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where did mcdonald's originate

McDonald’s originated in San Bernardino, California, USA, where the McDonald brothers opened their first restaurant in 1940.

Quick Scoop

  • The first McDonald’s restaurant, originally called McDonald’s Famous Bar-B-Q , opened at 1398 North E Street in San Bernardino in 1940.
  • It began as a drive‑in with carhop service and a large barbecue-focused menu before shifting to a simplified hamburger stand model a few years later.
  • The global corporation most people know today grew later, after Ray Kroc joined as a franchise agent in the 1950s and expanded the brand far beyond California.

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