What company name did Ray Kroc use when he incorporated McDonald’s in 1955?

Ray Kroc incorporated McDonald’s as McDonald’s System, Inc., in 1955.

Kroc had become involved with the McDonald brothers after encountering their highly efficient restaurant operation and becoming a franchise agent. The corporate name reflected the importance of the brothers’ standardized system, not merely the food sold at individual restaurants.

The company later became known as McDonald’s Corporation. Kroc’s organization expanded the franchise network, formalized operating standards, and built a consistent visual identity across locations.

The 1955 incorporation is distinct from the opening of the first McDonald’s restaurant in 1940 and from the 1955 opening of Kroc’s first McDonald’s restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. These milestones are frequently conflated.