The First-Ever McDonald's Opened 86 Years Ago-and the Prices Are Hard to Believe

The year was 1940, and brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald were about to change the restaurant industry forever. Known as Dick and Mac, the duo left behind unsuccessful careers in the movie business and headed west to California, where they opened a small restaurant that later evolved into the groundbreaking Speedee Service System.

Their idea originally started as a BBQ joint but evolved into something revolutionary.

On May 15, 1940, Dick and Mac opened an eatery in San Bernardino that offered a limited menu-hamburgers, french fries, and milkshakes, the staples that McDonald's still relies on today. The craziest part, perhaps, is that a hamburger cost just 15 cents.

Of course, McDonald's has gone through countless changes over the years, including the introduction of its now-iconic Golden Arches in 1953. Two years later, a man named Ray Kroc opened his first McDonald's franchise in Des Plaines, Illinois, after joining forces with Dick and Mac. After finding success with the fast food model, Kroc bought out the brothers in 1961 for a cool $2.7 million.

Ultimately, McDonald's became the most popular fast food restaurant in the world. According to PassBy, the chain generated more than $10 billion in revenue in 2023. Today, there are more than 36,000 McDonald's restaurants in more than 100 nations.

Interestingly, the original McDonald's location in San Bernardino, California, was demolished in 1972 and a McDonald's museum has been erected in its place. For those hoping for some McDonald's nostalgia, you can still visit an OG McDonald's location-the third brick-and-mortar franchise, which opened in 1953 in Downey, California, still operates today.

Long gone, however, are the 15 cent hamburgers.

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This story was originally published May 15, 2026 at 3:51 AM.