<P> Some historians concur that A&W , which opened in 1919 and began franchising in 1921 , was the first fast food restaurant ( E. Tavares ) . Thus , the American company White Castle is generally credited with opening the second fast - food outlet in Wichita , Kansas in 1921 , selling hamburgers for five cents apiece from its inception and spawning numerous competitors and emulators . What is certain , however , is that White Castle made the first significant effort to standardize the food production in , look of , and operation of fast - food hamburger restaurants . William Ingram 's and Walter Anderson 's White Castle System created the first fast food supply chain to provide meat , buns , paper goods , and other supplies to their restaurants , pioneered the concept of the multi-state hamburger restaurant chain , standardized the look and construction of the restaurants themselves , and even developed a construction division that manufactured and built the chain 's prefabricated restaurant buildings . The McDonald 's Speedee Service System and , much later , Ray Kroc 's McDonald 's outlets and Hamburger University all built on principles , systems and practices that White Castle had already established between 1923 and 1932 . </P>
<P> Some historians concur that A&W , which opened in 1919 and began franchising in 1921 , was the first fast food restaurant ( E. Tavares ) . Thus , the American company White Castle is generally credited with opening the second fast - food outlet in Wichita , Kansas in 1921 , selling hamburgers for five cents apiece from its inception and spawning numerous competitors and emulators . What is certain , however , is that White Castle made the first significant effort to standardize the food production in , look of , and operation of fast - food hamburger restaurants . William Ingram 's and Walter Anderson 's White Castle System created the first fast food supply chain to provide meat , buns , paper goods , and other supplies to their restaurants , pioneered the concept of the multi-state hamburger restaurant chain , standardized the look and construction of the restaurants themselves , and even developed a construction division that manufactured and built the chain 's prefabricated restaurant buildings . The McDonald 's Speedee Service System and , much later , Ray Kroc 's McDonald 's outlets and Hamburger University all built on principles , systems and practices that White Castle had already established between 1923 and 1932 . </P>
which fast food chain made its debut in wichita ks
which fast food chain made its debut in wichita ks
White Castle
White Castle