What was the official corporate name adopted by McDonald’s in 1960?

The company adopted the official corporate name McDonald’s Corporation in 1960.

The change reflected the growing importance of the McDonald’s restaurant system beyond the original San Bernardino operation. Ray Kroc had begun franchising McDonald’s restaurants in the 1950s, and the company was developing a nationally recognizable brand and operating model.

Before the 1960 change, the business was known as McDonald’s System, Inc. The corporate-name update helped align the legal company with the consumer-facing McDonald’s identity that customers already recognized.

This fact is distinct from the restaurant’s earlier naming history. The McDonald brothers originally operated a barbecue restaurant before simplifying the menu and developing the McDonald’s fast-service concept. The later corporate name concerned the expanding business organization.