What phrase appears in McDonald’s current corporate name as the company’s formal legal name?

McDonald’s formal corporate name is McDonald’s Corporation.

The corporation is the parent company behind the McDonald’s restaurant system, its trademarks, franchising operations, and global brand management. The apostrophe in “McDonald’s” reflects the surname from which the business name originated, while “Corporation” identifies the legal corporate entity rather than a menu brand.

The company’s public-facing restaurant branding usually uses simply “McDonald’s,” so consumers do not always encounter the full legal name. Corporate filings, investor materials, and historical business references use “McDonald’s Corporation.” This distinction is useful when separating the company from individual franchisees or from McDonald’s restaurants in a particular country.

McDonald’s began with Richard and Maurice McDonald’s restaurant business in California and was later expanded nationally through Ray Kroc’s franchising organization. The modern corporation’s name therefore reflects both the original family name and the large corporate structure that developed around the restaurant chain. It should not be confused with “McDonald’s USA,” which identifies the company’s United States business rather than the parent corporation itself.