Which McDonald’s logo element was dropped from the standard U.S. logo in 2006?

The wordmark was dropped from the standard U.S. McDonald’s logo in 2006.

In 2006, McDonald’s began using a simplified logo in the United States that featured the Golden Arches without the company name written beneath or beside them. The change reflected the extraordinary recognition of the arches, allowing the symbol to identify the company on its own.

This was an example of a mature global brand reducing the amount of explanatory text attached to its core symbol. Customers did not need the word “McDonald’s” to recognize the arches, especially after decades of signs, packaging, restaurants, and advertising had established the mark.

The wordmark was not erased from every McDonald’s communication. It continued to appear where legal, informational, local, or design needs required the full company name. The 2006 change concerned the standard U.S. logo treatment, not the disappearance of the name from all branded material.