what was the very first fast food resturant in usa , an the year.?

Answer 1

The first fast food restaurant in the US was called AUTOMAT, opened in NYC, July of 1912.

It was NOT McDonald's, as many people believe. Actually, even White Castle came before McDonald's.

Answer 2

First fast food restaurant: Automat in 1912.
First fast food chain: White Castle in 1921.

By the way, I did not copy Jennie. I typed McDonald's at first then did research to back it up, when I found out I was wrong.

Answer 3

Joe's circa 1934 I think

Answer 4

@1939

Fast Food History
One of the great pioneers of the fast food industry was a man named Carl Karcher. He was a farm boy who grew up in Ohio, but at the age of 24, he moved to Anaheim, California, to work at his uncle’s factory. Like most Americans, he wanted “the American Dream” -- to work hard, be prosperous and have a great life. In 1939, Carl wanted to go into business for himself and purchased a hot dog cart and began his “curb service” of selling hot dogs on the street to customers as they drove up in their cars. Because this was during the time that automobiles were so popular, people did not want to have to get out of their cars to eat and Carl’s business flourished. Within five months after Carl bought the cart, he was able to buy a second one and continue the dream. Before long, he was opening a drive-in restaurant called “Carl’s Drive-In Barbeque”.


At this same point in time, this new way of eating in your car was becoming the biggest thing ever. It was considered really cool to go to a drive-in restaurant for a burger or hot dog. Waitresses known as “carhops” usually dressed very attractively delivered the food to each car. For teenagers, this was the place to be, especially for guys -- late night food, girls and cool cars.
Jesse G. Kirby, the founder of an early drive-in restaurant chain named “Pig Stand” in Texas, stated “People with cars are so lazy they don’t want to get out of them to eat!” (Schlosser, p.17) Even the rest of the United States was catching on to this “drive-in fever”. Only it was a seasonal thing for many states due to the cold weather in the winter.

This whole idea of eating in your car even extended to a Drive-In Church in Anaheim, California, founded by Reverend Robert Schuller. People could come to church on Sunday morning and watch the service on the big movie screen while being able to order and eat at the same time. Schuller’s slogan was “Worship as you are…in the family car.” (Schlosser, p. 19)


It was during this time that two brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald left their home in New Hampshire seeking jobs in southern California. First they tried opening a theater but it was not a success. Then they caught on to the new craze of eating at drive-in restaurants and opened one in 1939, in Pasadena, California, calling it “McDonald’s Famous Hamburgers”. The McDonald brothers grew tired of having to hire new carhops and short-order cooks all the time, so at the end of the 1940’s, they fired everyone. They even decided that they were tired of replacing glassware, dishes and silverware so they closed the restaurant and re-opened with a “new” McDonald’s, one that did not require any dishes, silverware or glasses. Everything switched over to paper and plastic. There was no longer a need for short-order cooks as each employee hired only had to learn one specific task, i.e. make the French fries or make the burgers or get the drinks, etc. Food was made with a “Speedee Service System” designed by the McDonald brothers and it revolutionized the restaurant business. They advertised the benefits of their system as “Imagine – No Carhops – No Waitresses – No Dishwashers – No Bus Boys – The McDonald’s System is Self-Service!” (Schlosser, p.20)


Because of this “Speedee Service System” that the McDonald Brothers created, entrepreneurs from all over the country went to the new McDonald’s in California to see how the restaurant operated. Then they went home and built imitation restaurants of their own, for example, Burger King, Taco Bell, Wendy’s Old-Fashioned Hamburgers, Dunkin’ Donuts, Kentucky Friend Chicken (KFC) and so on. The number of new restaurants was countless. Even Carl Karcher, the man who began with one hot dog cart, opened his own fast food chain too, known as Carl Jr.’s.



Because of the dreams that men like Carl Karcher and the McDonald Brothers had about being in business for themselves and starting their own restaurants, fast food evolved. Ray Kroc is now the owner of McDonald’s and he made the restaurant known not only within the United States but also all over the world. (Schlosser, pp. 13 – 34)

Answer 5

i think mcdonalds in 1953 or 1954