What was McDonald's original corporate name after Ray Kroc bought the company in 1961?

McDonald's original corporate name after Ray Kroc bought the company in 1961 was McDonald's Corporation.

Ray Kroc joined the McDonald brothers' business as a franchise agent and later acquired the rights to the system. The company was incorporated as McDonald's Corporation in 1961, the year associated with Kroc's purchase of the brothers' interest.

The corporate name is distinct from the restaurant brand and from the earlier operating company associated with the McDonald brothers. It also should not be confused with McDonald's Systems, Inc., a name used in the company's earlier history.

This corporate milestone mattered to branding because it placed the expanding franchise network under one centralized identity. The Golden Arches, standardized restaurant design, and national advertising could then be developed more consistently across the growing chain.