What corporate name did McDonald's adopt in 1960 as its national franchise network expanded?

McDonald's adopted the corporate name McDonald's Corporation in 1960 as its national franchise network expanded.

Before that change, the company was known as McDonald's System, Inc. The earlier title emphasized the standardized service and franchise system that Ray Kroc had developed around the McDonald brothers’ restaurant model.

The new corporate name placed the McDonald’s brand itself at the center of the organization’s identity. By this period, the company was expanding well beyond its original California restaurants and formalizing its national structure.

McDonald's Corporation is the corporate name, while the Golden Arches and restaurant signage are customer-facing brand elements. These terms describe connected but different parts of the company’s identity.