McDonald's Corporation was renamed from McDonald's Systems, Inc. in 1960.
The change reflected the company's growth beyond Ray Kroc's first franchised restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. Kroc had joined the McDonald brothers' operation as a franchise agent in 1954, and the business expanded rapidly through standardized restaurants, distinctive signage, and tightly controlled branding.
The corporate name became increasingly important as McDonald's developed a national franchise system. The company was no longer simply associated with one restaurant or one regional operation; it was becoming a recognizable American chain with common menus, restaurant designs, packaging, and advertising.
The brothers' original business and Kroc's corporation are sometimes confused because both used the McDonald's name. The corporate renaming belongs to Kroc's expanding company, which later became one of the world's best-known restaurant brands.