“McDonald's” was the company's first registered trademark, filed in 1961 for restaurant services. The registration protected the name that customers already associated with the growing chain and its standardized food-service operation.
Trademark protection became increasingly important as McDonald's expanded through franchising. A recognizable name, logo, menu presentation, and restaurant appearance allowed customers to identify an authorized McDonald's location in different communities.
The 1961 registration should not be confused with trademark filings for individual menu items, slogans, or logos. McDonald's has registered many separate marks over time, including marks connected with products, characters, advertising language, and visual symbols.
The name itself was central to the brand before the Golden Arches became its dominant visual shorthand. Later advertising often used the arches without spelling out the company name, but the corporate and restaurant identity remained rooted in the McDonald's word mark.