The Food That Built America McDonald's Before McDonald's (from HISTORY This Week)
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May 12, 2025 
Adam Chandler, journalist and author of "Drive-Thru Dreams," dives into the origins of McDonald's, starting with the McDonald brothers' 1940 venture. They revolutionized fast food by simplifying their menu to enhance efficiency. Chandler reveals the brothers' struggles during the Great Depression and how they laid the foundation for a global franchise. He discusses the pivotal moment when Ray Kroc saw the potential in their model, leading to a profound transformation in food service and the phenomenon of fast food imitations that followed.
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Opening Day of McDonald's
- McDonald's opened on May 15, 1940 in San Bernardino as McDonald's Famous Barbecue in an octagonal building.
- It catered to drivers with car-hop service and a varied menu including hamburgers, barbecue, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Hamburger's Pre-McDonald's Image
- Before McDonald's, hamburgers had a low-quality image and were often consumed late at night or by workers.
- White Castle in 1921 began to change perceptions, but the McDonald brothers were from a region without that influence.
Brothers' California Beginnings
- The McDonald brothers moved from New Hampshire to California aiming for Hollywood careers but ended up working behind the scenes.
- They shifted to entrepreneurship opening a hot dog and orange juice stand near an airport before later relocating to San Bernardino.
