20 Things You Never Knew About America's Biggest Fast Food Chains
There's More to Your Favorite Drive-Thru Than You Think Whether you're grabbing a quick burger on your lunch break, picking up a bucket of chicken for dinner, or making a late-night run for tacos, America's biggest fast food chains are probably familiar territory. But even if you've been ordering from the same restaurants for years, there's a good chance you don't know much about how they got started, who came up with their signature menu items, or the unusual decisions that helped them become household names. 1. McDonald's Started With Two Brothers, Not Ray Kroc Contrary to common belief, Ray Kroc did not found McDonald's. McDonald's brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald first opened their restaurant in 1940 in San Bernardino, CA, and created the Speedee Service System in 1948 to offer menu items more quickly and efficiently. Ray Kroc was brought on board to help with the franchising process and bought the rights to the McDonald's name in 1961. 2. The Egg McMuffin Was Inspired by Eggs Benedict What began as McDonald's franchise owner Herb Peterson's attempt to provide customers with a "to-go" version of Eggs Benedict transformed into the much-beloved Egg McMuffin. He eventually substituted American cheese, added Canadian
