Richard and Maurice McDonald were American entrepreneurs best known for founding the fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's. They opened their first restaurant in San Bernardino, California in 1940, where they developed a streamlined system for food preparation that emphasized speed and efficiency. This innovative approach laid the groundwork for the modern fast-food industry. In 1954, Ray Kroc, a milkshake machine salesman, visited the McDonald brothers' restaurant and saw the potential for expansion. He partnered with them to create a franchise model, leading to the rapid growth of McDonald's across the United States and eventually worldwide. The McDonald brothers' vision transformed the way people eat out.