Longer reads
Writing about the machine.
Explainers on how the operation actually works — the kitchen system, the property model, and what the menu is really doing.
04 Aug 202621 Jul 202630 Jun 202609 Jun 2026
The Speedee Service System, not the hamburger, was the invention
In 1948 two brothers threw out most of their menu and rebuilt the kitchen as a production line. Everything else followed from that.
historyoperationsThe company that sells hamburgers makes its money on land
Harry Sonneborn's insight turned a struggling franchise operation into one of the largest property holders in the world.
businessfranchisingWhat 'limited time only' is actually doing
Scarcity on a fast-food menu is rarely about scarcity. It is a scheduling tool, a supply hedge and a way to test products without committing a kitchen.
menumarketingThe menu is not the same twice
Beef in India, rice in the Philippines, kosher branches in Israel: a standardised chain that is far less standardised than its reputation suggests.
internationalmenu