The wordmark was the McDonald's logo element removed from many U.S. restaurants during the 2000s redesign.
As McDonald's modernized its visual identity, some restaurant exteriors began displaying the Golden Arches alone rather than pairing the arches with the written “McDonald's” name. The change relied on the arches' established recognition and created a cleaner, more minimalist appearance.
The wordmark is the written brand name, while the Golden Arches are the graphic symbol. Removing the wordmark did not mean that McDonald's abandoned its name or changed the underlying logo everywhere; usage varied by sign, market, building, and redesign program.
This distinction is important because the arches themselves remained central to the brand. The redesign showed how a mature company can use a symbol independently once audiences already recognize it.