What corporate name did McDonald’s adopt in 1960 as its fast-food chain expanded?

The company adopted the corporate name McDonald’s Corporation in 1960.

The name change reflected the growing scale of the business founded around the McDonald brothers’ restaurant concept. Ray Kroc had begun expanding the franchise system in the 1950s, and a formal corporate identity became increasingly useful as the chain added restaurants, franchisees, employees, suppliers, and advertising operations.

Corporate naming was part of McDonald’s broader brand development. The company needed one legal and commercial identity that could support national expansion while individual restaurants presented a consistent public image. The name also connected the corporation directly to the McDonald family name already displayed on restaurant signs.

The change is sometimes confused with the date when Ray Kroc bought the company from Richard and Maurice McDonald. That transaction occurred in 1961, whereas the corporate name was adopted in 1960. McDonald’s branding history therefore includes separate milestones for incorporation, naming, ownership, and visual design.