What was McDonald’s official corporate name when it changed from McDonald’s System, Inc. in 1960?

McDonald’s changed its corporate name to McDonald’s Corporation in 1960.

The change came during a period when Ray Kroc’s franchise organization was becoming a large, nationally recognizable restaurant company. The corporation’s expanding network depended on consistent branding, operating procedures, and restaurant standards across independently owned franchises.

Before 1960, the company used the name McDonald’s System, Inc. The word “System” reflected the standardized franchise and service model that Kroc promoted. Replacing it with “Corporation” gave the legal business a more conventional corporate identity while retaining the public-facing McDonald’s name.

This corporate renaming is distinct from changes to menu branding or the Golden Arches logo. The company’s visual identity continued to evolve separately, including the important 1962 redesign that shaped the familiar arches emblem.