What was McDonald’s corporate name changed to in 1960, replacing the company’s earlier “McDonald’s Systems” name?

In 1960, the company changed its corporate name from McDonald’s Systems to McDonald’s Corporation.

The change reflected the business’s development from a restaurant operating system into a large franchising company. Ray Kroc had joined the McDonald brothers’ operation as a franchise agent in 1954 and established a new corporate structure as he expanded the brand across the United States.

The corporate name helped distinguish the growing company from individual franchise restaurants. McDonald’s restaurants could be owned and operated by franchisees, while the corporation controlled the broader brand, operating standards, real estate strategy, and franchising system.

The name should not be confused with the restaurant brand itself, which had already been called McDonald’s for years. Nor should it be confused with McDonald’s Systems, the earlier corporate name used during the company’s initial expansion phase.