Out here in California in the city of San Bernardino was where the original McDonald's brothers first started, from who Ray Kroc bought the franchise. I'm sure you know the story. Kroc sold machines to make milkshakes. Most places just owned one. McDonalds owned many, and he wanted to find out why. They a food assembly line going, Kroc liked the idea, talked the bros. into selling him a franchise, and the rest is history. There is also a small museum on the site in a building that that was built after their original restaurant was razed. In the back, the original McDonalds bros. warehouse stills stands, and you can still red and white till peeking through stucco. Kroc didn't get along with the brothers and later built a restaurant down the street and put them out of business. People like Karl Karcher, the founders of Burger King all traveled to San Bernardino to see what the McDonalds bros were doing. Taco Bell started in the area, as did Del Taco. San Bernardino and near-by Riverside truly is the birthplace of the American fast food industry. A great deal of this information is contained in the book "Fast Food Nation"