McDonald's adopted the corporate name McDonald's Corporation in 1960, replacing McDonald's Systems, Inc.
The change reflected the company's expansion beyond the original restaurant operation and its growing franchise business. Ray Kroc had joined the McDonald brothers' operation as a franchise agent in 1954, and his company acquired the McDonald's business in 1961. The corporate rebranding therefore came during a major transition from a regional restaurant chain into a nationally organized brand.
The name change is sometimes confused with Kroc's 1961 purchase of the company. Those were separate events: the corporate name changed in 1960, while Kroc completed the acquisition the following year. The familiar Golden Arches identity was also developing during this period, helping distinguish the expanding chain visually.
McDonald's Corporation remained the company's official corporate name for decades. In 2016, the parent company changed its legal name to Arcos Dorados Holdings Inc. only for the largest McDonald's franchisee in Latin America; McDonald's itself remained the global restaurant brand.