May 15, 1940: First McDonald’s Opens
Saturday, May 15th, 2010
On this day in 1940, Dick and Mac McDonald opened McDonald’s Bar-B-Que restaurant in San Bernadino, California. The restaurant, a drive-in with car hop service, was technically the first McDonald’s to open. The brothers reopened their restaurant in 1948 with a menu more akin to the typical McDonald’s we know and love today. They then signed a franchising deal with Ray Kroc in 1954 and since then, more then 99 billion have been served.
For McDonald’s historical timeline, please click here.