When was McDonald's founded?

The McDonald brothers opened the first McDonald's on May 15, 1940 in San Bernadino, California. In 1948, the brothers took a risk by streamlining their operations and introducing their Speedee Service System featuring 15-cent hamburgers. The restaurant’s success led the brothers to begin franchising their concept—nine becoming operating restaurants. At the San Bernardino location, Dick and Mac McDonald perfected their Speedee Service System featuring a limited menu including fifteen cent hamburgers, shakes and fries. 

In 1954, Ray Croc visited the McDonald brothers which led to him becoming their franchise agent. In 1955, Kroc opened the first McDonald’s east of the Mississippi river in Des Plaines, Illinois. That same year, Kroc began serving as president of McDonald's, and his vision was that there would be 1,000 McDonald’s restaurants solely in the United States. Yet, McDonald’s continued to grow and expand into international markets beginning in 1967, opening in Canada and Puerto Rico. Today, the company has over 36,000 restaurants in over 100 nations, and Kroc was instrumental in McDonald's expansion across the world and into hearts.