in Illinois, acquired the brothers’ business rights in 1961 and drove a major phase of the company’s expansion.
The history of McDonald’s is therefore a story involving both the McDonald brothers’ restaurant innovation and Ray Kroc’s franchising and expansion strategy. What began as a streamlined hamburger restaurant in San Bernardino ultimately developed into a global restaurant business.
